How does meguiars paint cleaner work?

[Bullitt AK]

it claims to remove scratches and swirl marks however it is non abrasive...does it just fill the scratches in or is it just something similar to a liquid claybar

[cobalt9123]

it claims to remove scratches and swirl marks however it is non abrasive...does it just fill the scratches in or is it just something similar to a liquid claybar

Which Meguiar's product are you talking about specifically?

[Bullitt AK]

'Meguiars Paint Cleaner' step one in the three step

[tuscarora dave]

Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, I have used it but just as a pre cleaner for red or light colored cars such as white. It really brightens the paint and gets a lot of the dirt out of the paint. I use PB Pro Polish now instead because I work in direct sun most of the time.

I would hold out for a reply from Mike Phillips on it's different uses.

[cobalt9123]

'Meguiars Paint Cleaner' step one in the three step

Never used the Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner...but you're right about it not being abrasive. It won't "take out" scratches because that involves leveling the paint down to the layer that the scratches/swirls are at. You MIGHT be able to use it as a lubricant and have a very deep cutting pad do the abrasive for you, but why would you want to?

Definitely hold out for Mike on more info on this

[Bullitt AK]

Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, I have used it but just as a pre cleaner for red or light colored cars such as white. It really brightens the paint and gets a lot of the dirt out of the paint. I use PB Pro Polish now instead because I work in direct sun most of the time.

I would hold out for a reply from Mike Phillips on it's different uses.

yeah i tried it on a car and it made the paint so much more deep and clear..but if all it does it get the dirt out of the paint then whats different from a claybar?

[Mike Phillips]

When Meguiar's uses the term non-abrasive, and other polish manufactures for that matter, what they mean is the product isn't scratchy, that is its not like a gritty product that will instill scratches into the paint.

To put this into perspective in the "old days" most products intended to be used to clean, polish and enhance paint before applying a wax were gritty and would scratch your paint and people remember this and it scares them.

The Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner is a combination of diminishing abrasives, chemical cleaners and lubricating oils to provide a level of protection to the paint as the product is worked. It's very non-aggressive and is limited to removing only very fine or shallow swirls. It's been discontinued because Meguiar's introduced,

• SwirlX - SMAT
• Ultimate Compound - SMAT
• ScratchX - Switched to SMAT
• Rubbing Compound - DAT
• Polishing Compound - DAT

All of which are in the Consumer Line.

For anyone reading this that does not know what SMAT and DAT are, here's two articles, these can be found in my list of article in my Signature Line


Compounds - Polishes - Paint Cleaners - Cleaner/Polishes - Pure Polishes - Glazes
The SMAT Pack - Everything you ever wanted to know about Meguiar's SMAT products...
The Aggressiveness Order of SMAT Products - This might surprise you!


Claying is really only good for removing Above Surface Bonded Contaminants, a quality paint cleaner will remove oxidation, staining, pore-embedding stains and contaminants and if the paint cleaner is formulated to abrade, then fine swirls and scratches.

Part of how well any hand applied paint cleaner works is hugely affected by the technique and skill level of the person applying it. I cannot count how many times I've had someone in class that would say ScratchX doesn't work and then I would take ScratchX and remove their scratches using the same product, same type of applicator pad but using correct technique.

Here's a new article,

How to use a hand applied abrasive polish or paint cleaner by hand


And a classic article I've re-written but the original dates back to 2004,

Put a little passion behind the pad - Mike Phillips


And a related article...

Fingermarks