Thoughts on using a paint cleaner/cleanser after polish???

A

alowe

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I see people doing this before the LSP. Is there any benefit to this? Is it filling like a glaze? Is a wipedown of a prep solvent good enough? I have seen people are talking about DODO's lime prime and am wondering if it is worth it?
 
I would use a cleaner polish before applying an LSP to clean up any existing protection and to brighten up the paint before applying that LSP.

If you were just doing scratch or swirl removal to a vehicle you really should use a polish to bring the shine back to the paint. Some polishes have fillers and some do not. Personally, I like the polishes that do not have any fillers as it probably would interfere with my LSP.
 
most the time after a polishing (mechanically abrading the surface) the finish is ready for the LSP. Paint cleansing lotions (Pinnacle, P21S) are chemical paint cleansers and do offer some very minor filling but should not be needed once polishing was done correctly IMO.

Now you could use a pure glaze for additional wetness prior to LSP as long as its compatible with the final product.
 
I really like using Pinnacle Paintwork Cleanse after I use an abrasive polish. It does not fill much. I dont have to worry about tape lines, or any left over polish residue because the cleaner will take care of it. Its one more step that really pays off in my book.

Try it both ways...
 
Wax Application – for a pristine paint film surface after the application of detailer’s clay or polishing, use a chemical paint cleaner to ensure the surface is clean and the sub-surface is free of any grease or other residue, this will enable an efficient bonding with the paint surface and also ensure product durability.
 
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I always use a cleaner before my LSP. 50/50 does a good job, but the cleaners seem to help prep the surface better and the LSP always goes on easier and seems to hold better. IMO, it is worth it to use one.
 
TOGWT said:
Wax Application – for a pristine paint film surface after the application of detailer’s clay or polishing, use a chemical paint cleaner to ensure the surface is clean and the sub-surface is free of any grease or other residue, this will enable an efficient bonding with the paint surface and also ensure product durability.
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:iagree::whs:. I started doing it most of the time after watching videos by a detailer from the UK. He used the chemical cleaner after a polish on each of his details. It always seems to make a visible difference when I do it.
 
Are we talking about a cleaner polish or glaze? Or are you referring to using an IPA soluton or similar to remove wax/oils...?

I will use an IPA solution after doing a test spot to ensure it's free of any marring/swirls/srcatches that the oils in the cleaner can hide.

As far as wiping the whole car down with something like IPA after I've just used a cleaner polish, then no. Maybe it depends on what products you are working with, but in my book, that is taking a step backwards in the goal to perfection.
 
Whenever i do a chemical cleaning polish after i do paint correction ,my pad is always filled with dirt,polishing oils and who knows whatever else.It deosnt really matter if i did an IPA wipedown or not the pad alwyas ends up being filthy. I do the Ipa wipe down to check my work but i use chemical cleaner to improve bonding and paint clarity.
 
I'm still unsure what exactly is being asked here. Maybe it's because I mainly use Meguiar's for my polish, compound, and LSP.

Example: The oils in Meguiar's M80 polish only help the LSP adhere to the paint, not to mention adding depth and gloss. Removing them with IPA before your LSP would be taking a step back then, correct?


Again, I have not used most the products members have mentioned in this thread, so it's possible it differs between products.
 
I similar topic came up on MOL about the use of NXT (a sealant) over a pure polish like M07. The user wanted to know if the M07 would keep the sealant from bonding with the paint.

This is a quote from one of Meguiar's chemists...

Quote:
A wax, (natural or synthetic), is a substance that when applied to a surface will not adhere properly on its own. Thus, it is necessary to add specialized miscible oils to allow the waxy material to spread and adhere evenly to the surface. These oils along with polymers are responsible for improving the functionality of the wax protection, appearance, adherence and the overall application.

This means the addition of any Meguiar's polishes prior to the wax application will not only enhance the paint finish, but also aid in the appearance, adherence and overall lasting ability of the wax which is applied over the top of it.

Not sure if this is what we are talking about here, but in my case, when using Meguiar's products, this does not seem like a step that is needed.


Rasky ;)
 
^^^^ That completely goes against everything I have ever read.
 
67Customs said:
^^^^ That completely goes against everything I have ever read.
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That's Meguiar's products though, other companies may very well differ...but it gets you thinking. ;)

I would think that since that quote comes from the chemist making the products that it is a very credible source.
 
RaskyR1 said:
That's Meguiar's products though, other companies may very well differ...but it gets you thinking. ;)

I would think that since that quote comes from the chemist making the products that it is a very credible source.
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Yeah, they are always a bit different.

I'm definitely not saying he is wrong, it is just weird that I have never heard that before. It is always, "The surface has to be perfectly clean before applying a sealant."
 
I have done both an IPA and have used a non abrasive paint cleaner prior to LSP. I am trying to decide which is best. Is the cleaner worth the money? I just ordered some Lime Prime Lite, anxious to use it on my car only. I normally perform and IPA, then wash before LSP. Are there any chemicals in the cleaner that will prep the paint better than the IPA?

A
 
Tbest way would to do an IPA or Prep Sol wipedown, then go to your lsp. I use a paint cleaner after I wash a car that is already polished and does not need anything else besides an lsp.
 
67Customs said:
Yeah, they are always a bit different.

I'm definitely not saying he is wrong, it is just weird that I have never heard that before. It is always, "The surface has to be perfectly clean before applying a sealant."
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I concur. I guess it's just best to follow the manufactures recommendations for the product you are using.


Here is the whole thread if you want to check it out. It's a pretty good read. :cheers:

Do Glazes/Fillers affect the bonding of NXT? - Car Care Forums: Meguiar's Online

Rasky :)
 
Damn,

I guess now I have to do a 50/50 of Prep/Sol and Lime Prime Lite. I will be using SIG II as the LSP. Will have to do some shots and post them.

A
 
We clay to remove above-surface contaminants. We clean the paint to remove below-surface contaminants (among other things). And now I'm being told that I should also apply apply Prep-Sol or an IPA solution immediately prior to applying a sealant or wax in order to really really really clean the paint; otherwise the sealant or wax will not bond properly to the paint surface. Am I understanding the claim here?

A couple of questions come to mind:

First, which manufacturers specifically recommend this for the proper application of their sealants or waxes?

Second, is this step really necessary or desirable if one's LSP is a carnauba wax, like Souveran or Victoria Concours Red or PS21? Haven't folks been applying waxes on top of glazes without ill-effect a long time? A lot of detailers, Rasky above being one of them, certainly believe that the polishing oils of M07 or M80 enhance the look achieved by a carnauba wax.

Third, even if we grant that theoretically it is optimal that the paint surface be as squeaky clean as possible for purposes of bonding, what potential loss of longevity are we talking about? seconds? minutes? days? weeks? No doubt this will vary from product to product. I confess that I have a hard time believing that the durability of Collinite will be affected in any noticeable way if applied in the absence of an IPA wipedown, for example. Do we have any hard empirical data, one way or the other?

Cheers,
Al
 
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