Paint cleaner before Klasse AIO

[SixZee]

I am doing my annual detailing of my cars. Since I don't have running water or electricity in the parking lot, I got it thoroughly cleaned (or so I thought) at coin-op car wash. It is 20 min drive back from the carwash.

I did chemical and mechanical decon using Iron X and Nanoskin fine sponge, did one bucket rinseless wash with Wolfgang Uber Rinseless before, in between and after decon. No paint correction (I don't have tools). I tried applying Klasse AIO on just a quarter roof and the application pad turned so dark as if I just dipped it in mud. I used 4 pads to do the roof. And this is just a first coat. I do 3 AIO coats, one every day. For a reference of the roof size, this is 2006 Sentra.

I know Klasse AIO has a paint cleaning ability but if it is pulling so much dirt off paint, after decon, I wonder if it makes sense that I use a dedicated paint cleaner before Klasse AIO application. If yes, which one I should go for?

Thanks in advance.

[Klasse Act]

Wow this quite "a somethin"

I'm subscribing to this but I'd suggest some more info on the paint, like year, make, model and how it was taken care of beforehand

I'm sure our experts will help you out. Btw, are you applying Klasse Sealant Glaze afterwards?

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[TroyScherer]

I saw that you used a Nano sponge to clay. It might be crazy but you might want to pick up a Mother’s clay kit at the local auto parts store. While the clay blocks seems to work for quick use and production details I find the true clay bars work better at removing contamination.


You can use a dedicated paint cleaner if you want but KAIO is considered an AIO paint cleaner and prep already.

I would Just go through and do 2 steps. The first would really clean the surface and the second would finish cleaning and fill in any spots with the AIO from the first step. Then I would move on to the KSG.

Since KAIO is a cleaner/sealer I don’t see the point in really doing multiple coats as it will remove the previous work and lay an new layer. It’s not really building layers of protection.

[ducksfan]

Klasse AIO is your paint cleaner.

AIO means different things to different products. Klasse AIO is an older (but very good and still relevant for paint cleaning) product for cleaning paint chemically (not mechanically/chemically like OneStep or Speed) prior to putting a sealant over it (Klasse Sealant Glaze typically).

They call it an all-in-one (AIO) because it does leave some sealant behind. But, it's not much and won't last for long. So, it really should be topped.

[Mike Phillips]

Just to chime in before I push away from the keyboard and go back on vaction time....

Offline - July 1st through July 13th - Please hold down the Cyber Fort



I'm BOLDING key points I'll address below,

tried applying Klasse AIO on just a quarter roof and the application pad turned so dark as if I just dipped it in mud.

For a reference of the roof size, this is 2006 Sentra.

Is the clearcoat gone?

Are you rubbing on exposed basecoat?

Is the dark color coming off the same color as the car?

The car is 14 years old and the problem you describe is taking place on a HORIZONTAL surface and this is where clearcoat dissolves first.

I know Klasse AIO has a paint cleaning ability but if it is pulling so much dirt off paint, after decon,

I wonder if it makes sense that I use a dedicated paint cleaner before Klasse AIO application.

If yes, which one I should go for?

If the clearcoat is still intact - you don't want a "paint cleaner" - you want a COMPOUND.

See my article here.

A paint cleaner is an either/or product - The difference between a paint cleaner and a paint polish by Mike Phillips


In the above article I state how I would opt for a "polish" over a paint cleaner any day as I'll get the same results as a paint cleaner PLUS MORE RESULTS from the polish. But your car's paint sounds like it's way past a polish and needs a compound.

Meguiar's Ultimate Compound is very safe and can be used by hand.


How about some pictures?

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[SixZee]

Thank you, folks.

And as always Mike P. to the rescue. Thank you.

I suspect, in this process, the rinseless wash didn't do a very good job.

After I posted this thread, I went back to do the hood. I repeated the roof process with half of the hood, the same results. (Apologies, it didn't occur me to post a picture.) The blue pad turned brown. The clear coat is still intact.

For the rest of the hood, I used Nanoskin sponge again but this time instead of using lube, I diluted Gold class washing soap and used it as a lube. Followed that with the rinseless wash and wiped down with a quick detailer (Meguiar's red bottle, only one I had it on hand, ran out of ultimate detailer). Applied Klasse AIO and the pad was clean...

I don't know if the use of soap with Nanoskin sponge is recommended but it seemed to have worked. I will appreciate it if someone could confirm that I can use diluted soap as a lube with Nanoskin Sponge.

I will be applying at least 2 coats of Klasse Sealant.

@TroyScherer,
TBH, I don't understand chemistry here. I am following the guide I read on guidetodetailing.com, where he suggests the use of more than one coat if the paint is not in perfect condition. My car's paint is hammered due to Swirl-O-Matic use for almost 10 years + everything that comes along with a daily driver. At the moment, my goal is just to delay the paint deterioration.

As for the application process, I use KlasseAct's method that he has posted on this board.

[ducksfan]

I'd just like to add one more thing.

On an older vehicle like that ( By 'that' I mean a low cost model with 8+ years of UV hitting it.), I would be very careful of doing any mechanical abrading. Some cheap clear coats look intact at that age until you polish them.

I've been burned by old clear coat on inexpensive cars that quickly deteriorates when any polishing is done.

You might want to do just one panel ( like the roof) and see if the clear coat stays intact a couple months later.

[SixZee]

I'd just like to add one more thing.

On an older vehicle like that ( By 'that' I mean a low cost model with 8+ years of UV hitting it.), I would be very careful of doing any mechanical abrading. Some cheap clear coats look intact at that age until you polish them.

I've been burned by old clear coat on inexpensive cars that quickly deteriorates when any polishing is done.

You might want to do just one panel ( like the roof) and see if the clear coat stays intact a couple months later.

Thank you for that information. Pretty sure, the manufacturers must be cutting corners on econoboxes.

I don't plan to polish it at all. In the morning, I was very confused with such a dirty pad and thought that I messed up somewhere, hence posted a question.

[Klasse Act]

Yeah it sounds like that paint is bleeding out dirt, crazy

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[vobro]

My guess after years of swirl o matics which doesn’t really clean the paint effectively you just have a big buildup of traffic film and fallout. My mom parks outside under trees, every few months I give it a thorough cleaning. Most times several rounds of chemical decon is needed which includes wipe downs with a degreaser,Iron X and spot treatments of TarX followed by at least a medium grade clay( for this purpose I choose a clay bar instead of mitts which don’t do as good of a job). Sometimes just doing as you described isn’t enough or it just never going to get clean after all these years.

A few months ago I decided to clean my concrete patio which had dirt,mold and mildew along with dirt from dogs. I read and watched videos on cleaning, went out and bought the suggested cleaners and I failed miserably. I just let the patio go for too long and had to spend the time power washing. So maybe the Klasse is what’s needed to cut thru the layers?