Followup to: Wax and Clay Bar Inquiry

[BriLam]

I'd like to thank all who replied to my prior questions in my other thread. I learned a lot -- and that on top of what I already knew will greatly help!

I do have a few small things to conclude with my series of questions.

1. When should I use cleaner? I heard it's not good to use it too often but how will the old wax be stripped off when I rewax, say, a couple months later? I heard about using Dawn to do thisbut then heard others say not to.

2.. I think I am going to attempt using the #9 Swirl Remover, which is a cleaner and polish. But, when should I continue using it? Every time I wax? When swirls are evident?

3. I have heard so much about the Show Car Glaze. What are the advantages to switching to the glaze from the Deep Crystal Polish? What would make it worth ditching my current product and switching over?

Thanks again!

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Followup to: Wax and Clay Bar Inquiry

Originally posted by BriLam
I'd like to thank all who replied to my prior questions in my other thread. I learned a lot -- and that on top of what I already knew will greatly help!

I do have a few small things to conclude with my series of questions.

1. When should I use cleaner? I heard it's not good to use it too often but how will the old wax be stripped off when I re-wax, say, a couple months later? I heard about using Dawn to do this but then heard others say not to.

When to use a paint cleaner…. Or how often to use a paint cleaner…. Those are both good questions. Where you park your car the most and your climatic environment will be a major factor in determining how often you should use a paint cleaner. Also how often you wash your car or use a quick detailer will also affect when you need to re-clean your paint.

If you park your car outside, not under cover, (like a carport, or car cover), then your finish is constantly under attack from the environment. If this is the case, then cleaning your paint often will insure a clear, and clean surface to which to apply polish or wax. If you live in an area that is dusty, rains a lot, or is close to a major airport, major population with high traffic volumes, or an industrial manufacturing area, then all of these increase the dirt and fallout that will land on your car. If moisture in the form of dew is present in the morning, then this moisture will react with the various fallout and intensify their ability to deteriorate your finish.

On the other hand, if you park your car undercover most of the time, and you live where the airborne contaminants are low, then their should be less chance of your finish becoming dirty and accumulating bonded contaminants.

Depending on which description above fits you situation best you may only need to use a dedicated paint cleaner once or twice a year to maintain a showroom shine, or once a month to see the same results. The best thing to do is to evaluate your finish after each time you wash and dry the car.

If after washing the finish you feel bonded contaminants with the palm of your clean dry hand, then chance are good that if bonded contaminants have built up on your finish, then dirt, road grime, oxidation and staining has also built up on your finish. Especially if you park your car outside all of the time. You an also evaluate your surface by just looking at it and even testing a paint cleaner, or a cleaner/polish like #9 Swirl Remover 2.0 to check for residue after cleaning a small section on a horizontal surface. If your polishing cloth remains clean and white, then your finish is probably still clean. If your polishing cloth turns brown, gray, or blackish, then chances are good your removing dirt and other unwanted contaminants from the surface and your entire finish should be cleaned.

So evaluate your surface, both visually and physically after washing and drying your vehicles finish. This should tell you if it’s time to use a dedicated paint cleaner.

By the way, Deep Crystal Step 1 Paint Cleaner is Meguiar’s least aggressive paint cleaner, it is perfectly safe to use often on all finishes.

2.. I think I am going to attempt using the #9 Swirl Remover, which is a cleaner and polish. But, when should I continue using it? Every time I wax? When swirls are evident?

Best results with #9 Swirl Remover come from machine application, either the dual action polisher or the rotary buffer. You an get good result by hand if your paint is in good shape to start with. #9 does work well as a cleaner/polish by hand, but best results for removing swirls and scratches with this product will be with the PC or the Rotary buffer.

2. I have heard so much about the Show Car Glaze. What are the advantages to switching to the glaze from the Deep Crystal Polish? What would make it worth ditching my current product and switching over?

M-07 Show Car Glaze is a pure polish that Meguiar’s introduced sometime in the 1930’s, (I think), and was originally formulated for single stage finishes. It still produces excellent results on clear coat paints, but removal can sometimes become difficult. Deep Crystal Step 2 Polish and a product in our Professional Line called, M-8232 Swirl Free Polish are both formulated to give you the deep, wet gloss shine #7 produces on single stage finishes, only on clear coat finishes and… be easier to remove.

You’ll have to try both to see which one you prefer to work with and which one gives you’re the look, you’re looking for.

Thanks again!

Your welcome, I hope my answers will help you to decide… please feel free to post all your questions and myself, or someone else will do our best to answer them.

Mike

[BriLam]

In terms of using a clay bar and a cleaner, should these be used interchangably or together? And in what order, if together?

Thanks!