What is Iron X and why should I use it?

[hilld]

Mike, thanks for answering my question in so much detail, I really appreciate it. I have only used Iron X once before but after the initial wash, now I have learned something and next time it will be on a dirty car.

 

[Klasse Act]

Mike, I would've never thought to spray IronX onto a dirty car first but after reading your post it makes logical sense. Now here's my question, I do rinseless washes, am I ok to pre-soak like usual and then wipe down w/ my Aqua sponge?

Thanks Mike:thumbup:

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[HD.Detailing]

I've never use on a dirty car... Interesting idea


Sent from my Alien ship

 

[Klasse Act]

I've never use on a dirty car... Interesting idea


Sent from my Alien ship

My wife's car will be the test subject for this, LOL

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[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike, thanks for answering my question in so much detail, I really appreciate it.

No problemo... that's the way I roll... I always hope the quality of the answers and information people get here on AGO helps set AGO apart from all the other options.

I've always encouraged people to ask their detailing questions to multiple detailing forums and then decide for themselves where they get the best help.

I have only used Iron X once before but after the initial wash, now I have learned something and next time it will be on a dirty car.

Like I say... everyone can find their own way to suit their tastes and detailing environment etc.

Mike, I would've never thought to spray IronX onto a dirty car first but after reading your post it makes logical sense.

Makes for the best pictures too as the dirt on the surface slows the Iron X streams down as they try to run off the car.

Now here's my question, I do rinseless washes, am I ok to pre-soak like usual and then wipe down w/ my Aqua sponge?

Thanks Mike

Hmm.... I'd have to play around with the Iron X and Rinseless Wash technique to figure this one out. My initial thoughts though are it's not a good match just like it wouldn't be a good match for a Waterless Wash.

At some point I think it's helpful to actually rinse or flood the car body with water when using a product like Iron X.


For the most part I ether wash a car using a foam gun plus of course the water hose for rinsing OR I use the waterless wash because of the types of cars I work on.

I rarely use the rinseless was but that's just because it doesn't fit my style of detailing.

 

[Klasse Act]

Thanks for the answer Mike, I kinda thought it would be better to use a hose to remove all the IronX, makes more sense now that I think of it. I may have to use my 2 gallon hand pump in some cases, it will get rinsed off but at a slower rate, LOL!

 

[aim4squirrels]

Mike,

If a vehicle has already been corrected (with Iron X being used in that process) and maintained with weekly maintenance washes, how likely is the car to need an additional Iron X treatment for a yearly touch up?

I understand environmental factors probably play a big part, but in your experience, what's the follow-up like on well maintained vehicles? Are you seeing a lot of bleeding on your return customers?

My thinking is, there's doing it (Iron X) for the insurance, and then there's just flat wasting product.

 

[FUNX650]

I've never use on a dirty car... Interesting idea

I haven't either.

I've always just followed the:
1.) Wash the vehicle first...directions.

Then again:
I don't have the exigency to
take many "bleeding-photos"...


Bob

 

[Klasse Act]

I understand how the dirt holds the ironX and thus allowing it to dwell , but I can also understand that if you wash the car and remove that layer of dirt the product would go right to the paint surface.

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[GOATMAN06]

No problemo... that's the way I roll... I always hope the quality of the answers and information people get here on AGO helps set AGO apart from all the other options.

I've always encouraged people to ask their detailing questions to multiple detailing forums and then decide for themselves where they get the best help.




Like I say... everyone can find their own way to suit their tastes and detailing environment etc.





Makes for the best pictures too as the dirt on the surface slows the Iron X streams down as they try to run off the car.




Hmm.... I'd have to play around with the Iron X and Rinseless Wash technique to figure this one out. My initial thoughts though are it's not a good match just like it wouldn't be a good match for a Waterless Wash.

At some point I think it's helpful to actually rinse or flood the car body with water when using a product like Iron X.


For the most part I ether wash a car using a foam gun plus of course the water hose for rinsing OR I use the waterless wash because of the types of cars I work on.

I rarely use the rinseless was but that's just because it doesn't fit my style of detailing.

Thanks for the info Mike:xyxthumbs:

 

[allenk4]

If you are planning on polishing the vehicle, then I can agree with Mike's technique of spraying Iron-X on dirty paint and then proceeding to the wash step without rinsing first.

It does make my stomach hurt when I think about rubbing a wash mitt on my paint without power rinsing 1st


I don't believe this technique should be used if you are trying to decontaminate the paint and avoid polishing, as it will mar the paint


I do wonder what effect deviating from the product directions has on its performance?

"Directions:

1. Wash the car or wheels surfaces, make sure surface is in cool temp.

2. Shake well, spray on the surface.

Rub it in with damp sponge thoroughly.

Wait 5 min. while contaminants change its color to purple/red.

Wipe off with damp soft sponge.

Don’t let the IronX dry completely on surface!

3. Rinse well or power wash the whole surface. The vehicle is ready to clay now."

 

[cardaddy]

And then what about part 3?

You know..... the one where you use Iron-X Snow Foam.

Seems that'll go right to shifting the application towards;
1: a dirty vehicle & 2: maximum dwell time

I know it still stinks to high heaven! :laughing:
(Even though the bottle would have you believe otherwise.)

