surface prep

[gben]

I understand the key to a great looking finish is mostly done in the prep work. That being said shouldn`t one try to remove as much protection as one can before starting to remove scratches ,swirls etc? By protection I mean any wax,glaze etc that might be on the vehicles surface. If this is true would it be a good idea to use some sort of chemical like prep sol or similar product before starting on laying down the finish you want?

[Glossy McGlosserton]

If you are trying to repair blemishes, you`ll be using a mild compound or heavier polish, which will remove whatever you had on your clear coat. Between that prep and claying, you will have a clean surface on which to lay down your protection layers.



If you use a prep step which contains oil or fillers, wash again if you are using a sealant as your protection layer.

[Wasatch]

When you remove scratches, swirlmarks, spiderwebbing, etc you will remove any wax and/or sealant on the paint. Still, using a glaze or light polish will be enough to bring the best out in your paint`s finish. Then apply your sealant and/or wax. Using a glaze or light polish 2-3 times a year is still making your vehicle look great. Once you use the glaze or light polish you can just put on your sealant and/or wax every month if you want or when it`s about done on durability. I usually glaze or polish when I want to use some new combo.

[Envious Eric]

what I sometimes do, and learned to do it from the guys over at ZAINO is the following...



wash the car with some sort of dish soap...dawn is what I use

then clay the whole car with a lubricant

then polish however you feel like doing so

then wax

then quick detail

then clean up the trim and treat it because the dawn is pretty drying and it will affect the look of the trim after so many times washing with dawn and no treatment to protect it

then stand back and look over your work and be satisfied, or upset that it didnt come out perfect and fix what you dont like about it....



the dawn is said to stripall polishes and waxes off the clearcoat, but not harming the clearcoat at all....then the clay removes the above surface contaminant, and a cleaner wax will remove the below surface contaminants. That is what I have been told, and it works for me....some cars I dont do it, some I do (dawn)

[Wasatch]

Maybe this might help:



Wash (do not use dawn)

Clay (if needed) 1-2 times a year

Polish (if neede) to remove blemishes

Glaze or light polish (2-3 times a year)

Sealant if you want

Wax if you want

Sealant and Wax if you want

QD to maintain between washes



Next Time



Wash or QD or wash then sealant if you used a sealant prior or wash wax or wash sealant and wax or wash glaze or light polish then wax



you get the picture now, this is not rocket science. Know your steps and you cannot mess up, know your products as well.

[DM101]

I had a friend that washes his car then used kerosene once every year to remove all waxes and etc. Then washes car again. Sounds funny but it sure made his car shine after his detailingl

[Envious Eric]

let me rephrase what I put......



I wash with dawn to strip all the waxes and polishes off the clearcoat....usually one time only per car....



but for regular washing, I use meguiars gold class soap....not dawn (unless I want to try out different combos on my own truck)



Never use dawn on a regular basis as its to dry and using dawn strips all waxes, so unless you wax after, then you have no paint protection......

[gben]

I know that if I compound or use a heavy polish I`ll be removing some of what protection is already there but...won`t that clog my pad and make my job more time consuming? And no I don`t want to use dawn as it doesn`t seem to strip as much as most people think.