Washing Foam Pads?

ACE

ACE

What's that smell?
Meguiars tells you never to wash foam pads - just clean the dust off with a towel against the spinning pad. I can't believe this could be a good thing as it seems likely that dirt and contamination from the finish could work its way into the pad and cause scratches. Anyone here NOT wash their foam pads?
 
I wash by hand, careful to not twist up the backing loops so they stay on longer. Use some dawn in a shallow water bath and press the old residue out. Make sure to get as much water out as you can. I swing the pads through the air, I look stupid doing it but it works.
 
Meg's method works but really only for foam pads on a rotary. Using a pad brush (or old toothbrush) against a foam pad spinning on a rotary will clean most of the product and grime off the pad. I use this method after every panel when I'm working with the rotary and it really helps to keep the pads from loading up too much. Using this method with a D.A. or orbital accomplishes almost nothing but getting splatter all over you and your surrounding area.

I always wash my foam pads. Put em' in a laundry basin with a couple ounces of SImple Green and lots of warm water. Soak em' for 5-10 minutes, use my thumb as a scrubber on stubborn spots. Empty the basin and fill enough with clean warm water to cover all the pads. Soak em' again 5-10 minutes then try to squeeze as much water out as possible. Most of the times I put them on the rotary and spin them at high speed for 20-30 seconds and they are about 80% dry. THen I just air dry them on my downstairs bar top. I used to use Dawn but Simple Green seems to work better.

My pads all pretty much look like new except for one or two that are stained by some stubborn products (Cherry Wet Wax). The Meg's foam pads have held up incredibly well and look as though they may never wear out or have the velcro backing separate. THey are well made pads. My favorites have become the 7.5" Lake Country VC pads. I love the shape and how the pad surrounds the backing plate. Also nice to have the slightly larger size and can use them on rotary or PC 7424 (with the proper backing plate).

Natty
 
I use Simple Green too, I soak the pads and let them sit for several minutes. Then I knead thm by hand using my fingers (not the nails) as needed to get the really caked on stuff. Then I put them (individually) in the bottom of a clean 5 gallon bucket and use the garden hose to rinse everything out.

After that, I put them on the P/C on "6" and spin them mostly dry...warning you WILL get a bit wet doing this.
 
Just washed my polishing pad today and I think I found a good way to dry them. Just sandwich it inside a Big Blue or Little Blue drying towel and press. 15 minutes of air drying and you're ready to go. The Blue takes out virtually all the water.
 
ACE said:
Just washed my polishing pad today and I think I found a good way to dry them. Just sandwich it inside a Big Blue or Little Blue drying towel and press. 15 minutes of air drying and you're ready to go. The Blue takes out virtually all the water.
Click to expand...

I hope that is before you washed the drying towels because I'd be inclined to think they surely would need to be washed now. I know you washed the pads and they should be clean but I wouldn't sleep at night wondering if any polish residue was on my drying towels just waiting for me to drag them across some paint finish following a wash.

I may be anal about these things but that's just me.

Natty
 
Absolutely right, NB! I had used the Little Blue the day before to dry my car and it was in my "to be washed" pile. It will be washed before the next use on my car. Damn little thing dried my Jetta with only one wringout!
 
I use dawn with warm water in the sink, then sandwich then in a terry cloth towel and step on them. It takes all the water to speak of out.
 
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