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Mike,

If a vehicle has already been corrected (with Iron X being used in that process) and maintained with weekly maintenance washes, how likely is the car to need an additional Iron X treatment for a yearly touch up?

That just depends on,

What's in the air where the vehicle is parked the majority of time

I understand environmental factors probably play a big part, but in your experience, what's the follow-up like on well maintained vehicles? Are you seeing a lot of bleeding on your return customers?

No but most of my customers garage park their cars and they are not daily drivers.

My thinking is, there's doing it (Iron X) for the insurance, and then there's just flat wasting product.

And that's the conundrum.... you don't know if you're wasting product till after you've sprayed it onto the paint. If you find the paint was not contaminated.... it's too late as you can't really put the genie back into the bottle.

Unless you're detailing cars that are parked in industrial areas I'd probably skip it when you detail the same car a second time within a year. Just do the normal steps of washing and inspecting with the baggie test and claying if needed then on to polishing and waxing. Keep it simple.

I understand how the dirt holds the ironX and thus allowing it to dwell , but I can also understand that if you wash the car and remove that layer of dirt the product would go right to the paint surface.

Benefits to both approaches depending upon who you are and what you're trying to do. I listed my reasons for my approach but that's just my approach. Each person should figure out a way that works best for them and their system.

Thanks for the info Mike:xyxthumbs:

No problemo...

If you are planning on polishing the vehicle, then I can agree with Mike's technique of spraying Iron-X on dirty paint and then proceeding to the wash step without rinsing first.

Works for me...

It does make my stomach hurt when I think about rubbing a wash mitt on my paint without power rinsing 1st

Remember, if you're educating your customer, then after you detail the car they will take better care of it and the idea is you won't have to do an aggressive type wash again to the same car.

I don't believe this technique should be used if you are trying to decontaminate the paint and avoid polishing, as it will mar the paint

Of course not and I think I explained everything already in this thread as to the how and why...

I do wonder what effect deviating from the product directions has on its performance?

In post #2 of this thread I wrote this on purpose.

(I tend to pick and choose EVERY WORD I type on a public form as a veteran of the Zaino vs NXT Wars).

My writing style is one of defend. That means if I write something, either on a forum or anywhere, I've already looked at what I wrote inside and out and I know I can defend it from anyone that would want to try to argue a point. I've had a lot of experience typing and talking in the forum world. So each word I type is used on purpose.

 

[allenk4]

I agree completely with what Mike said in post #2, that the process suggested is for a car that is going to be polished

I wonder if not agitating the Iron-x during the dwell phase has any significant impact on the effectiveness of the product?

Manufacturers generally like to keep the instructions simple and don't add steps without some justification

 

[Mike PhillipsMike Phillips is verified member.]

Manufacturers generally like to keep the instructions simple and don't add steps without some justification

That's called bubba-proofing


I wrote label copy including directions as a writer for Meguiar's. When writing label copy and directions for the general public you have to write for the lowest common denominator and still assume they'll screw it up.

 

[allenk4]

That's called bubba-proofing


I wrote label copy including directions as a writer for Meguiar's. When writing label copy and directions for the general public you have to write for the lowest common denominator and still assume they'll screw it up.

What is your opinion on why CarPro added the agitate step?

Is it really intended to make sure the product is achieving complete coverage?

 

[Klasse Act]

Ok so I finally got the Lemon IronX and used it on my week old dirty wheels. First off I must the smell is like that of a home perm, no doubt about it but the smell is nowhere as bad as everyone makes it out to be! Wanna smell something bad, try out the Meg's DUB wheel cleaner, that stuff you can taste in your mouth even

I used about 20% of the bottles and ofcoarse he front wheels really bled out the most but because I keep my car pretty clean, even a weeks worth of dirt and brake dust didn't make it too hard for the IronX to make quick work of my task, stuff just works, period! I was actually going to do a random wheel of someone else's car down in the garage but got cold feet

I plan on buying the 1 litre size soon and stock up, spring will be hear before you know it (Midwest wishful thinking)

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[Producerulez]

What nanoskin product are you referring to? And what does it do

 

[allenk4]

What nanoskin product are you referring to? And what does it do

Posts like this one work better it you quote the person you are asking the question

 

[Producerulez]

The normal order to use Iron X

This is how I use Iron X. You can modify this approach to suit your own tastes.


1. Spray car down with Iron X and let it dwell for a few minutes but not long enough to dry on the car.

2. Foam car using foam gun

3. Wash car using microfiber chenille wash mitt and assoted brushes.

4. After rinsing thoroughly, mechanically decontaminate the paint using products intended for this step by Nanoskin or Optimum Polymer Technologies.

5. Rinse car thoroughly.

6. Dry car.


The above is how I wash a car before I'm going to machine buff the paint. Each step is crucial to a proper detail.

Just to note, I always wash the wheels and tires first and then wash the car. To see my approach for washing the wheels on any car see this article.

How to wash Ferrari Wheels and Tires

This question is to anyone, What is nanoskin? Is it the clay method? And what does it do? Looked up nanoskin which one is he talking about. I bought mikes book on iBooks, wish it could up date the book had use iron x after you wash the car. Still new to this forum