Remove wax before clay??
- Thread starter DAVESCHIM
- Start date
Bill D
Hooked For Life
Welcome to Autopia Daveschim :wavey
I've found ,depending on the last step product that is on the car, Dawn may or may not totally remove it. Some here may use a decontamination 3 step wash such as Valugard's A-B-C system and clay during the middle step during a full detail
My approach is to wash as usual, clay using a QD as a lubricant and dry and then start working a panel at a time. I wipe down the newly clayed panel with Prep-All, a wax removing solvent,dab my finger in an isopropyl alcohol and water mixture and press them against the paint making sure I feel some tension or hear them squeak, that way I know there still isn't anything on the paint. Once that is a go, I begin my polishing regimen.
I've found ,depending on the last step product that is on the car, Dawn may or may not totally remove it. Some here may use a decontamination 3 step wash such as Valugard's A-B-C system and clay during the middle step during a full detail
My approach is to wash as usual, clay using a QD as a lubricant and dry and then start working a panel at a time. I wipe down the newly clayed panel with Prep-All, a wax removing solvent,dab my finger in an isopropyl alcohol and water mixture and press them against the paint making sure I feel some tension or hear them squeak, that way I know there still isn't anything on the paint. Once that is a go, I begin my polishing regimen.
Bill D
Hooked For Life
TW85 HHI said:
I don't jump right into the polishing process because I want to inspect the condition of the paint without the sealant /wax first.
imported_BadSL65AMG
New member
gto78 said:
Wait! What?!?! Correct me if I'm wrong guys but alcohol is going to harm the finish. :nono I would wait on the alcohol until someone responds. I'm not a master detailer in any way shape or form, but acohol on the finish just sounds like disaster waiting to happen.
Bill D
Hooked For Life
A 50:50 mix of isopropyl alcohol and water is quite common practice in detailing.
Procedure using isopropyl alcohol
Procedure using isopropyl alcohol
imported_BadSL65AMG
New member
Wow, just shows I have alot to learn in the detailing field. Thanks for that info though, informative read. :up
Lowejackson
New member
You do not need to remove wax before claying, it will not really alter the performance of the clay
Accumulator
Well-known member
For me it depends on what I'm trying to accomplish. I generally clay so gently that it won't compromise my LSP. If you want to use the clay on contamination that's *under* the LSP this won't work. I don't just "clay harder", IMO clay shouldn't be used aggressively. If the LSP is "dead" this isn't an issue, you can just clay normally and you'll clay off the degraded remnants of the LSP along with the other contamination.
Whether I cut through my LSP with polish or use a solvent (like the alcohol mix or PrepSol or whatever) will depend on the job. If there's still a good layer of LSP on there I'll use the solvent.
Using a mild polish on a healthy LSP (e.g., 3M PI-III MG on KSG) can result in a bit of a mess, including residue that does *not* wipe off very easily. Not a huge problem, but a hassle nonetheless.
Whether I cut through my LSP with polish or use a solvent (like the alcohol mix or PrepSol or whatever) will depend on the job. If there's still a good layer of LSP on there I'll use the solvent.
Using a mild polish on a healthy LSP (e.g., 3M PI-III MG on KSG) can result in a bit of a mess, including residue that does *not* wipe off very easily. Not a huge problem, but a hassle nonetheless.