is it safe to use an APC on Opti Coated paint?

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Rez90

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i ask because i had some weird stains on the back of my white car recently...spray detailer didn't do anything. I didn't want to use any type of scrtatch remover because i dont' want to affect my opti coat with anything abrasive so i hit it with a tiny bit of Megs APC+ and the stain wiped right off....

I'd assume this is pretty safe given the car has opti coat 2.0 on it....

thoughts?
 
Yep. There is nothing short of a paint levelers at body shops that will remove OC chemically. Naturally when using any APC!, degreaser, bug remover ect. Make sure to rinse it completely.

Your OC is not removable by APC or degreaser, just to be clear.

I'm a pro installer.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
 
VP Mark said:
Yep. There is nothing short of a paint levelers at body shops that will remove OC chemically. Naturally when using any APC!, degreaser, bug remover ect. Make sure to rinse it completely.

Your OC is not removable by APC or degreaser, just to be clear.

I'm a pro installer.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using AG Online
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:iagree:
 
Opti Coat can only be removed via sanding and heavy polishing/compounding. :) So no worry
 
Coatings are quite chemical resistant (broad spectrum). Really dirty car, a dilute APC mix will be a great presoak.

ZeroSP said:
Opti Coat can only be removed via sanding and heavy polishing/compounding. :) So no worry
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It's not that durable. As pointed out above, most bodyshop solvent based cleaners remove them
 
Only use an APC that is safe for paint on paint - regardless if it has OC on it or not. To think you can use any strong APC to wash your car because it has OC is naive. One that is safe that I use is Sonus All in 1.
 
swanicyouth said:
Only use an APC that is safe for paint on paint - regardless if it has OC on it or not. To think you can use any strong APC to wash your car because it has OC is naive. One that is safe that I use is Sonus All in 1.
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Which ones aren't?
 
Andr3wilson said:
Coatings are quite chemical resistant (broad spectrum). Really dirty car, a dilute APC mix will be a great presoak.



It's not that durable. As pointed out above, most bodyshop solvent based cleaners remove them
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After just 72 hours, OC can take solvent based cleaners. Imagine what happens after 30 days, once fully cured. Please don't confuse OPTI COAT, which is a ceramic clear coat with Other "coatings".

You need machine polishing to remove OC.
 
tdekany said:
After just 72 hours, OC can take solvent based cleaners. Imagine what happens after 30 days, once fully cured. Please don't confuse OPTI COAT, which is a ceramic clear coat with Other "coatings".

You need machine polishing to remove OC.
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Quite right. A coating which fits the high end description should have no real problem. A well put together polymer sealant should even survive many solvent based cleaners. This sort of translates across from my generic LSP discussions - if your coating is stripped by a misc. solvent cleaner, you need a better coating!

Note that there will be exceptions but if a solvent removes OC, chances are it will remove the paint as well.
 
tdekany said:
After just 72 hours, OC can take solvent based cleaners. Imagine what happens after 30 days, once fully cured. Please don't confuse OPTI COAT, which is a ceramic clear coat with Other "coatings".

You need machine polishing to remove OC.
Click to expand...

PiPUK said:
Quite right. A coating which fits the high end description should have no real problem. A well put together polymer sealant should even survive many solvent based cleaners. This sort of translates across from my generic LSP discussions - if your coating is stripped by a misc. solvent cleaner, you need a better coating!

Note that there will be exceptions but if a solvent removes OC, chances are it will remove the paint as well.
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:props:
 
Opti Coat is actually Clear? Man... I did not know clear coat could be wiped on and buffed flat. I also wasn't talking about generic solvent cleaners.

As far as the APC, most are very similar in using a sodium hydroxide base. I have not seen one APC that will harm or cause damage to the paint.
 
Andr3wilson said:
Opti Coat is actually Clear? Man... I did not know clear coat could be wiped on and buffed flat. I also wasn't talking about generic solvent cleaners.

As far as the APC, most are very similar in using a sodium hydroxide base. I have not seen one APC that will harm or cause damage to the paint.
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I'm just going by what the manufacturer says on the bottle in the directions, which I think is a safe way to play it.

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You could likely use Grime Reaper on 20 cars with no issue. Maybe the 21st car it could cause an issue. Other paint safe APCs:

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I'm looking at it from a chemistry aspect. APC is based from sodium hydroxide, butyl and a few additives. Different brands are using different amounts and concentrations. These chemicals will not damage paint. Grime Reaper doesn't damage paint. I have used it before (even consider using it on tires and wheel wells. Does the over spray on paint damage anything?). I'm guessing the "warning" is to stop people from spraying it and wiping it, then wondering why it streaks. That or it's more CG marketing.
 
Andr3wilson said:
I'm looking at it from a chemistry aspect. APC is based from sodium hydroxide, butyl and a few additives. Different brands are using different amounts and concentrations. These chemicals will not damage paint. Grime Reaper doesn't damage paint. I have used it before (even consider using it on tires and wheel wells. Does the over spray on paint damage anything?). I'm guessing the "warning" is to stop people from spraying it and wiping it, then wondering why it streaks. That or it's more CG marketing.
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Sodium hydroxide is about as nasty as alkaline gets. It is cheap and effective but it is highly corrosive and, IMO, has no real place in a detailer's daily usage box. Paint is probably one of the less concerning areas for a product with a base of this but plastics and trims, especially chrome trims, can be permanently damaged.

Whilst NaOH is common in detailing products, it is just more nasty than it needs to be and it is about time that detailers considered this ingredient with the same sort of concern that they do hydrochloric acid.
 
I don't know. I'm just saying, if a product says "don't use on paint" and I use it on paint, and it messes up my/that paint - I'm going to feel pretty stupid. Especially, when there are other APCs readily available that the manufacturer says can be used on paint.

I think the manufacturer may know the product better than we give them credit for. Its likely fine on most paint. But who knows? You may get some delicate paint or trim piece it could stain. Maybe it won't happen right away, maybe it will damage over time?

I just feel more comfortable using and recommending products that were designed to be used on paint. Something like P21S TAW that uses d-limonene (and likely other) chemicals to clean has been proven paint safe for at least a decade on thousands of bikes and cars.

I just don't want to be the first guy who makes a post "Grime Reaper Messed Up My Paint".
 
PiPUK said:
Sodium hydroxide is about as nasty as alkaline gets. It is cheap and effective but it is highly corrosive and, IMO, has no real place in a detailer's daily usage box. Paint is probably one of the less concerning areas for a product with a base of this but plastics and trims, especially chrome trims, can be permanently damaged.

Whilst NaOH is common in detailing products, it is just more nasty than it needs to be and it is about time that detailers considered this ingredient with the same sort of concern that they do hydrochloric acid.
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Very true. It turns plastics white, but remember that APC is not just aqueous NaOH. It's not as aggressive as you think tho, it only causes damage over prolonged use and high concentrations.
 
Andr3wilson said:
Very true. It turns plastics white, but remember that APC is not just aqueous NaOH. It's not as aggressive as you think tho, it only causes damage over prolonged use and high concentrations.
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Oh I know, I manufacture tonnes of the stuff! There are products out there which will dull chrome on a first hit if not used correctly. To be honest, there are heavy duty vehicle cleaners now doing the rounds which are much worse and people tend to be less cautious in their use. It is not uncommon for me to encounter dulled trims which the customers think to be normal when it is actually their wash routine.
 
Not to worry, trust me I've done my fair share of testing:

[video=youtube_share;Kj2f8u2KFSA"]Video Review - How Chemically Resistant is Opticoat? - YouTube[/video]
 
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