Cleaning Pads on the cheap.

[Dodgeman]

I picked up a spray bottle (32 fl oz) of LA'S TOTALLY AWESOME OXYGEN ORANGE all purpose degreaser and spot remover at the Dollar Tree store for a buck. It did a better job of cleaning my pads then any other product that I have tried. I just generously sprayed it on and worked it in after let it stand for a few minutes, and just rinsed them out. I got a brand new clean pad results. Went back and picked up a few more bottles. This is the Orange bottle, cause they sell other degreaser's products.

[Fastmike]

May have to try that out.

Have you tried other APCs like OPC or Meguiar's APC?

[swanicyouth]

I use the yellow LATA to clean pads. It works better than DP Pad cleaner (powder 1:32 mix), Meg's APC+, and Meg's Degreaser (1:5).

... But you must be careful. Some say LATA can spontaneously combust like a bomb. BOOM!

[KillaCam]

APC is awful on cleaning wax pads. I use Meg's super degreaser and it has been doing an awesome job for me. Spray on, let it soak for a minute, then rinse and repeat if necessary.

[Dodgeman]

OK I'm sure Meg's stuff is great, all there stuff is, but is it just a dollar ?

[TundraPower]

Heck for a dollar I'd go back and buy the whole lot of it.

[Glowrdr]

Are degreasers the best way to clean pads? I'm getting my first shipment of supplies tomorrow, so I have not had to deal with this yet.

Reason I'm asking is that I picked up a gallon jug (with a 16 ounce spray bottle) of some citrus degreaser from Costco. Wonder if I can just use that stuff? The amount I have would last me a lifetime if I can't find other uses for it. My Infiniti tends not to get very oily. lol

[swanicyouth]

Degreasers/ LATA work fine for polishes. Wax is a different story. I use mineral spirits and IPA for that.

[KillaCam]

OK I'm sure Meg's stuff is great, all there stuff is, but is it just a dollar ?

It's around $15 for a gallon of concentrate which at 10:1 will make ten gallons of product. At 4:1 it will make 4 gallons. And I feel it's safer than something you buy at the dollar tree.
I gave up using mineral spirits to clean pads. It's annoying soaking them overnight and then having to clean them later. I always would forget about the pads days later and they would be ruined. The super degreaser hasn't failed me yet so I'll continue to use it. If it can take off crud and old tire dressings off of tires then it is plenty strong for pads that were just used.

[Dodgeman]

Degreasers/ LATA work fine for polishes. Wax is a different story. I use mineral spirits and IPA for that.
It totally cleaned my pad loaded with Pinnacle Liquid Souveran wax instantly.

[RhetoricMixes]

Super degreaser works great for pads IMO. I even let them sit overnight in a few gallons of water mixed with 2-3oz of degreaser and it makes hand cleaning them the next day SO much easier.