Alcohol solution: application and dilution

O

Odin Mz3

New member
I've seen a lot of people on that forum talking about using an alcohol solution to strip the wax instead of Dawn. I'm just curious about what you really use. Is it Isopropyl alcohol at 99% or something else, and what is the dilution ratio.



BTW, I tried to do some research, but I didnt find any thread about that who give a clear answer.
 
Perhaps mixed 50/50 with water. It's fairly effective.





APC+ is a GREAT wax remover if you happen to have that. IIRC, Meguiar's recommends a 1:64 dilution for de-waxing. I use it at 1:15 since that's what I have pre-mixed.
 
Odin Mz3 said:
I've seen a lot of people on that forum talking about using an alcohol solution to strip the wax instead of Dawn. I'm just curious about what you really use. Is it Isopropyl alcohol at 99% or something else, and what is the dilution ratio.



BTW, I tried to do some research, but I didnt find any thread about that who give a clear answer.
Click to expand...



I use IP at 70% and the ratio is 1:1.
 
70% isopropanol cut 1:1 with water leaves you with 35%.



EDIT: To get 50%, you would have to add 2 parts water to 5 parts 70% isopropanol.
 
Yeah, gotta really eye ball your mixture if you wish to be precise about the ratio. I often find a plain straight 70% works well.
 
I mix 1 part of the 90% rubbing alcohol with 1 part of water...that's how I come up with a 50/50 or 1:1 ratio





:eek:
 
What would be a reason why you would want to strip off existing wax?



I'll have to admit, my mind went to a whole new place when I first read the thread title.
 
Strip off existing wax,sealant or polish residue to ensure you have a perfectly clean finish for the LSP to bond to--especially in the case of a sealant like Zaino. Also, to reveal any defects still present that such residue could've been hiding.
 
Bill D said:
Strip off existing wax,sealant or polish residue to ensure you have a perfectly clean finish for the LSP to bond to--especially in the case of a sealant like Zaino. Also, to reveal any defects still present that such residue could've been hiding.
Click to expand...



Thanks. I've got one coat of #26, that I put on because I wanted something/anything over the top of my 6. Once I'm done with exams and have a second to breathe I will be doing a full interior and exterior detail on my baby. Would you recommend this alcohol strip, then washing and the rest of the process or washing, then stripping and washing again, or not even bothering with the stripping. :confused:



Sorry to take a detour off-topic, but I read threads and the gears in my head start turning and I can't contain my curiosity! :o But then again, that's kind of what Autopia is about. :D
 
If you want to totally start from scratch, for example, I do when I spot polish, that's when you'd use the alcohol solution. I also use in between polishing steps to "check on my work".



This how I approach a full exterior detail with the alcohol mix being used:



Wash



Clay



Alcohol wipe down per panel first ( I don't do the whole car, panels at a time)



Polishing process--including an alcohol wipe down between each polishing step-- inspection using various light sources comes in here ( optional depending on where you can detail and how "off your rocker" you are ;) )



Move on to next panel with the alcohol wipe down first again.



Alcohol/ Prepsol type products are good, but you need to make sure they don't run onto places where you don't want them.
 
In an earlier thread I made I wanted to remove all traces of sealant and wax that I put on my car about two weeks ago. The recommendation was to use Isopropyl Alchohol and water. What is the alcohol to water mixture I use for 70% Alcohol? Also, will the alcohol affect any of the work that I previously did using Menzerna IP & FPII and will it make applying my new sealant more difficult than before? Thanks!
 
70% ought to do ok but 50% is what's usually referred to here. When I'm doing a large area I often use the alcohol wipe down twice--allowing it sufficient time to dwell so it can do the work of breaking down the LSP. I hold a MF dampened with it to the area and after I let it dwell I wipe with it. If you are doing one particular spot only, you need to make sure the alcohol doesn't run onto another area.



If anything, it will make applying a new sealant easier. With Menzerna, an area polished should have no filler covering any defects still left behind so no need to worry about alcohol getting on that and uncovering them. But if you mean an area polished with Menzerna and sealed with whatever LSP, yeah keep the alcohol away from it.
 
I use a 50% alcohol solution to remove existing wax.



I start off with 99% alcohol so I mix 1 part alcohol to 1 part water.



With 70% alcohol would require 5 parts alcohol to 2 parts water to acheive an exact 50% mixture. A slightly easier measure might be 2 parts alcohol to 1 part water to acheive a 47% alcohol mix.
 
6speedZ said:
The recommendation was to use Isopropyl Alchohol and water. What is the alcohol to water mixture I use for 70% Alcohol?
Click to expand...



Most recommend a 50/50 IPA/Water mix. If you already have 70% IPA, to get 50%, you multiply the amount of IPA you have by 0.4. That's how much water you add.



x = water to be added

y = 70% IPA mix you have on hand



x = 0.4*y
 
Or, you could use a product made specifically for the task. Akyra Klean is a good product. It can also be used to wipe panels down after buffing. It removes all traces of buffing residues and silicones. Oh yeah, it does a great job of cleaning your foam buffing pads.
 
brwill2005 said:
Or, you could use a product made specifically for the task. Akyra Klean is a good product. It can also be used to wipe panels down after buffing. It removes all traces of buffing residues and silicones. Oh yeah, it does a great job of cleaning your foam buffing pads.
Click to expand...



Yeah, I'm trying to find out more about this product and a very similar Hi Temp one. I wonder if it's similar to very diluted APC :nixweiss
 
Akyra is Hi-Temp's body shop line. Akyra is nothing like diluted APC. Its kinda hard to describe based on the smell, but kinda like mint mouthwash.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top