The benefits of a light paint cleaner, cleansing lotion or pre-wax cleaner

**HeavyMetal** · 03-11-2011, 09:07 AM

Originally Posted by Mike.Phillips@Autogeek

Mostly just playing because the Finishing Glaze finishes out so nicely...

Personally, I would go straight to wax after the FG. The Power Lock is a nice sealant once you get past the alien green color...

Kinda figured that, thanks. Since I'm new to this whole DA thing I'll probably do it just to play.

Green is good. Us aliens like green. After I finish polishing the cars I will be taking over your planet.

**brawl** · 04-06-2011, 08:42 AM

any (non-abrasive) light paint cleaner that can be applied using a rotary?

**dougaross** · 04-06-2011, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Klink10

Well having read this and thinking about it for a long while I'm at a loss. I plan on doing the steps but get confused with where in the scheme of things certain products get used and in what order. My plan is to wash, clay, use the new MF pads and polish for correction work followed by a MS wipe down then transition to Duragloss. With DG, my plan was to use the 501 marine as a cleaner followed by the 601 topped with 105 then AW. Is all this in the right order or should there be something added or deleted?

In the original posting I just couldn't find when dealing with sealants where the correction work came in and how to successfully transition when using 2 different product lines.

501 and 105 are similar products. They both are sealants/cleaners. 501 has more cleaners. You can use 601 followed by 505 or premix 601 and 501 in 1:4 ratio and do it in one step. Requires 2 hours curing.

Mike Phillips · 05-17-2012, 10:24 AM

Originally Posted by brawl

any (non-abrasive) light paint cleaner that can be applied using a rotary?

There's a bunch of non-abrasive paint cleaners but I'm not sure how well they're going to work when applied using a rotary buffer.

Be sure to do a Test Spot with your paint cleaner and pad of choice and then carefully inspect the results to make sure you're not leaving any swirls or holograms behind. If it were me I would opt for a Fine Cut Polish or an Ultra Fine Cut Polish. Also read the application directions, make sure the product states it can be applied using a rotary buffer as some products are hand or DA Polisher only. You generate more heat with a rotary and this can affect the buffing cycle/drying time.

How To Do a Test Spot

A Test Spot

**swanicyouth** · 05-17-2012, 10:35 AM

I know it's not recommended procedure, but if a car was polished with a medium then fine polish, and a pint cleaner WAS NOT used prior, would there be any point going back and using one a month or so later???

Mike Phillips · 05-17-2012, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by swanicyouth

I know it's not recommended procedure, but if a car was polished with a medium then fine polish, and a pint cleaner WAS NOT used prior, would there be any point going back and using one a month or so later???

No. Lots of confusion over paint cleaners and polishes, you basically use one or the other but not both.

If a Fine Cut Polish was used over the paint it did the cleaning job as good and better than the paint cleaner would have as you would now be down to a fresh base and a more defect-free finish.

Good question...

**swanicyouth** · 05-17-2012, 08:48 PM

Thanks Mike you saved me a tot of work.

**c5errr** · 05-27-2012, 03:16 AM

now paint cleaner should remove old coats of wax - okay
at which point of me massaging the cleaner against the paint ((is going to remove wax))?
is it once i put it on paint will remove old wax ? or should it be a few circular passes ?

**hoyt66** · 05-27-2012, 07:55 AM

Great write up Mike. I actually have this product. The thing I like about it is how easy the lsp

comes off when I use this prior to using an lsp.

Mike Phillips · 05-28-2012, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by c5errr

now paint cleaner should remove old coats of wax - okay
at which point of me massaging the cleaner against the paint ((is going to remove wax))?
is it once i put it on paint will remove old wax ? or should it be a few circular passes ?

Shouldn't take much as long as we're talking about a normal type car wax or paint sealant.

If you're working by hand then work a small section at at time, about 20" squarish or so and overlap into the previous section when starting a new section.

If you don't have a machine, even an entry level machine like the Porter Cable 7424XP, definitely consider getting one.