Seperate / Dedicated Pads for AIO Products?

[derass]

Should pads used with AIO products be kept separate from pads that are normally used with polishes and compounds?

I have a number of LC orange, white and black that I use with with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound, Polish and Collinite 845. For my own car, I don't mind taking the time to do all 3 steps. I also want to do corrections on my parent's and brother's cars, but I don't really want to spend as much time on them.

So I was thinking of getting HD Speed and doing 1-step corrections on their cars.

Now my question is: do I need a separate set of pads dedicated to the HD Speed (or any AIO product for that matter)? From what I have read, these products can be difficult to remove from the pads and can stain them.

Is this even something I need to worry about when going back to traditional compound and polish? Like the dried up AIO in the pad causing future scratches? Or is it simply a cosmetic problem with the pads?

[Route246]

I use McKees 360 which stains my pads pink. I keep them dedicated to 360. I don't do AIO that often, once a year if necessary on three cars.

[DBAILEY]

I keep separate pads for using with AIO's. White, green, and some orange ones.

[BadgerRivFan]

How well you are able to clean the AIO out of the pads is the key...

If you spray each of the pads with a dedicated pad cleaner right away after using, then thoroughly clean them when finished for the day, you shouldn't need to purchase separate dedicated pads.

If you are not as diligent about cleaning your pads thoroughly, than it is probably a good idea to have dedicated pads that are used only with your AIO.

I've found Poorboy's Tornado Pad Cleaner to be the best one for the job so far.

[briarpatch]

I use McKees 360 which stains my pads pink. I keep them dedicated to 360. I don't do AIO that often, once a year if necessary on three cars.

same here

[dlc95]

I like keeping them separated. My AIO pads can get pretty gross.

[tampatopless]

I use same pads for different products. I use Wolfgang's pad rejuvenator and was amazed how well it works on LC Orange this weekend. When I finished with a pad, I would give it a couple of squirts of rejuvenator and just drop in a bucket of water. When I was finished and had about a half-dozen pads. I just squeezed them out, changed the water and let them soak overnight.

The next morning, the pads washed out in seconds under running water from the hose. I thought it would take forever, but the water from the pads was running clear in seconds.

I think the key is to spray as soon as you are finished with them and then let them soak.

Then again, I ditch a pad after a couple of sections, so I don't know how coated the pads were.

I would have no problems reusing those pads with other products. But I would probably keep the pads I use for waxes and sealants separate.

[Paul A.]

I also mix use my pads but like tampatopless pointed out, I clean them out thoroughly after every job. I do have dedicated LSP pads, though. I don't want ANYTHING in those super soft pads to impart any damage to something I just spent anywhere from 2-6 hours on!

An important step for me is to spin and brush every dry, fresh pad I put on my machine before using it on the next job. I use to get dust from what I thought were cleaned dry pads but now thoroughly clean, flush and dry every pad after they're used. That pad has been thoroughly cleaned and dried but I still make sure with a spin and pad cleaning brush to make sure before it touches the paint of the next job.

I did at one time consider dedicating my pads out into DAT pads and SMAT pads but abandoned that idea too. I've never had any problems and focused on a cleaning routine that works well for me.

[derass]

Great info everyone.

I do have 3D Towel Kleen, and I was reading in another thread that it makes a good pad cleaner at 4:1. So I can put some in a spray bottle and apply it to the pads as soon as I'm finished, then do a thorough cleaning at the end of the job.

I have 8 orange, 8 white, but only 2 black. So to tampatopless' point, I would only be using each pad for a panel or two, which I'm sure is a good thing.

And finally the point of keeping AIO separate from LSP pads, I agree with that. But as I mentioned I only have 2 black pads which I use for LSP. Mike has an article about which pads to use with AIO's, and he recommended using the softest pad that you can get away with and suggested LC Black and White pads.

So it seems that I can get away with using AIO on my current white pads, but if I need the softer black pad, I should buy some new ones dedicated to AIO, and keep my current black pads dedicated to LSP's.