Is a Paint cleaner really needed?

[8Banger]

Hey guys, I`ve been doing a little thinking. Is a paint cleaner really needed?



for example: meguiar`s 3 step process



"paint cleaner" "chemical polish" "liquid nuba wax"



well, say you wash and clay the vehicle then do that 3 step



hypothetically if you wash and clay properly the finish should already be perfectly contaminant free.



so why is the cleaner needed before the polish and wax?

[howareb]

The best analogy I can think of is skin. You wash your face with a soap with an exfoliator (Clay), Then you use an astringent (Paint Cleaner) or toner to clean out the pores. Then you put a lotion on to protect you from UV rays (Wax or sealant). I got this analogy from Jay Leno when talking with Meguiars about their clay.



Well your car is sort of the same as skin. Wash cleans the surface dust and dirt off, clay pulls contaminants out of the paint, while the paint cleaner does a chemical cleaning of the paint to get deep down. In the 3 step system the polish is mostly for shine and the wax is for protection, but will also add some gloss as well.



I would do all three for maximum results with this particular system.

[8Banger]

oh, okay thanks man



so basically the paint cleaner pulls out any left over oils or residues left deep in the paint?



im just having a hard time soaking up the idea that a liquid will pick anything up left behind from clay

[Bert]

im just having a hard time soaking up the idea that a liquid will pick anything up left behind from clay



I was told that clay can only clean off the surface, there could be junk still down in the pores of the clear coat/single stage paint that clay is not designed to get. You reach for paint cleaner or an AIO to get that.



I would assume in that explaination, you would use the AIO if you are going to skip polishing and apply the LSP after the AIO otherwise, I would assume you use the paint cleaner then polish then AIO then LSP.

[howareb]

oh, okay thanks man



so basically the paint cleaner pulls out any left over oils or residues left deep in the paint?



You got it. In the Meguiars 3-step system, it gives you totally clean paint so that the polish can just bring out the shine.



These steps change a little when you use All-In-Ones. When using AIOs you wash, clay, polish, then apply AIO. So you are reversing the polish and paint cleaning steps. In this situation though most stand alone polishes have some cleaning ability by themselves, so you are sort of cleaning the paint twice.

[Bert]

These steps change a little when you use All-In-Ones. When using AIOs you wash, clay, polish, then apply AIO. So you are reversing the polish and paint cleaning steps. In this situation though most stand alone polishes have some cleaning ability by themselves, so you are sort of cleaning the paint twice.



In this case, I would probably use the paint cleaner after claying but before polishing and use the AIO after polishing and before the LSP. I just like to have thoroughly clean paint before I start polishing, I guess I am anal.

[howareb]

In this case, I would probably use the paint cleaner after claying but before polishing and use the AIO after polishing and before the LSP. I just like to have thoroughly clean paint before I start polishing, I guess I am anal.



Bert in his case, he does not have an AIO. He is using Meguiars 3-step system which goes from cleaner to polish to wax.



I gave him this example with the AIO for future reference. Most professional polishes contain some cleaners in the polish. Meguiars three step polish however has mostly brightners in it to bring out the shine.

[xinkid]

paint cleaner will help chemically remove oxidized paint that the clay cannot.

[8Banger]

^^ohh, i never really thought about that



i`m not actually using meg`s three step - i was just using that as an example to ask my question





thanks guys

[chas.007]

you need the the surface to be super clean,,,,before you polish and wax,,or you will be locking in things you really do not want

[chas.007]

:angry :angry you need the the surface to be super clean,,,,before you polish and wax,,or you will be locking in things you really do not want

[brwill2005]

I personally do not think that there is much, if any, difference between a paint cleaner and a paint polish. It is mostly just clever marketing to get you to purchase two different products. Most paint cleaners contain the same basic ingredients as paint polishes; petroleum distillates and abrasives. Claying is another story, and can be beneficial on cars with bad environmental contaminants. As for the Megs three step system, the second step (polish) contains a lot of oils and fillers and the first step (cleaner) contains the abrasives.