Pre-wax cleaner/polish?

[wolfpacker92]

Hey guys I really like using a pre-wax cleaner/polish when I detail. I have used Pinnacle's Paint Cleansing lotion and XMT 360. Heck the other day while detailing a Grand Cherokee I decided to use my XMT #1 on one side and compare to the Paint cleansing lotion to see how it did. You see when I got my XMT Swirl remover kit I never really used the #1 and wanted to see how it did as a pre-wax cleaner. It did pretty well so at least I have a use for it now.

Just wondering what other products you guys would recommend as I am in the mood to venture out a little. I see where P21S has a paint cleansing lotion and wondered how it and other products did. How about a little of that wealth of knowledge feedback!

[FMINUS]

I have heard people mixing water w alchohol

[SPiN]

I have heard of the water and alcohol but thats more of just "Cleaning". Not really filling and leaving it nice and smooth.

[Jimmie]

I also like Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion. Haven't used the P21S. Here's another to consider, Poorboys Professional Polish.

[Sevenrd]

I generally don't use paint cleaners. Seems like a redundant step after using a good finish polish. Perhaps if the car were already virtually swirl-free I'd use one, but they never are. :(

[ABSOLUTELY PERFECT]

meguairs #83 - dual action cleaner / polish......the best
body shops also dilute their compound with water, and apply it with a spray bottle. this is only wih a rotary wheel, keeps the fresh paint cooler while buffing.....

[Thejoyofdriving]

I generally don't use paint cleaners. Seems like a redundant step after using a good finish polish.
I guess it depends at the way you look at it. I like to sometimes use a paint cleaner before and after polishing. I use it before polishing to remove all the old wax junk and take out any oils. Than i like to use one after to remove any polish residue. I always ponder about using products like the paint cleansing lotion because I feel that I might cause bonding issues, i have no evidence to support this but its just a thought, waxes like to bond to paint not other junk. Plus, things like glue like to bond to rough surfaces more than smooth surfaces because there is more surface area for the glue to grab onto. I guess thats how I look at wax. Using a glaze or paint cleansing lotion to fill in scratches creates less of this surfaces area. But Im to lazy to do tests so i dont know. I could just be blabing on about nothing. these are just random thoughts. Anyways, I think that the 50/50 alcohol wipe down is one of the best ways to clean the paint before and after polishing, because it does not leave any sort of film on the surface that i know of. As for which alcohol to use i have no idea, maybe Isopropyl alcohol.

Now its time for the dancing banana Im the MAN

[A1monky]

I like using cleansing lotions after polishing. If I am not going to use a AIO type product like 360 or 101. But, if I am going to go strait to sealing or waxing. The cleanser really evens out the finish, and removes all the polish residue. If you are going to use a AIO product usually that will take car of your polish left overs. I currently use pinnicle paint cleanse, but when that runs out I will try the poorboys. Budman3 did an awesome review on it a few weeks back.
Here it is, http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/detailing-forum/7633-pb-pro-polish-versatile-chemical-polish.html

Hope that link works,

Mike

[ScottB]

P21S's offering is very similar to Pinnacles. Both are chemical cleaners. PB"s Pro Polish is very similar as I have been told. Megs DACP #83 is an old time favorite and a great combo product. It does dust like crazy however, but still a nice offering.

[Al-53]

Here is a observation I had occur....I polished a car with Menz...then gave it a strong wash after with strong soap mix to remove any oils and dust....car was squeaky clean...then I used a cleaner polish after..like a AIO type product...first thing I seen was the pad was getting black residue on it...it was falloutthat the menz did not remove..since Menz is not a cleaner but a abrasive cutting creme..the residue was deep imbeded fallout that the cleaner actually was disolving and bringing to the surface and removing...

A cutting creme alone will not clean deep...Meg's incorporated the DACP to do both....you cut and clean at the same time...

I now use a cleaner polish after any cutting of paint...whether its just a light polishing with PO85RD or cutting with 106FF...it insures the cleanest surface a LSP can adhere to...

Products like Klasse AIO...P21S..Pinnacle...DG...PB's...will clean the paint to its best...

its worth the extra step to me...

Al

[coupe]

I generally don't use paint cleaners. Seems like a redundant step after using a good finish polish. Perhaps if the car were already virtually swirl-free I'd use one, but they never are. :(



:applause:

Exactly why i dont use that crap, its a redundant step, total waiste of time.

[wolfpacker92]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Now I have a few more products to try. And I don't consider it a waste of time because I don't like claying and if a customer doesn't want to pay for paint correction on relatively new paint I can use the Pinn. Paint Cleansing Lotion and it will make the paint smooth and slick and fill in minor swirls before waxing so then it doesn't seem redundant.

[coupe]

Paint cleaners are not a substitute for claying, you cannot skip that and get good results.

[Jimmie]

Here is a observation I had occur....I polished a car with Menz...then gave it a strong wash after with strong soap mix to remove any oils and dust....car was squeaky clean...then I used a cleaner polish after..like a AIO type product...first thing I seen was the pad was getting black residue on it...it was falloutthat the menz did not remove..since Menz is not a cleaner but a abrasive cutting creme..the residue was deep imbeded fallout that the cleaner actually was disolving and bringing to the surface and removing...

A cutting creme alone will not clean deep...Meg's incorporated the DACP to do both....you cut and clean at the same time...

I now use a cleaner polish after any cutting of paint...whether its just a light polishing with PO85RD or cutting with 106FF...it insures the cleanest surface a LSP can adhere to...

Products like Klasse AIO...P21S..Pinnacle...DG...PB's...will clean the paint to its best...

its worth the extra step to me...

Al

Yeah. Worth the extra step to me too Al. I'm breaking out the "cleanser" to do the areas that the buffer can't reach (underside of rocker panels, lips of wheel wells, under gas cap cover & door handles, etc). It only takes a little extra time to cleanse all of the car. Our detail friend from the UK also adds this step to each of his detail videos.

[wolfpacker92]

Paint cleaners are not a substitute for claying, you cannot skip that and get good results.

I've done side by side comparisons on a hood and to my human eye and touch I could not tell a difference in either side and the polish/cleaner was easier and less messy.