Clean & Preserve Foam Pads w/XMT Pad Cleaner

[Nick McKees37]

After I've been polishing a car all day I like to make clean up as fast and easy as possible. While I don't always have a pad washer available because I tend to detail my car at a friend's house to take advantage of their garage, I never leave home without a bottle of Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner and a Foam Pad Conditioning Brush. I've been using these two products for quite some time now because they work very well to thoroughly clean various types of foam and wool buffing pads. It's such a simple concept that is often overlooked by most, but properly cleaning your pads extends the life so you can get the most out of your investment.

Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner is a penetrating cleaner that breaks up and releases caked on polish, compound, and wax residue from various types of foam and wool buffing pads. It doesn't contain any soap and rinses freely leaving no residue behind that could possibly be re-activated when the pads are used again. Unlike most all purpose cleaners and degreasers, Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner doesn't dry out the pad and cause it to fall apart. It performs exceptionally well, especially when used with a Foam Pad Conditioning Brush.

Look closely below and you can see that the pad is actually white, but it's saturated with Wolfgang Finishing Glaze after polishing several panels. Instead of throwing it in a washing machine which could potentially cause damage to the pad, I went ahead and cleaned it right away while the product was still wet.

I sprayed the pad with the Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner and immediately started agitating it with the Foam Pad Conditioning Brush. Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner starts working right away to break down the polish residue. No waiting required with this product. The Foam Pad Conditioning Brush features stiff nylon bristles that make cleaning the pad a breeze. The brush is also ergonomically designed to fit snug in your hand.

I rinsed out the pad in the sink after agitating it with the Foam Pad Conditioning Brush. Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner rinses clean, leaving no soap residue behind because it contains no soap!

The pad not only looks new, but the texture or the integrity of the pad has not been compromised by the cleaner.

If you have an extra Grit Guard laying around, turn the pad upside down and let it dry out for a couple hours before storing it with your other pads.

After the pad was dry I put it away for another day of polishing!

Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner works very well when used in conjunction with the Foam Pad Conditioning brush to properly clean various types of foam and wool buffing pads. It's quick, easy, and performs exceptionally well at its intended use.

Pinnacle XMT Pad Cleaner

Foam Pad Conditioning Brush

A single 12oz bottle will go a long way and with the durable construction of the Foam Pad Conditioning Brush, you have a winning combination that will last quite a while until you pick up one of these....

[CEE DOG]

The product lasts forever

The way I use it is when I switch pads on my polisher I spray this on and let it sit for 1 minute while I'm priming my new pad. Then I throw it in my pad bucket where I have water and some type of cleaner like DP powder or OPC mixed.

Here's another method of setting your pads to dry before storing them. Make sure they are completely dry first.




That picture was from this very old article. Review-XMT Polishing Pad Cleaner

[shoeless89]

I put my pads on a box fan thats laying at like a 10 degree angle to ensure they are totally dry and speed up the process

[kimtyson]

Thanks Nick, for a nice, concise post. Another way to spend my hard earned cashola. (Maybe try some APC around that shower stall. Just saying.)

[Meghan]

Nick you have come up with several other uses for the Grit Guard lately, nice!
It's always good to have multiple uses for one item.

[Nick McKees37]

Nick you have come up with several other uses for the Grit Guard lately, nice!
It's always good to have multiple uses for one item.

I even have a Grit Guard in the kitchen at home for when I accidentally go overboard with the eggs when I make french toast!