Need help with decontamination / deep clean wash

S

SF Space Grey

New member
Hi everyone! I`m trying to settle on a good process for a deep clean to do on my car every once in awhile. Usually I do a simple ONR wash and follow up with Beadmaker or Optimum Car Wax, but once or twice a year I want to take everything down to the bare paint either to set up for a polish (by someone else) or just to reset everything and reapply sealant. I`m having trouble settling on the steps though and choosing the best products. I know I`m probably overthinking it but for some reason I feel like this group can relate to that.

It`s a 2016 mineral gray metallic BMW in case that matters. Here`s what I`m thinking:


  • foam w IK9 foamer loaded with high PH wash
    • Griots Garage Foaming Surface Prep or Optimum Power Clean? Leaning toward Griots bc it`s made specifically to foam and I hear OPC can etch glass
  • rinse and blow dry
  • wash with CarPro Reset, rinse
  • Iron-X, rinse
  • paint cleaner
    • P21S GEPC or TAC System Paint Cleaner? I`ve tried GEPC before but I can`t tell whether it`s working and it seems to leave the surface slick instead of squeaky. The TAC product is interesting bc it`s supposed to be mildly abrasive but not sure how it works in practice.
  • detailing clay and ONR if needed
  • GTechniq Panel Wipe

Thoughts? I`d be grateful for any input
 
Griots is a good product. If Griots surface prep is good stuff and if stripping i would recommend both foam and bucket wash with this.... skip the Reset as you’re trying to strip.

I use Bilt Hamber Auto foam and Mckees coating prep auto soap for this purpose as both can be used for maintenance washes on my coated vehicle.

The mckee’s is made to prep paint for coating so i would think this is a good choice. Surface prep is made to be apart of the Boss system to prep car for Poly Gloss so sure it is fine also

After wash i would mechanical decontaminate (clay). And then chemical decontaminate (Iron X). Griots synthetic clay is an awesome product would highly recommend.

I would only clay if polishing. Some will do w/o polishing but i worry about marring.

Never use a paint cleaner and wouldn’t if i was polishing but from discriptions it seems like a good step if not polishing and going direct to wax/sealant.
Might also be good to use if claying and not polishing. Have a coating so probably bot for me.

I have used a few Tac Systems products and have appreciated everyone of them.

I would finish with a panel wipe and would recommend Car Pros Eraser. Gyeon prep is OK. If ordering from Tac, guve their panel wipe a try.

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I’d invest in the Valugard. ABC decontamination wash system. You wash the car three times. There is an acid, alkaline,and neutral step. You can get it from the Automotive International site and there is a video on YouTube. ( not allowed to post links to them per forum rules).

Using this system ought to get everything down to bare naked paint especially if you clay during Step B. Use plenty as it eats up the clay. It’s pretty straightforward to use this system and I’ve found it even fun.
 
For strip washing, Superior Products Road Warrior (degreaser) and Feynlab Pure Wash are pretty safe and economical alternatives. They clean well without being overly aggressive to stripping the plasticizers out of clear coat. For panel wipe, I’d give Feynlab Pure Rinseless a try as it is very slick and cleans very well. Instead of Iron-X maybe give Eagle One Black & Plasticoat Cleaner a try as it is much more economical and readily available. If you have areas of built up environmental fallout, Carpro Iron-X Paste works wonders.

However, if you want a complete system to clean a vehicle, and have the shade/cool-ish temps/ and water of medium or less TDS levels, I would highly suggest the Valugard ABC system. As others have said, have plenty of clay, good clay like Meguair’s Professional line or 3M Perfect-It, or the Britemax Chemical Resistant Clay. If there isn’t a lot of contamination on the vehicle, a really fine clay should do the trick. For final residue removal, I still suggest giving Feynlab Pure Rinseless a shot.
 
SF Space Gray- I can`t stand the P21s GEPC and wouldn`t recommend it. If you use it, I assume you plan to strip off the stuff it leaves behind..but I`d just skip it. It`s like a combo paint cleaner + glaze IMO, and if that`s the sort of thing you want I`d much rather use Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion or something else. Not that I`d use *any* such product myself...I`d decontaminate the paint and then evaluate what it needs. And I`d try to do as much of the Decon. with chemicals. The right chemicals ;)

If you plan to do this as often as annually, my choice would be easy:

Bill D said:
I’d invest in the Valugard. ABC decontamination wash system..
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-AND-

TheMeanGreen said:
I would highly suggest the Valugard ABC system...
Click to expand...

THAT. The major automakers know a thing or two and that`s what they all use.
 
