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Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

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  • Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

    Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

    The question often comes up,
    How do I clean my buffing pads?

    Or more specifically,

    How do I clean my buffing pads after they become wet or saturated with the product I'm working with?


    One way is to do what we call, Cleaning your pad on the fly. This means to take and hold a clean, soft, dry terry cloth towel, hopefully a towel with a thick nap, (the little cotton loops), against the face of the pad while it's still on your polisher and then with your hand that's holding the polisher, use your finger to turn the polisher on and then move the towel around and against the face of the foam pad. This will act to cause the excess product built-up in the foam pad to move out of the pad and saturate into the terry cloth towel. Then you can place the towel down and get back to working on your car.

    This is called cleaning your pad on the fly because it's quick and simple and fairly effective for what you're trying to do.


    Here's Cisco from one of our recent Saturday Detailing Classes learning how to clean a pad on the fly



    Mike Stoops Cleaning a pad on the fly



    As you clean your pad you'll see residue build-up on the towel.



    Clean your pad often
    Besides knowing how to clean your pad on the fly you also need to remember to clean your pad often, usually after every other application of product to the pad. That is, apply some product to your pad and work it to a section. Wipe off the spent residue and either re-clean the area or move onto a new area. After a second application of product to the pad and after you've worked it to a section, now clean your pad. This is cleaning your pad every other application of product to the pad. You can clean your pad after every application if you like too. Most people don't clean their pads often enough, so err on the side of caution. Cleaning your pad often maximizes your effectiveness and thus your speed and quality of end result.

    Mike Phillips
    760-515-0444
    showcargarage@gmail.com

    "Find something you like and use it often"

  • #2
    Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

    Is it ok to clean pads with shoe polish brush?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

      Originally posted by gioprivatemove View Post
      Is it ok to clean pads with shoe polish brush?
      Hey thats a great idea. Those are made out of horsehair normally right? I would think thats a perfect texture based on the length of the bristles. Anyone ever tried this?
      Detailing Enthusiast

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly



        The bottom one seems perfect for the job.
        Detailing Enthusiast

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

          Toothbrushes work when used to clean pads while using the rotary.

          I've never tried using a brush with the PC, but it doesn't sound like it would work.
          Chris
          Dasher Detailing Services

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

            Originally posted by PorscheGuy997 View Post
            Toothbrushes work when used to clean pads while using the rotary.

            I've never tried using a brush with the PC, but it doesn't sound like it would work.
            Hey Chris,

            Cleaning pads with a brush is for the rotary like you mentioned. With the rotary spinning around 1000 rpm, it is surprising how much stuff comes off of a pad from using a brush!

            But as you mentioned, using the brush with the machine turned on is not for the DA. You can brush the pad once it is dry to remove dried on product. But this is done with the machine turned off. If you attempt to do this with the DA turned on, like we do with a rotary, the pad will will fly off ruining the pad. The DA's action will fling a pad a long ways!!

            Tim
            Tim Lingor's Product Reviews

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

              nice tip. Thanks! one question, you seem to have specified (cotton) terry towels... can't MF towels hack it? TIA.
              Last edited by b2bomber; Jul 28, 2008, 10:55 AM. Reason: i forgot to add my question. :-P
              But that's just me. Hope that helped though...

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                Originally posted by Tim Lingor View Post
                ...If you attempt to do this with the DA turned on, like we do with a rotary, the pad will will fly off ruining the pad. The DA's action will fling a pad a long ways!!

                Sounds like I have my next competition with kerrinjeff! Wonder what the current record for distance is....
                The only reason some people get lost in thought... is because it is unfamiliar territory for them.
                --VoicesInMyHead--
                0101011101100101001000000100000101110010011001010010000001000111011001010110010101101011

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                  Originally posted by VoicesInMyHead View Post

                  Sounds like I have my next competition with kerrinjeff! Wonder what the current record for distance is....
                  Bring it on, I've been training for weeks!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                    Originally posted by Mike Phillips View Post


                    This means to take and hold a clean, soft, dry terry cloth towel, hopefully a towel with a thick nap, (the little cotton loops), against the face of the pad while it's still on your polisher and then with your hand that's holding the polisher, use your finger to turn the polisher on and then move the towel around and against the face of the foam pad.
                    What speed should you use to clean? I imagine since your holding the DA with one hand it's pretty low?
                    Rob A.
                    '09 Kia Optima (Bronze Metallic)
                    '07 Kia Optima (Gold)

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                      I let her rip while on speed 5, sing at the same time and you sound like Chewbacca
                      Philippians 2:14 - Do all things without grumbling or questioning,

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                        Originally posted by RacerX88 View Post
                        What speed should you use to clean? I imagine since your holding the DA with one hand it's pretty low?
                        I clean it at whatever speed I am working at - so it's truly "cleaning on the fly". It gets cumbersome to constantly change the speed to clean the pad

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                          has anyone did this with a flex of it not recommended? I know I can't do it with 1 hand so just trying to get some ideas or is this not an option?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                            bump

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Cleaning Your Pad On The Fly

                              Originally posted by kerrinjeff View Post
                              I clean it at whatever speed I am working at - so it's truly "cleaning on the fly". It gets cumbersome to constantly change the speed to clean the pad
                              Ahh, I get now. Thanks for the clarification!
                              Rob A.
                              '09 Kia Optima (Bronze Metallic)
                              '07 Kia Optima (Gold)

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