Foam Pads: Durability

mgm2003

mgm2003

New member
When you guys buy foam pads, what are your durability expectations?

In the past year or so, I've had serious durability issues with foam pad backing material -on both the PC and Rotary. (LC pads, Edge, etc.... -all are in the same ball park)

Are you guys seeing the same thing?

If I'm paying $10+ per pad (plus shipping), I expect the foam to wear out before the backing material. I would estimate that 25% of my pads see 1 use only and the backing material is shot. This is frustrating!

I usually wash my pads in this manner:

-I keep a 5 gallon bucket of water & degreaser mixed up (simple green, or another all purpose cleaner) during the polishing process to let the pads dwell in the mix as a pre-wash.

When I'm done with a detail, I'll wash my pads out by hand using an APC or Woolite and let them air dry.

I used to be able to toss my pads into the washing machine (gentle cycle) with a load of MF's and let them air dry -but these days, it delaminates the pads after a wash or two also (ahhh!).

Are my expectations to high or am I doing something wrong?
 
When you dry your pads do you wring them out or just place them on a flat surface and compress the water out? I know that some like to use their PC to fling the water out once washed. I've heard of problems with this practice. I've got foam pads that I've used 20 times and are still good to go. I use exclusively Edge right now but have had similar experience with both LC and Megs. The backing plates were the weakest link for me prior to using Edge.
 
Most of my pads have been from Meguiar's with a few Lake Country thrown in.
The felt like portion of the Velcro that is glued to the pad has separated on some and I have glued it back in place.
I hand wash them by pushing down on them in a soap solution after letting them soak for an hour or so with just the foam submerged. I don't twist them. I press them out flat to get some of the water out and let them air dry.
FWIW:
1. Meguiar's says to not wash them.
2. My Meguiar's backing plate didn't grip the pad nearly as strongly as my present backing plate. I think I could rip the backing off the foam of a new pad if I were to just grip the foam and pull it off. I try to get a grip on the felt backing and pull it loose from the backing plate.
Because of those things, I have always placed at least part of the blame on myself.
Maybe I should try another Meg's backing plate. The first one seemed to lose most of it's grip after a year or so. That might be as long as they should be expected to last.
If you could keep the Velcro from separating, I think you could do 20, maybe 50, vehicles befor you would wear out the foam.

Charles
 
I have some LC pads that are several years old and date back to when I first got my PC and took my detailing to the next level. I've machine washed them, hand washed them, tossed them in a dryer, etc and for the most part, all are holding together well.

I have seen som instancs of pad failure, so I know yours isn't an isolated experience. The only pad failure I've really had was the "cookie cutter" effect on an LC orange VC pad from using a backing plate that was bigger than the velcro.

My current wash process is by hand in the kitchen sink with hot water and an APC. They come quite clean pretty quickly. I then rinse them off, squeeze the water out and then put them foam side out in the washing machine for a quick spin cycle. They air dry the rest of the way.
 
I have used my LC pads at least 10 times. Washed them by hand in luke warm water and then dry them by putting them in between a clean towel and stepping on them! My pads almost look like new! One black pad is starting to show wear.
 
I'd say many people rip the pad off the plate too harshly. gotta be gentle and do it slow
So far my pads last three to four years or more. I machine wash all bar edge pads with Microfibre rejuvinator wash and do a double rinse.

If the backing comes away, I just reglue.
However I've never had the foam thin out on me ever
 
GearHead_1 said:
When you dry your pads do you wring them out or just place them on a flat surface and compress the water out? I know that some like to use their PC to fling the water out once washed. I've heard of problems with this practice. I've got foam pads that I've used 20 times and are still good to go. I use exclusively Edge right now but have had similar experience with both LC and Megs. The backing plates were the weakest link for me prior to using Edge.
Click to expand...

What is your take on the edge pads now? I am thinking about buying an edge 2000 PC kit and also a edge 2000 package for my cyclo thinking that this would give me a more diverse selection with greater efficiency as to changing pads but I don't want to purchase a pad that self destructs or causes damage to the paint. Would you still reccomend the edge pads?
 
I'm still a fan. I've never had a minutes problem with any of them. I've read the comments about problems some have had with them but I'm not one of those people. I've had hook and loop backing plates go south on me multiple times but never Edge set up. I use them almost exclusively. I'm in to easy and these pads are easy.

tuscarora dave said:
What is your take on the edge pads now? I am thinking about buying an edge 2000 PC kit and also a edge 2000 package for my cyclo thinking that this would give me a more diverse selection with greater efficiency as to changing pads but I don't want to purchase a pad that self destructs or causes damage to the paint. Would you still reccomend the edge pads?
Click to expand...
 
GearHead_1 said:
I'm still a fan. I've never had a minutes problem with any of them. I've read the comments about problems some have had with them but I'm not one of those people. I've had hook and loop backing plates go south on me multiple times but never Edge set up. I use them almost exclusively. I'm in to easy and these pads are easy.
Click to expand...

Thanks gearhead, I too am into easy. I'm gonna go for it.
 
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