Paint Cleaner vs. Scratch X vs. Clay

[RedRSXGrrl]

Hello I'm a newbie, and I'd like to find out what the difference between the Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, ScratchX and Clay in terms of using them as Step 1 in the detailing process. I have the Paint Cleaner, and I'm wondering if I still need ScratchX or Clay to clean the paint?

Thanks in advance.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Paint Cleaner vs. Scratch X vs. Clay

Originally posted by RedRSXGrrl
Hello I'm a newbie, and I'd like to find out what the difference between the Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, ScratchX and Clay in terms of using them as Step 1 in the detailing process. I have the Paint Cleaner, and I'm wondering if I still need ScratchX or Clay to clean the paint?

Thanks in advance.

Hi RedRSXGrrl,

Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner offers chemical cleaning only. This is Meguiar's least aggressive, most gentle paint cleaner for very light cleaning needs.

ScratchX is Meguiar's most aggressive hand-applied paint cleaner. This paint cleaner uses both chemical cleaners and microscopic diminishing abrasives to gently clean and abrade the paint in an effort to remove below surface defects like swirls and scratches.

Clay bars like found in Meguiar's Quik Clay System are for removing above above surface bonded contaminants. These would be the little bumps you feel on the horizontal surfaces of your car after you have washed the car and removed the loose dirt and contaminants.

To determine which products you need, you should first wash your car and then evaluate your car's finish with both your sense of touch using the palm of your clean hand and with your eyes.

If after washing, you draw the palm of your clean hand over the horizontal surfaces and you feel little bumps, then this is an indicator that you need to clay your car's finish. These little bumps are called above surface contaminants that washing won’t remove.

If you see swirls, scratches and other visually noticeable defects, then you probably need the extra cleaning ability of ScratchX. If your finish looks very good, with little or no swirls, then you can use the more gentle paint cleaner, the Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner.


The order to detail your car is like this.

1) Wash
2) Evaluate
3) Clay
4) Clean with a paint cleaner
5) Polish (optional, recommended for dark colors)
6) Protect
7) Maintain


Hope this helps...

Mike

[RedRSXGrrl]

Hey Mike, thanks for your reply. It definitely helps A LOT.

One question, if I've used claybar on the car and still find some scratches after that - like chipped paint, etc, I would use ScratchX on those problem areas before I start using the paint cleaner?

so, is it clay bar -> scratchx -> paint cleaner? Does it matter whether I use the claybar first or the scratchX?

Thanks!

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by RedRSXGrrl
Hey Mike, thanks for your reply. It definitely helps A LOT.

One question, if I've used clay bar on the car and still find some scratches after that - like chipped paint, etc, I would use ScratchX on those problem areas before I start using the paint cleaner?

so, is it clay bar -> ScratchX -> paint cleaner? Does it matter whether I use the clay bar first or the scratchX?

Thanks!

Hi RedRSXGrrl,

Clay bars are not for removing scratches or rock chips. Swirls, scratches, etchings and rock chips are defects that are below the surface. Clay bars are for removing defects above the surface. Things like tree sap and paint overspray. We call these things above surface contaminants.

Paint cleaners like ScratchX are for removing below surface defects like swirls and scratches.

If you have chips in the paint, then no amount of cleaning and polishing will replace missing paint. Your better off applying some touch-up paint to these areas especially if they're deep. In order to remove defects like scratches or etchings, or paint chips, you need to remove a little paint around the defect until the surrounding surface is level with the lowest point of the defect. If the defect is very deep at all, it may be to deep to remove safely and you may risk removing too much paint. Thus the need for touch-up paint.

Generally speaking, you only need to use one paint cleaner. You would either use ScratchX or Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, but not both.


You process would go like this,

Wash
Clay
ScratchX
Polish (optional)
Protect (apply wax)

Typically, you first remove the contaminants above the surface, (clay), and then tackle the defects below the surface, (use your paint cleaner).

Hope this helps...

Mike

[RedRSXGrrl]

I think I got it Thank you so much! You've been such a great help!

[kuhlguy71]

Mike,
Why wouldn't you use ScratchX and and follow with DC Paint Cleaner?

Chris

[Lt1Corvette]

Originally posted by kuhlguy71
Mike,
Why wouldn't you use ScratchX and and follow with DC Paint Cleaner?

Chris

You most definitely could follow scratch X with paint cleaner. However, it is usually an unnecessary step because scratch x is acting as the chemical surface cleaner removing both oxidation and scratches on the surface. When you finish with scratch x you have a clean and prepped surface. Scratch x is simply a more aggressive version of the dc paint cleaner. A good step in between the scratch x and wax is some kind of a polish. Dc 2 works well, as well as 81 or 7 for single stage finishes.
Joe