Stripping Old Product

[BlackCoupe]

I want to strip my recently applied wax, but my paint does not need any abrasive treatment (swirl or scratch removal). How do I just remove the wax? Isopropyl alcohol?

[Surfer]

I was wondering about this as well as I see so many people talking about IA. How exactly do people use it, just spray/wipe it on? Dilute it with water and use? Before or after you wash to get ready for polishing etc?

[OCDetails]

You could wash the car with Dawn dish detergent. That will strip the wax off for you without a problem. As long as you aren't using that as your weekly wash soap then it isn't going to harm anything if you use it this way either. It will hurt a lot less than dumping isopropyl alcohol all over it anyway. You could also use something like Klasse All In One or Wolfgang Pre-Wax Polish Enhancer. Those are both non abrasive products that will clean your paint and remove old waxes and sealants. I would suggest clay as well, but I doubt that clay would remove all of the wax. If you want to be sure it is all removed then I would use a paint cleaner like Klasse AIO.

[BlackCoupe]

I am just doing the trunk lid, so I would not be washing the whole car in IA. I should have mentioned that.

[BILL]

If you already have the Klasse AIO?? use that, if not?? than the alcohol and water.....i believe its 1 part A..to 3 parts W......

[OCDetails]

If I had access to any paint cleaners or light polishes then I would use them before I used alcohol.

[BILL]

Yes!!! so would I.........:iagree:

[BlackCoupe]

If I had access to any paint cleaners or light polishes then I would use them before I used alcohol.

I washed. QD'd. Used Meguiar's #9 on a MF. The surface now squeaks, so I guess I am ready for #81 and wax.

[Surfer]

If you already have the Klasse AIO?? use that, if not?? than the alcohol and water.....i believe its 1 part A..to 3 parts W......This is what kinda confuses me. I've seen people say use AIO and then polish. But damn near every detail thread I see for example on other sites has everybody using AIO after polishing to prep for sealent/wax. Does AIO not dissolve the polish and is safe to use, or would it take the polish off as well?

[BILL]

From what i understand and i may be wrong, Klasse AIO is a stepping stone to your sealer and/or wax application, it is a cleaner/polisher/ and sealer and it may remove existing finishing polish,Im NOTsure.... I use it before I seal or wax

[OCDetails]

AIO is a non abrasive paint cleaner. The only abrasives it has are chemical. It will strip waxes, sealants, glazes, oxidation, and a number of other things off the paint. Part of proper car care is to prep the surface before you move on to the wax or sealant. That is why AIO is so often mentioned. It only cleans the paint and doesn't remove swirls or anything like that.

"Polish" doesn't necessarily leave anything on your paint to worry about removing. Polish is meant to level the paint and remove swirls. Some products are called a polish just like sometimes Zaino or NXT or other sealants are called a 'wax'. They aren't really, but wax and polish are recognized terms and it is easier to use those than get technical with people. Generally I use a paint cleaner after using a polish so it will remove all the oils and fillers that some polishes leave behind. I want to know that before I move on to the sealant that all the swirls (or as many as I am going to remove) are gone. I don't want the artificial shine of a surface loaded with fillers. I'm not a big fan of fillers or oily glazes. Call me sick, but I prefer a 'nothing but shine' type product that let's all the imperfections show to remind me that I always have more work to do.

[BILL]

Very good............thanks... :cheers:

[ScottB]

"Polish" doesn't necessarily leave anything on your paint to worry about removing. Polish is meant to level the paint and remove swirls. Some products are called a polish just like sometimes Zaino or NXT or other sealants are called a 'wax'. They aren't really, but wax and polish are recognized terms and it is easier to use those than get technical with people. Generally I use a paint cleaner after using a polish so it will remove all the oils and fillers that some polishes leave behind. I want to know that before I move on to the sealant that all the swirls (or as many as I am going to remove) are gone. I don't want the artificial shine of a surface loaded with fillers. I'm not a big fan of fillers or oily glazes. Call me sick, but I prefer a 'nothing but shine' type product that let's all the imperfections show to remind me that I always have more work to do.


Not challenging you , but I think these two items are a little contradictory. First, some (not all) polishes due use oils in order to keep them from drying up and to glide across the surface. As such, it is almost impossible to remove them without rewashing the car or removing with an alcohol/water mix or several manufactured wax removers.

Paint cleaners, for instance, usually contain no polish (abrasive) but most do also contain fillers to hide scratches and swirls knowing that since you are using a chemical paint cleaner, they need to do two jobs. As such, you might not be doing your sealant any durability favors by applying over paint cleaners also. (ie. pinnacles paint cleaning lotion, P21S GEPPC). A glaze is simply the fillers and oils without any cleaning ability and are seperate products also.

Now AIO (Klasse), or Wertstatt Prime are really more of a chemical based cleaning product with some acrylic sealant protection built in doing everything in one bottle. As such you could use a sealant over these products directly, but I would hate to see someone miss associate a paint cleaner versus a AIO type product. I personally would not associate AIO or prime as a paint cleaner specifically.

Just my .02

[BILL]

So you would recommend Klasse AIO after using pinnacle advance swirl remover??

thanks ........:-)

[OCDetails]

That is why I avoid using products that leave oils or fillers on the surface when all I want them to do is remove swirls. Bodyshop safe polishes and paint cleaners are good enough for what I am trying to accomplish. As far as sealants not necessarily enjoying a paint cleaner, that is why I try to stick with the paint cleaner designed for the sealant. For example, I only use Wolfgang's Pre-Wax prior to Wolfgang and I only use AIO prior to SG.

There is a lot of debate about what AIO is for. I'm just not one from the school that believes it makes a good paint cleaner and sealant all in one. I just don't see the point in doing that. The only thing I use it for is to remove oxidation or prep the surface for a real sealant. AIO may have protection in it, but I just haven't ever seen it. Why one would stop with AIO when throwing on a coat of wax or sealant is so easy and looks so much better is beyond me.

Anyway, I guess I should have been more specific with my use of 'paint cleaner' and said that I was refering to the kind that don't leave oils behind.