cleaning pads

[embolism]

Is there an easier way?

This is my white cp pad after soaking overnight in APC and leftover car soap

also used some dishwashing liquid to rinse the pads out but when I dug into the pad foam with my thumbs with a kneading motion, I kept getting polish/compound coming out of them. I did this for a while, cleaning my thumbnails on a piece of paper towel until I couldn't get any more out. Did a final wash with dish soap then called it a day.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/1504/medium/cleaning_pads.jpg

Aren't Optimum polishes supposed to be water based? Water and soap didn't seem to be very effective at dissolving anything...

[rider9195]

This is how I clean my pads.

Spray with APC+ at 4:1
Scrub pad with pad conditioning pad
Rinsing under running water
Squeeze out all excess water
Redo until pad is clean

I have never had a problem doing this. You might be using too much product and all the product is just building up in the pad. I don't find soaking the pads worth it. The method I use just works for me and hasn't let me down. Except for those darn sealants!

[c5errr]

i soak them in water with dp pads rejuvenator for 15 30 minutes
then agitate with finger or medium tooth brush then rinse with running water and thats it
they become super clean

[snellvilleauto]

This is how I clean my pads.

Spray with APC+ at 4:1
Scrub pad with pad conditioning pad
Rinsing under running water
Squeeze out all excess water
Redo until pad is clean

I have never had a problem doing this. You might be using too much product and all the product is just building up in the pad. I don't find soaking the pads worth it. The method I use just works for me and hasn't let me down. Except for those darn sealants!

+1...on this method.
Spray w/ pad cleaner
message you pad under warm running water.
Squeeze out access water
Repeat a couple more time.

Yeah sealant is hydrophobic and it suck cleaning the pad. Particularly the BFWD paint sealant

[mwoolfso]

Car soap does not do a great job of breaking down a polish; even on a car. Sure, you may get the oils, but what about the polish itself? Nada.... it will remain on the pad just as it would on the car.

I suggest you modify your approach and try soaking the pads in a mix with either an APC or dedicated pad cleaner; use the steps others have listed above, so +1 on those steps. I will sometimes use Dawn Ultra with the APC depending on the circumstances.

[fahoumh]

embolism, I also had a rough go removing Optimum Compound and Optimum Polish from my pads. I think I was using too much product because it was my first time and I was worried about dry-buffing.

I have DP Pad Rejuvenator and it worked pretty well but it couldn't get all the product out, even with a soak. I found a soak with dishwashing liquid, then working the pads under running water, followed by a wash with the DP pad cleaner to be the most effective.

I've also read that Optimum polishes are generally tough to get out of pads, especially if you use too much.

[FASTFRED]

I soak mine in SnappyClean and then hit with a brush and rinse.

[ski2]

Have you tried Dawn Power Dissolver?--$2.83 at Walmart. 3 squirts on a wet pad--work into the pad from the center out--let set for a few minutes and work it from the center out--then rinse well. Even gets DG501 out of pads.

[statusdetailing]

Somebody may have already mentioned, but if you are having that much trouble it could be because you went too long before cleaning or are using too much polish/compound etc.

You might want to invest in one of the pad cleaning systems they have on AG. They save some time and effort.

[fahoumh]

I soak mine in SnappyClean and then hit with a brush and rinse.
How long do you typically soak the pads?

[rider9195]

Somebody may have already mentioned, but if you are having that much trouble it could be because you went too long before cleaning or are using too much polish/compound etc.

You might want to invest in one of the pad cleaning systems they have on AG. They save some time and effort.

The pad washers do save lots of time if you don't want to buy lots of pads. Definitely worth the money!

[FASTFRED]

How long do you typically soak the pads?

I would vary from an hour to overnite depending on how dirty they were.

[fahoumh]

I would vary from an hour to overnite depending on how dirty they were.
Overnight, eh? Have you had any issues with the Velcro backing coming of the foam pad? I'm worried about the cleaners and water weakening the glue holding the backing on.

[FASTFRED]

Overnight, eh? Have you had any issues with the Velcro backing coming of the foam pad? I'm worried about the cleaners and water weakening the glue holding the backing on.

No,
never any issues.

[embolism]

Somebody may have already mentioned, but if you are having that much trouble it could be because you went too long before cleaning or are using too much polish/compound etc.

You might want to invest in one of the pad cleaning systems they have on AG. They save some time and effort.

I cleaned the pad on the fly a few times but was only using it to work on a few spots. I think the fact that it was a thicker pad (b/c of the layer of blue cp foam) meant that more polish worked its way deeper into the pad. The black flats that I used for the rest of the car didn't have any issues coming clean.

Dawn power dissolver huh? I'll look for it next time I'm at wally's thx