Anybody else not strip wash?

[conman1395]

I gave up chemically stripping paint a while ago. I used Dawn once a couple years ago and never did because of the lack of lubrication. Never used it enough to notice trim fading. Chemical Guys citrus soaps never did much to strip either and now only use it occasionally. My shampoo is now always Duragloss 901 to be a safe, lubricated shampoo and then I "strip" when I clay. Anything I miss will be when I follow the claying with the DA.
Anyone else do the same??

[Moldavite]

i feel more secure to polish after clay for stripping lsp :)

[Rsurfer]

I can see trying to strip your LSP if you are not going to polish and just want a fresh coat of wax/sealant. Using a paint cleaner IMO is a better way than depending on a soap to do this step. It's pretty much a waste of time trying to strip your present LSP if you are going to polish.

[Audios S6]

I believe it was swanic youth that did a couple torture tests of some popular sealants and found that there are very few chemicals that will strip a decent sealant.

I don't have a good excuse to be stripping an LSP intentionally unless it's for a coating or one of the few LSPs that don't like to be a topper (reload comes to mind). I normally just go through my process and if I happen to strip the LSP (based on mechanical abrasion), OK; if not, that's fine too. I'm still going to be adding a layer of protection at the end and I haven't see any ill effects from topping previous LSP with anything that I use as protection. Non-durable products that I would not want to top would be removed by basic processes I use (prefoam, clay, tar removers, etc.)

I do a strong wash/prefoam, as opposed to a strip wash, but the purpose of that is to start breaking down road film, bugs, and other contaminants before I touch the paint.

[Tato]

Well, my Meguiar's Hyper Wash added with a bit of CG Bug+Tar Wash strips many waxes from my experience.

I mean, customer's arrive with a car that has been 'wash and waxed' through it's life, has some beading when rinsing but after the wash step (foamed with the above mixture), the final rinse shows generally inexistent beading.

Not the best indicator, but it affects LSP for sure. May not remove it all, but cleaning paint is generally done 'by layers'.

I definitively won't rely ONLY on a washing step if I'm doing a full detail, further iron remover, tar remover, claying, compounding / polishing, cleansing polish / product, if LSP survives all this should be called MacGyver.

If you are using only wax, and some months later want to do a fast switch, maybe the Hyper Wash + CG Bug Tar wash would be your friend.

That said, not a rule, sometimes you can do a stripping wash, but will depend on too many variables.

[conman1395]

I can see trying to strip your LSP if you are not going to polish and just want a fresh coat of wax/sealant. Using a paint cleaner IMO is a better way than depending on a soap to do this step. It's pretty much a waste of time trying to strip your present LSP if you are going to polish.
Yes, I also do that. The point still being a soap will not remove my LSP. (Unless maybe I used a 100% carnuba - which I never have)

[dcjredline]

I personally am not stripling my own car which has good coat of LSP on it, I'm stripping a neglected customers car of whatever bits of LSP may still have clung on. When a polish isn't going to follow.

Sent from my XT1030 using AG Online

[FUNX650]

I have never, ever performed/attempted any strip-washing.
However:
That's not to say that I haven't witnessed this event on many occasions where, according to the polls (sic), the affected parties' return on time/$-divested, was not worth the exertion.

Bob

[JHL88]

IDK if id fully rely on clay to completely strip an LSP. Like others have said, paint cleaners are your best bet.

I do in fact use a stripping wash before using clay and a light polish. Just makes me feel better lol.

[PiPUK]

I have argued, for a long time, that these stripper wash products simply do not work. At best, they leave a film which makes you think that the LSP is gone and this is something that I have demonstrated (and which others have replicated).

In my experience developing products, almost no dilutable product (that includes the strong degreasers) will reliably remove a good LSP. I have long since given up on chemical stripping, even with strong mineral solvents, I have often failed to remove an existing LSP. The only way to do it is with a polish. As far as I am concerned, anyone selling an LSP stripper wash is either telling lies or doesn't know the first thing about the chemistry of what is going on.

[JSou]

I have argued, for a long time, that these stripper wash products simply do not work. At best, they leave a film which makes you think that the LSP is gone and this is something that I have demonstrated (and which others have replicated).

In my experience developing products, almost no dilutable product (that includes the strong degreasers) will reliably remove a good LSP. I have long since given up on chemical stripping, even with strong mineral solvents, I have often failed to remove an existing LSP. The only way to do it is with a polish. As far as I am concerned, anyone selling an LSP stripper wash is either telling lies or doesn't know the first thing about the chemistry of what is going on.

Thanks for your insight.

[dschia]

I have argued, for a long time, that these stripper wash products simply do not work. At best, they leave a film which makes you think that the LSP is gone and this is something that I have demonstrated (and which others have replicated).

In my experience developing products, almost no dilutable product (that includes the strong degreasers) will reliably remove a good LSP. I have long since given up on chemical stripping, even with strong mineral solvents, I have often failed to remove an existing LSP. The only way to do it is with a polish. As far as I am concerned, anyone selling an LSP stripper wash is either telling lies or doesn't know the first thing about the chemistry of what is going on.

When I scrub my wax applicator pad with de-greaser on a wash board, the excessive wax/sealant in the applicator gets thinner and thinner and gradually dissolve. I know dish washing detergent isnt effective as most of the LSP still firmly attached to the applicator but isnt a good degreaser strong enough?

I have tried Valugard ABC (at 1:8 ratio) and Autoglym powermax 3 (stated strong enough to remove copolymer coatings at 1:7 ratio) and both products seems to work. Not trying to doubt you as I have learnt much from all your posts and perhaps the LSP you developed is much durable than the rest?

[PiPUK]

When I scrub my wax applicator pad with de-greaser on a wash board, the excessive wax/sealant in the applicator gets thinner and thinner and gradually dissolve. I know dish washing detergent isnt effective as most of the LSP still firmly attached to the applicator but isnt a good degreaser strong enough?

I have tried Valugard ABC (at 1:8 ratio) and Autoglym powermax 3 (stated strong enough to remove copolymer coatings at 1:7 ratio) and both products seems to work. Not trying to doubt you as I have learnt much from all your posts and perhaps the LSP you developed is much durable than the rest?

My concern is that the products will often seem to work, because they leave a film of surfactant which then makes the surface hydrophillic (i.e. no beading). I have repeatedly found that this style of product can be 'repaired' with hot water or even IPA wipe, such that beading miraculously returns.

Is it possible that my products are better? Of course! But, being realistic, they aren't THAT much better. Let me give you example of durability. I made a batch of Quick detailer yesterday. It left the insides of the mixing vessel very significantly hydrophobic - the water just ran off in beads, as with a freshly treated vehicle. Today, in that same vessel, after cleaning and such, I made a tar remover - a product that is packed with mineral spirits and xylene. After sitting in there for several hours and then more time whilst it was bottled out, the tank was then rinsed again. The hydrphobic character of the surface remained. This was a quick detailer and the 'treated' surface was immersed in strong organic solvents for several hours - but the 'protection' remained. So, unless my QD is massively better than what others sell as sealants, I just don't believe in chemical stripping.

[Setec Astronomy]

PiPUK, we are lucky to have you as a member here. Thank you for your insight.

[expdetailing]

I know if I am going to be polishing, I will use the harshest soap I can find because I try to minimize contamination the best I can at each stage before I go buffing. I like to think it helps my pad stay just a little bit cleaner.