Do you HAVE to clean your pads...

B

benpocock

New member
...if you're going to use the same product on them next time round?



Obvioulsy if you've been doing some heavy cutting and you have a load of paint on the pad then it's going to need a wash, but if say you're using one to apply a non-abrasive product do you need to clean it or can you just store it in the ziplock bag and use it next time?



Ben.
 
I would, if there loaded. I soak mine in a bucket with NXT car wash or put dawn on the face of the loaded pad and let them soak for a while. 4*UPP is really hard to come clean I've found.
 
I wash my pads after every use, because I'm worried that the product might dry and harden. That would mean you would be pushing that dried product against the paint next time, and possibly causing marring.



Victory - I think UPP is hard to get out of the pad because it's so thin, and soaks way into the pad. So you have to coax the product out of the entire pad.
 


Victory - I think UPP is hard to get out of the pad because it's so thin, and soaks way into the pad. So you have to coax the product out of the entire pad. [/B]
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I think your right dude, you got those beauties put on yet? :shocked
 
I was watching the video on the Meg's site, and Mr. Meg himself said never wash your pads ! Just wipe them off with a towel when you're done. Hmm.....



I've seen what mine look like after I'm done. I'll stick to washing them, thank you very much.
 
kompressornsc said:
I'll stick to washing them, thank you very much.
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I think I will as well. WIll get in the habbit of leaving them in a bucket of detergent overnight and sorting them out the next day.



Ben
 
I always wash my Megs pads after each use. I give them a good spray of Megs Extra (soon to be using Megs APC+ when the Extra runs out) as part of my washing process. This really helps to get rid of anything thats in there - NXT for example. Other than that I just use a dishwashing detergent and hot water to wash/soak them in.



Cheers,

Phil
 
White95max-"I wash my pads after every use, because I'm worried that the product might dry and harden. That would mean you would be pushing that dried product against the paint next time, and possibly causing marring."



:xyxthumbs



"I was watching the video on the Meg's site, and Mr. Meg himself said never wash your pads ! Just wipe them off with a towel when you're done. Hmm....."



As an entrepreneur I canâ€â„¢t fault him, hands on detailing advice though- Iâ€â„¢m not so sure

JonM
 
Would you use a dirty app to apply product to your car? Would you use a dirty MF towel to buff. Why use a dirty pad on your car? I wash my pads in dawn after every use. If I don't the dried product dusts on my car next time I use the pad.
 
This is interesting, as I am about to carry out a full detail on Saturday with my new PC, having purchased the Sonus DAS pads and a few Meguiar's pads.



I planned to clean mine too after each use, for the above reasons, but have any of you noticed any deterioration of the bond between the velcro (hook and loop) and foam pad itself ?



I want them to last as long as possible, as the pads certainly aren't cheap !
 
Nick M said:
I planned to clean mine too after each use, for the above reasons, but have any of you noticed any deterioration of the bond between the velcro and foam pad itself ?
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I wash by hand in the sink with Dawn. Then I put them in the washing machine on spin to remove most of the water than I air dry them. No problems with the velcro this way.



Machine washing is hard on the velcro. Also many people spin the pads dry on the PC. I found this to be hard on the velcro.
 
One of my Lake country pads velcro actually came off from the foam pad after about 10x of usage. Need to be careful while removing the pads from the backing plate because yes they do came off.
 
Nick M said:
This is interesting, as I am about to carry out a full detail on Saturday with my new PC, having purchased the Sonus DAS pads and a few Meguiar's pads.



I planned to clean mine too after each use, for the above reasons, but have any of you noticed any deterioration of the bond between the velcro (hook and loop) and foam pad itself ?



I want them to last as long as possible, as the pads certainly aren't cheap !
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yes, especially since I use a 3M "Hook-It" backing plate on my PC. That in and of itself can cause the velcro to die prematurely because the "grabbers" on the plate are 10x stronger than most other plates I've seen or used. If I washed the pads, I'd be running across the driveway to grab my pad the second I turned the machine on!



Before each use, I usually just go out and do the old "eraser cleaning" technique of patting the pad against my hand. Once I get everything out that I can, I spritz the pad with QD, squeeze it into the pad to "re-liquify" the product that's in there, add some fresh to the surface of the pad, and go to work.



And of course, it's always recommended to use only one product with each pad. I keep mine labeled using a fabric marker on the velcro surface so I don't use a DACP pad to apply NXT or vice versa.
 
I wash every pad every time I use them. Why run the risk of using a dirty pad or a pad with dried, abrasive product embedded in it.



Hand wash by soaking in soapy solution and squeezing until the water run pretty clean, transfer to a bucket of clean water & repeat the squeezing process until you're satisifed it's as clean as it's going to get (some products like FMJ will stain).



Lay a clean towel on the workbench and make a sandwich with you pad, blot until dry, and then let them air dry.



I've used this method after 10 - 15 uses & there's no perceptable wear or damage. Probably helps keep the velcro from separating as well.
 
The only issue with washing pads too frequently is that it can cause the pad to delaminate between the velcro and pads. I personally haven't seen any marring from dried product as I typically spritz the pads first with water and put everything back in suspension.



If you do wash them, don't wring them out. Spin dry them on a rotary or DA.



Paco
 
I was referring to using a pretty abrasive product with a PC & not working it long enough. If it doesn't breakdown it'll just dry there, perhaps in little clumps that'll do a great job of scratching next time the pad is used with a much less abrasive product.



I think this is a definite possibility for a novice who would probably err on the side of using not enough speed, not enough time spent in the target area, and using too much product.



I guess this problem would not occur it the pads are marked so the same product is used on the same pad but I still think it's safer to wash. Hand wash only & not in a washing machine otherwise I think velcro delamination is a definite possibility 'cause the washing machine is too rough.
 
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