Might be a little bit of a hassle ordering ABC though, my understanding is you have to go to the Valugard site and then order it by phone.
 
Bill D said:
Might be a little bit of a hassle ordering ABC though, my understanding is you have to go to the Valugard site and then order it by phone.
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Huh, didn`t know that...been forever since I needed any, but come to think of it I did always call `em anyhow.

Eh, IMO the hassle would sure be offset by how easy it is to just do those "three special washes" compared to any other approach for something like this.
 
The white pad in the ABC kit (VG-IS) is used during the dwell time of the `B" product, as per the video. It grabs the now loosened particles from down in the paint film, not just "sliding over and picking up particles on the surface" without scratching. 99% of the time, no need to use clay when instructions are followed. System has been in use since 1996, by 9 of the world`s vehicle manufacturer,on millions of vehicles around the world.
 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I think I will ditch P21S GEPC as my goal here is just to get clean paint... why do so many people rave about this stuff? Is there something like it that is just a strong paint cleaner in lotion form and doesn`t leave anything behind on the paint? Maybe Zaino ZPC?

I`m surprised ABC can really take EVERYTHING off the paint without any abrasive action (particles/polish or clay). Will it even remove tough sealants like FK1000P? I also wish I could check out the product without buying three gallons!
 
Ron Ketcham said:
The white pad in the ABC kit (VG-IS) is used during the dwell time of the `B" product, as per the video. It grabs the now loosened particles from down in the paint film, not just "sliding over and picking up particles on the surface" without scratching...
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I gather that replaced the *green* one that I got from `em. Assuming they`re about the same, FWIW Ketch is correct about it not marring (reasonably hard) clear; I used it on Ford clear with no additional marring (though I was awfully gentle about it).

..99% of the time, no need to use clay when instructions are followed..
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And/but, if you do use clay while the "B" is dwelling, it`ll trash that clay but *quick*. I only do it that way when I really do need to...
 
SF Space Grey said:
Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I think I will ditch P21S GEPC as my goal here is just to get clean paint... why do so many people rave about this stuff?
Click to expand...

I`ll be charitable and say it`s because they don`t know any better, not having tried superior products.
Is there something like it that is just a strong paint cleaner in lotion form and doesn`t leave anything behind on the paint? Maybe Zaino ZPC?
Click to expand...
As far as "lotion-type"/creamy liquid products, I`ve only used ones that do indeed leave at least a tiny bit of stuff behind. Not that it`s necessarily an issue unless you`re Coating, and then I`d be stripping the paint first anyhow.

..I`m surprised ABC can really take EVERYTHING off the paint without any abrasive action (particles/polish or clay)...
Click to expand...

It usually will, though using that Pad that Ron Ketcham mentioned will add some mechanical action (as does trashing your clay in a NY minute doing what I`ve sometimes done). The cases where it wasn`t potent enough for me (or at least...to work fast enough to satisfy me when I was asking for the unreasonable :o ) the vehicles were a *LOT* worse than yours will ever be (confident of that!).

Will it even remove tough sealants like FK1000P?
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Heh heh, my Inner Autopian Heretic wonders "why on earth would anybody strip off healthy FK1000P?!?" And of course I`ve never tried it because I`d never do that ;) BUT OK, ok...yeah it oughta do that just fine. Somebody here (Tom P.?) has stripped FK1000P fine with EFHI (old APC I`m still using) and the "A" is a *LOT* more effective than that stuff.

I also wish I could check out the product without buying three gallons!
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That`s what most people say, and IMO for good reason! But I`m pretty confident you`ll like it OK. Well, I`ve never been enamored of the "C", but that`s just me and I`m a bit of a Shampoo Snob. IF you`re really gonna be doing this kind of thing so often, I`d just get those big jugs and know that you`ve covered that base for a good long time.
 
The Guz said:
Will post this as a reference for those deep cleaning. Works every time.

https://www.autogeekonline.net/foru...ps/86146-aggressive-approach-washing-car.html

You can then follow up with an AIO or a dedicated polish to remove clay marring. The AIO leaves some protection behind but you can add the protection of your choice periodically.
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I read through mikes post on his version of the most aggressive wash method. Then I read some follow up comments and chuckled to myself when people were commenting that you should never wash a car like that. He did smash it was for teaching and visual appeal, he did say it was the MOST aggressive, and he did say you should then follow it up with a polish. I’ll probably follow that lead in the spring before laying down a new LSP in our fusion. Could someone add tar remover to the snow foam mix prior to the clay mitt / bar step as well?


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