LC Foam Pads

[LAKings22]

How many times can I reuse my LC Foam Hybrid pads. I recently used them on a Tahoe (2 weeks ago) and Lexus GX470 (last weekend). I noticed the orange and blue pads are much easier to clean out vs the white pads. The white pads leave behind what I believe is a purple/pink stain from the polish used. Is it ok to reuse this pad? or is there any other method to clean out white pads?

[medicscott]

What's your process for cleaning? Most of my pads come out exactly as you described after using a bucket with grit guard.

[ryandamartini]

As long as you keep them clean, a good while. My hybrid LC white pads also stain with Menzerna fp4000. This was with a grit guard pad washer and a soak in DP pad cleaner. It is 95% clean but you can still see some discoloration.

[Kamakaz1961]

You will have some "stains" with the White Pads. IMO they are not serious especially if you clean them well. I use Menzerna SF4500 and it is grey in color and that's what I have on my White Pads. It's faint but visible.

I have never had any issues with using them again. I think that is normal. My Red Pads usually have white stains from the sealant that I use too. But when they are clean there is no issue. Love the Hybrid Pads!!

[ryandamartini]

You will have some "stains" with the White Pads. IMO they are not serious especially if you clean them well. I use Menzerna SF4500 and it is grey in color and that's what I have on my White Pads. It's faint but visible.

I have never had any issues with using them again. I think that is normal. My Red Pads usually have white stains from the sealant that I use too. But when they are clean there is no issue. Love the Hybrid Pads!!

I like them as well. I put the 5" pads on per Mike's book and it just destroys defects.

[shagnat]

What do you guys use to clean the pads? Do you use one pad for the entire car, if so what are the processes for doing that?
Or do you use multiple pads of the same type and then clean all at once? If so, how many pads to do a medium/large car.... say like a Toyota Avalon or Chrysler 300? Then how do you clean them?
Sorry for the newbie questions but this is detail 101, right? :)

[ryandamartini]

What do you guys use to clean the pads? Do you use one pad for the entire car, if so what are the processes for doing that?
Or do you use multiple pads of the same type and then clean all at once? If so, how many pads to do a medium/large car.... say like a Toyota Avalon or Chrysler 300? Then how do you clean them?
Sorry for the newbie questions but this is detail 101, right? :)

I use multiple pads per car. I use the stiff orange handled nylon brush AG sells every couple sections. If you keep the pad clean, you will buff more effectively and greatly reduce dust.

As far as how many pads you'll use, it depends on the car condition. If someone wants 100% correction, its going to cost them dearly. I'm not in the practice of standing in place for 2 days for cheap.

Typically I will do a pass of a compound that finishes well per section and follow up with a polish if the price is agreeable.

Example for a BMW 330i, black, I used 3 LC Hybrid Orange pads with the nylon brush to clean out the residue. I'm not really a fan of the grit guard pad washer with them. The structure just collapses and I don't have 5-10m to screw around drying a pad to get more passes out of it.

So with proper cleaning, I was able to use 3 pads to comfortable do a black BMW 330i without any excess dusting or diminished results. This was one full pass per section with Menzerna on the FLEX. YMMV

[dlc95]

The white ccs is a partially closed cell pad, where the orange and blue are open.

One of the characteristics of closed cell pads is that they require more attention to clean.

For some reason, Menzerna SF4000 likes to migrate to the center of the pad, even though I don't initially apply any there. It's much more difficult to remove, than the residue from the perimeter. On one occasion I "pinched" the foam with my fingernails, and thick, spent polish came out of the pad. My theory is that some of the closed cells partially ruptured during use, and the polish got "trapped" inside of the cells. Usually heavy grazing of the area using fingernails works in extracting the polish. I assume a credit card edge would work too.