Paint Cleaner & Claying

[PCC]

I've used (and liked) Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner but I understand it is being discontinued, if so, will the substitute product be Swirl-X, and could someone elaborate on the differences of paint cleaning -vs- claying? How would DC paint cleaner, Swirl-X, and claying be ordered as far as "aggressiveness"?

I still have some DC Paint cleaner but wondered if I should get more before it is gone?

Thanks.

Patrick

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Paint Cleaner & Claying

Well polishes and clay bars are like comparing apples and oranges- they aren't really the same other than the fact that they can both clean the paint. HOW they do that is very, very different.

For starters, polishes work by abrading away small amounts of paint (clear or pigment based on paint type) and reveal fresh, smooth, level paint as they work. This means a polish can work down into paint to get at defects.

Clay bars work by gliding OVER the surface of the paint and by abrading away anything that is ABOVE the surface of the paint. Clay is not intended to remove paint, level paint, or fix swirls and scratches.

Even a freshly polished surface can usually benefit (and sometimes significantly) by claying the area to reveal more paint (remove contaminants that block the paint), and by making the surface as smooth as possible.

I've always enjoyed tossing a towel across the hood of a car before claying, and then after and noting how much further the towel glides once clayed. It is usually very significant and once people try it they are usually hooked for life.

Now to order the products you listed would be basically impossible since they work in different ways, but if you had to it would likely work like this: Clay bar (consumer grade), DC Paint Cleaner, and SwirlX.

SwirlX is the least aggressive polish now in the consumer line, but it still has a moderate amount of cutting ability over DC Paint Cleaner. You will find it should take less work to achieve the same or better results with it.

Before you buy up some DCPC, why not try some SwirlX and see if that will be a fine replacement for you or not?

[PCC]

Re: Paint Cleaner & Claying

Thanks for the info Mark, I kind of figured that the paint cleaning -v- claying was not an "apples to apples" comparison but it seemed like there were some slight similarities.

Although I haven't used any Swirl-X, I don't mind trying it out, although I didn't use DCPC often (the cars were kept garaged, washed and waxed), I liked the way it worked and wondered what the best replacement would be.

Right now I've got a pretty bad UQD & QD addiction, I'll try and manage a little spare $$$ for some Swirl-X next time I'm at the store.

Patrick

[Markus Kleis]

Re: Paint Cleaner & Claying

Sounds good Patrick. The bottle is usually 9-10$

[Eddie6th]

Re: Paint Cleaner & Claying

Good info Mark.Before I could get a hold of clay,I used to always use DCPC followed by DCP,then the carnauba.This made a big difference to the color and made it pop.But once I got the clay,it removed what was still there and came even better.For me,as you said,one step is as important as the other.
I used scratchX today(the old one,called 'new and improved')and got good results.Took a bit of effort,but workrd fine.