Polishing Pad Maintanence/Care questions

C

chuckstang95

New member
I will explain and illustrate how I care for my pads with pictures but I would like to know what I am doing wrong and what works best for cleaning and careing for them.



All my equipment is only a year old but some are trash all ready.



First I spray the pad

(one on the left is dirty, the one on the right was a clean pad for comparison)



with this stuff







Then I clean my sink and fill it with cold water and wait about 10 minutes while the cleaner sits on the surface of the pad, then I hold the pad under water and press firmly down on the pad in a flat shape, trying not to twist or dishape the pad to much other than just flattening it and pushind the water and cleaner out of it.







Then after soaking it I pull the pad out and flatten in my hands to get most of the soaking water out, then place it on my backing plate to my PC



Then put it on speed 6 and let it spin for about 30 seconds to fling off the rest of water





Then I place the pads out by the window in the sun on some paper towels to let them dry out completely, then I store them away for next time.



But, some of my pads are already peeling off the velcrow backing and also, some of my more dirty pads (mainly the polishing pads) never got fully cleaned and there are still small dry, hard particles either from the polish or just random grit and dirt that was on the paint and found its way on my pad. These seem to get caught in the foam which does not give me much faith as to how you can truly clean the pad through and through. What am I doing wrong, I also notice that the pads are still very stained and can not get the color back which make me think they are not actually clean but I guess I just assumed the pad has been stained for life but is clean, if that makes sense. Is this normal?



Sorry my pics are of my blue finishing pad which never got too dirty so it appears very clean but in the pics below I will try and show the particiles that are lodged throughout the foam pad.





Here is a good example of the stainage or discoloraion that I could not clean off





I forgot to take a pic of the pad coming off the black velcro backing but I am sure you get what I mean



Thanks alot for any help
 
Just looking, and too much of a noob to answer your question, but those last few were just blatantly showing off!
 
1st off nice job on the Shelby!!!



I don't believe that is dirt from the paint stuck in the pads. If it were there would be scratches that are very apparent all over the car.



I have been using the XMT cleaner for a couple of years on LC, Megs, 3M(UK & US) and Uber pads with excellent results. The method I use is to saturate the top of the pad and then rub it in. After sitting for a few minutes, to allow the cleaner to emulisify the oils, I run under very warm water while massaging the pads (kind of like you would do to saturate a pad for the KBM) until the water runs clear. Then they are spun out and left to dry foam side up on a towel.



I think the cold water is causing your problems by coagulating the oils and polish into the little bits on your pads. Also I think I remember there being a problem with the velcro seperating from the foam on certain pads so imo your washing technique is not causing that.



Good luck!
 
Are you saying that pad is about a year old? And still in that good of shape? If so then I think you're doing something very right there. I can't get my pads to last more than a couple months at best before they get all tore up. (needless to say I go through a ton of pads)



I have to agree with the water temp though. Trying using the warm water to see if that helps the issue.
 
Oh man, that's a beautiful car.



As for pad care, I fill a five gallon bucket with about 3.5 gallons of water, then add one scoop of this: DP Polishing Pad Rejuvenator was created to provide detailers with a fast and effective way to clean pads without soapy residue or foamy degreasers.



Then as I detail, I throw the used pads in the bucket and let them soak. When I take them out, I squeeze them and rub my thumbs over the polishing sides until all traces of polish, etc. are gone. I then rinse them out under running water, and either throw them in the clothes dryer or let them air dry.



It's ok to have some discoloration, but particles stuck in the foam is not ok.
 
if youre a weekend detailer, then those pads are in normal condition for being over a year.



my process:

toss pads in 5gal bucket with hot water/snappy clean

let soak for a few hours or while im cleaning up the supplies or grabbing dinner.

come back to pads and use old toothbrush under running water and brush away deposits

rinse and wring dry.
 
Using M105 w/ the KBM, I have to get all of the M105 out of my orange pads. This is what I do.



Soak them in a bucket of APC and water if I can't get to them right away.



APC 1:4 water spray onto surface of pad.

Dampen the pad with some warm water and scrub the pad down with your hand.

While rinsing the pad with warm water keep scrubbing the face with your hand.

Keep getting the pad filled with water and wringing it out. I do this step at least 5x.

Spin the pad out with a rotary or PC if no rotary.

Let the pad air dry or use a fan.
 
GS4_Fiend said:
Just use the Snappy cleaner for the pads from LC with warm water in a bucket.
Click to expand...



That's what I do & it works fine. I leave the pads to soak in there for 24 hours.



You can never get a used pad clean enough to look like new, especially white ones.
 
Thanks for all the tips! And compliments!



I will change it up to warm water and let them soak next time. (STUPID QUESTION but do the pads need to be submerged under the water or just floating there face down should be fine?) :o



The pic with 2 blue pads, the one on the left was just used once and cleaned out fine but the other older one, I could never get all the dried product out of the dimples, nor could I get out all the little grit particles I spoke of and captured in one of my up close pics.



I am almost too scared to use a used pad but I hope these new methods and procucts recommended will fix that.



I gota admit I am a noob and never even heard of snappy cleaner or many of the other acronyms used



I'm trying to google them all now hahaah. Thanks :buffing:
 
mikemurphy234 said:
1st off nice job on the Shelby!!!



I don't believe that is dirt from the paint stuck in the pads. If it were there would be scratches that are very apparent all over the car.



I have been using the XMT cleaner for a couple of years on LC, Megs, 3M(UK & US) and Uber pads with excellent results. The method I use is to saturate the top of the pad and then rub it in. After sitting for a few minutes, to allow the cleaner to emulisify the oils, I run under very warm water while massaging the pads (kind of like you would do to saturate a pad for the KBM) until the water runs clear. Then they are spun out and left to dry foam side up on a towel.



I think the cold water is causing your problems by coagulating the oils and polish into the little bits on your pads. Also I think I remember there being a problem with the velcro seperating from the foam on certain pads so imo your washing technique is not causing that.



Good luck!
Click to expand...



Everywhere I have looked says to lay them foam side down so the water drains out and not into the velcro. They say lay them velcro up



When you get to the rinse step, is it better to hold it under running water or toss them in a bucket full of clean wather and submerge and so on?

?
 
GS4_Fiend said:
24hrs is too long. I think that would be bad for the glue and the velcro. I usually leave it in there for like 1hr max.
Click to expand...



Mine have been just fine anytime I've left them to soak that long, but maybe other people have not had such luck.



My pads tend to get so caked up that I have to leave them in there that long.



I hear that Dawn power dissolver works very well on pads, so I might pick up some of that at wal-mart.
 
I soak mine in Dawn dish soap and some Purplepower for 24hrs.. Then I'll spray them down using the garden hose nozzle and do the "push down" method to remove the water from the pad. Works great.
 
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