Paint Transferring Onto My Drying Towels

[kiaser]

Weirdest thing I've seen so far...



I was washing down a 91 Mercedes that had be repainted red a few years ago. Nobody knows if it's a clearcoat job or not. Anyhow, nothing strange is coming off onto my wash mitts, just the usual dirt.



When I start to dry the car with my drying towels (white) I notice the towels are starting to turn pink in some spots. After fully drying the car I look at the towels again and it is really pink with some spots so red it looks like the threads nearly were dipped into red paint!



After checking the car over closely, all the paint looks in good condition (except for the massive swirl marks, tree sap, water and bird oop etching, etc that the current owner is responsible for. The paint doesn't look thin in any area nor could I see any splotchy spots where clearcoat might be thin/gone.



What would cause this? The paint has some fade/oxidation to it. I've heard of paint coming off onto polishing pads but not simply by drying the car before. Is it possible for paint to transfer off with a clearcoat finish or would it have to be some other type of paint job?



I was going to start with some fine cutting compound this weekend after I've clayed the car, I hope my pads don't get ruined with red paint!

 

[Detailr75]

If it's a repaint, there's not likely to be a clearcoat layer. But it would be easy to verify: just ask your local bodyshop or paint shop if they do clearcoats.



My guess on the paint transference issue, is that your wash mitt is lubricated with detergent, and that nothing can build up enuf to be visible because you agitate in the wash bucket frequently. But the drying towel may be just abrasive enuf that it pulls off, and holds, microscopic flecks of loose paint.



You can expect lots of red on your polishing pads, if it comes off onto a drying towel.