Question about ISP/ wipedown

[cadd]

I have read alot in the forum about using ISP for final wipedown. My question is..and correct me if I have this wrong, but ISP is alcholol and water mix...But will that not dry out the paint, or strip the wax that I just put on ?
Thanks

[cadd]

Crap..I meant IPA..not ISP....may the detailing gods have mercy on me

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

It is not going to dry out your paint. You use it after every step of polishing so you can see the true finish. The wipe downs remove any oils left behind from the polish that will fill in the defects.

[JonMiles]

Don't spray IPA after you put wax on, do it before wax. It gets all the oils and fillers off the paint that the polish may have left behind. It lets you see the true finish and make sure the paint is perfect before putting your LSP on.

[cadd]

Ahhhhh...I see..thanks. And what is the ratio of alcohol/ water mix?

[JonMiles]

50/50 always works well, but you can use it full strength if you want. I mix 50/50 to slow down evaporation, if it dries too quickly you can get streaks. I keep a bottle of full strength for cleanup of mistakes, like if I don't get all the 105 off immediately and it dries hard I can get it off a little less aggressively.

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

Ahhhhh...I see..thanks. And what is the ratio of alcohol/ water mix?

The stronger the better.

[cadd]

And, this is just regular rubbing alcohol you get at the store?

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

Correct. I get the 91%.

[itzJoker]

Wouldn't the oils from the polish enhance the finish but when using IPA, it would remove that enhanced finish?

For example if you use a glaze or "polish" like Meg 07, that's a very oily product but that's pretty much what it is is oils to produce a high gloss, deep shine right? Using IPA wipedown would remove that?

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

Wouldn't the oils from the polish enhance the finish but when using IPA, it would remove that enhanced finish?

For example if you use a glaze or "polish" like Meg 07, that's a very oily product but that's pretty much what it is is oils to produce a high gloss, deep shine right? Using IPA wipedown would remove that?

They are laying on the paint, so they are hiding the defects. Plus if you correctly polish paint glazes will not enhance the paint. The goal is to completely remove all defects in the end and not hide them with glazes or not removing the oils from the polish to hide defects.

[JonMiles]

Wouldn't the oils from the polish enhance the finish but when using IPA, it would remove that enhanced finish?

For example if you use a glaze or "polish" like Meg 07, that's a very oily product but that's pretty much what it is is oils to produce a high gloss, deep shine right? Using IPA wipedown would remove that?

If you are using an oil based product to make the paint look wet, it still wouldn't be a bad idea to get rid of the oils in the compounds and polishes like 105/205 in order to get better bonding to the paint for finishing steps. I personally use IPA to get paint sealant to make a better bond and thus last longer and spread easier without any streaking.

As a best practice, it is good to clean the polish and compound off the paint to be able to appreciate the "real" finish of the paint without any enhancers or fillers, then you can cover the finish with protection which will last longer and showcase the true finish of the paint.

[itzJoker]

I see, thanks guys. I'm new to this still so I got lots to learn

[christian900se]

Be careful about using more powerful IPA over 50/50. In certain conditions and certain paints, I have seen 91% and even 70% IPA leave what looks like stains that can only be removed by a chemical paint cleanser or at worst, another round of polishing. 50/50 may take a couple extra wipedowns but it is mild enough to avoid this adverse reaction.

A proper polish is meant to correct paint defects by leveling the surround paint, therefore removing the swirls and marring you are looking to get rid of. A polish is not a glaze; a polish is specifically designed to correct paint while a glaze normally has light cleansers and polymers to change the look of the paint.

[JonMiles]

Be careful about using more powerful IPA over 50/50. In certain conditions and certain paints, I have seen 91% and even 70% IPA leave what looks like stains that can only be removed by a chemical paint cleanser or at worst, another round of polishing. 50/50 may take a couple extra wipedowns but it is mild enough to avoid this adverse reaction.

A proper polish is meant to correct paint defects by leveling the surround paint, therefore removing the swirls and marring you are looking to get rid of. A polish is not a glaze; a polish is specifically designed to correct paint while a glaze normally has light cleansers and polymers to change the look of the paint.

Just out of curiosity, what kinda of paint have you seen the staining on? I have used IPA full strength on tons of cars and have never seen a problem. Also what kinda of conditions?