Mixing Meg’s APC with car wash to strip paint

[acuRAS82]

Until I purchase the new McKee’s Coating Prep Auto Wash, I’m hoping for an alternative way to strip most or all of the wax on my car before doing clay/polish/LSP.

I know the polishing will also remove the existing LSP, but whatever I can get off first to allow the clay to better do it’s job, and to prevent gum up on my pads would be helpful.

current plan is to use normal, glossless car soap mixed with 2oz of Meg’s APC in 2 gal of water. I arbitrarily chose 2oz APC and was wondering if anyone has any feedback for me (whether 2oz seems good, whether washing paint with APC is a wasted effort since I’m going to polish, etc).

thanks in advance!

[GEM65]

This sound like a very good approach [emoji106]
Meguiars APC or super degreaser add in soap will definitely help remove a lot in my experience [emoji6]
I suggest dilute the APC in a spray bottle to be more effective.

[SWETM]

As gem65 said dilute the megs APC in a spray bottle or pump spray bottle. And spray to a panel and let it dwell for a little while. Then without rinsing it off wash with the wash solution and rinse off directly after. Then you get a more potent strip wash.

[acuRAS82]

As gem65 said dilute the megs APC in a spray bottle or pump spray bottle. And spray to a panel and let it dwell for a little while. Then without rinsing it off wash with the wash solution and rinse off directly after. Then you get a more potent strip wash.

Dilute 2:30 in a 32 oz spray bottle?

[FUNX650]

There will be a really good chance that
washing the vehicle with a solution of
Meguiar’s APC and car-wash shampoo
will leave behind a surfactant film/residue.

•If so:
-Will it either mask the fact that the LSP
may have not actually been stripped?
-Or, if in fact the LSP has actually been
stripped...will the surfactant film cause
any of the problems you initially were
concerned with, i.e. pads gumming up,
Clay being more effective, etc.?


•I go by this mantra:
-If I Clay, I will always polish.

That takes care of any “paint stripping”
conundrum for me.




Bob

[Route246]

There will be a really good chance that
washing the vehicle with a solution of
Meguiar’s APC and car-wash shampoo
will leave behind a surfactant film/residue.

•If so:
-Will it either mask the fact that the LSP
may have not actually been stripped?
-Or, if in fact the LSP has actually been
stripped...will the surfactant film cause
any of the problems you initially were
concerned with, i.e. pads gumming up,
Clay being more effective, etc.?


•I go by this mantra:
-If I Clay, I will always polish.

That takes care of any “paint stripping”
conundrum for me.




Bob

Without knowing anything about the chemistry of APC and shampoo, I agree that there is a chance that these two products might interact and generate a bad outcome. Might be better to hit it with APC first and then shampoo after.

[acuRAS82]

Without knowing anything about the chemistry of APC and shampoo, I agree that there is a chance that these two products might interact and generate a bad outcome. Might be better to hit it with APC first and then shampoo after.

True, I can also do a paint prep wipe before claying. I’m torn now. Might be easier to simply wash and then start the clay process, like Bob suggested. Perhaps I’ll only spray tight areas with APC, areas where I’m a little concerned that my polisher may not get good contact to fully remove the previous coat.

[JMak97008]

True, I can also do a paint prep wipe before claying. I’m torn now. Might be easier to simply wash and then start the clay process, like Bob suggested. Perhaps I’ll only spray tight areas with APC, areas where I’m a little concerned that my polisher may not get good contact to fully remove the previous coat.

But, you'll be polishing anyway...that will strip the wax, right?

[showbbq]

If it's just wax, an IPA solution may be enough for tight spots. Or you could just manually polish these areas

[acuRAS82]

I’ll be polishing. Could always hand polish those spots. Probably making more out of this than needed, but it’s nice to hear the ideas bounce around.

The existing LSP is 3-week old Midnight Sun on top of 2.5 month old Blackfire sealant.

[SWETM]

Dilute 2:30 in a 32 oz spray bottle?

Test it on a small area first. When I read up on d101 it's made for interior purpose. And leaves something behind and maybe not rinse free on exterior. The d108 at 1:10 would be a better choice to degrease the paint and maybe break down the wax and sealant some. The rest would the claying and polishing take care of. It's not so much wax and sealant that lays on the paint that would be gumming up the pads when polishing.

When I'm is going to reapply the LSP or polishing I do a decon on the paint. To work as clean as possible before polishing. That is useing a prewash foam that is alkaline based and a tar remover and iron remover. Then claying will be a breeze to do. Maybe it's overwork but I feel that I have a clean slate to polishing on. The coating prep wash or the GG foaming surface prep is as the first step in the decon process I do.

[DetailZeus]

Where has this craze for stripping paint come from?

[Eldorado2k]

Where has this craze for stripping paint come from?

Coatings

[acuRAS82]

Test it on a small area first. When I read up on d101 it's made for interior purpose. And leaves something behind and maybe not rinse free on exterior. The d108 at 1:10 would be a better choice to degrease the paint and maybe break down the wax and sealant some. The rest would the claying and polishing take care of. It's not so much wax and sealant that lays on the paint that would be gumming up the pads when polishing.

When I'm is going to reapply the LSP or polishing I do a decon on the paint. To work as clean as possible before polishing. That is useing a prewash foam that is alkaline based and a tar remover and iron remover. Then claying will be a breeze to do. Maybe it's overwork but I feel that I have a clean slate to polishing on. The coating prep wash or the GG foaming surface prep is as the first step in the decon process I do.

I’m avoiding Iron X because I did it in April with almost no color changes (this after owning the car for 10 years), so I’m hanging on to my last bottle for awhile for cost purposes. I would definitely use the coating prep wash but I don’t own it yet and this weekend is my near term chance to polish.

I’m going to pass on the strip idea and go right to clay mitt. My LSP is PBL Sealant, which doesn’t call for a surgically clean surface so it’ll all be good I think.

[acuRAS82]

^^and as others have stated, the polish will clean it anyways. I was just fishing for stripping ideas using what I already have on the shelf.

Thanks all who responded, I learned new things !!!