Opti-Seal - tip

[gmck]

I have a 32oz bottle of OS that I hadn't used for awhile. I can’t remember the last time I used it, but it was probably between 6 and 12 months. Anyway today, after doing some minor polishing with 85rd on a bonnet, I thought I'd try OS after the 85rd.

After giving it a shake, I realized by the feel of it that it wasn't right. I was just shaking a liquid and getting nowhere. I probably shook it for about 5 minutes, but it certainly did feel like OS should after 5 minutes. I attempted to put some on a pad and what came out of the spout was an orange/yellow liquid.

I had read and experienced problems before with Optimum’s products separating. Previously, I had some Optimum Final Finish separate, but had overcome that problem just with vigorous shaking. That obviously didn't work in this instance with OS. The bottle was at least three quarters full so I wasn't ready to just ditch it.

I poured the contents into a large kitchen bowl. All the liquid (orange/yellow translucent) came out first and then came the solids except that it wasn't solid. It is hard to describe (I should have taken a photo) but the solids looked like small floating particles in the liquid. It sure wasn't looking good at this point – definitely not something you want to be applying to the paint of your vehicle.

Anyway I tried a few kitchen implements, fork, spoon etc and tried mixing it. None of those worked, so then I thought maybe a kitchen whisk might help. That did the trick. Only required a couple of seconds whisking and the liquid and solids joined back together and look exactly the same as you would expect when you squeeze OS from the bottle on to a pad.

I then needed a funnel, to get the now liquid paste consistency back into the original bottle. That took some patience having to scoop up the paste with a spoon and then vibrate the funnel, so that the paste eventually fell back into the bottle.

Back to the car and OS worked just like it used to.

I've got no idea, why it separates out in such dramatic fashion, but I’m sure Dr. G or Chris will chime in and let us know.

[snowking724]

OS=Opti-Seal?
or PS=Poli-Seal

[Setec Astronomy]

You must mean Poli-Seal, as snowking said.

[gmck]

You must mean Poli-Seal

Yes you guys are correct. It was Poli-Seal, not Opti-Seal. I'm afraid I've done that previously too. Seems, I can be a little dyslexic when it comes to Optimum products.

Since I now can't edit the title, hopefully one of the mods will fix it.

[Chris Thomas]

Another solution is to pour off the thin liquid and add it back slowly while shaking. GPS doesn't have this issue and newer product shouldn't we're rate easily. All the polishes have been updated as well.

[ixnod]

I then needed a funnel, to get the now liquid paste consistency back into the original bottle. That took some patience having to scoop up the paste with a spoon and then vibrate the funnel, so that the paste eventually fell back into the bottle.

and now the funnel beads like crazy!!

J/K

[SilverRebel]

I had the same problem with separation. I put the bottle in some warm water for a couple of minutes, then I shake it. It has always worked when I warm it, seems to mix better.

[BillyJack]

Thanks to my ridiculous collection of polishes and waxes, stuff may sit for a long time between uses. Taking a clue from the various paint stirrers available in hardware stores, I bent up a few coat hangers for drill-powered stirrers in different sized bottles. Just keep the edges rounded so you don't machine a hole in the bottle. Beats the heck out of endless hand shaking.

Bill