Freshly painted quarter panels....

Heh heh, I sometimes think shops say "don't wash it" because they don't want the customer to wash off all the glaze and see what's really there ;) It's almost certain that the shop already washed it...and polished it, and maybe even wetsanded it.
 
Most shops say that you can wash it immediately, but to wait 60-90 days for the paint to finish curing before waxing or polishing... Dunno if it's true or not, but every time I have been to one, that's what they have told me.
 
Yeah, we've discussed the wait-to-wax issue a zillion times. Opinions (and I presume experiences) differ, and we've agreed to disagree.



Short version: I wait 90-120 days as per what the paint manufacturers all said when MirrorFinishMan queried them directly and this is what my two painters also recommend. I've experienced (first-hand) how much even baked paint can continue to harden up after a couple of months, and no way would I want to interfere with that.
 
Becareful of leaving water spots; etches easily on fresh paint. Wash it with Dawn dish

washing soap and wipe dry with a microfiber towel. And, as others have stated, it's

best to a wait a few months before apply wax/sealant.
 
Dawn isn't really harsh. Nothing to worry about. You can also use mainstream soaps with "gloss enhancers" without a problem too.
 
It's not harsh at all. Doesn't leave a residue and you can practically eat off the panel.

Dawn is a good wash before and after any body/paint work.
 
Yeah, IMO the paint everybody uses these days is pretty tough stuff, even when it's fresh. It's not like PrepSol/etc. damages it, and solvents like that are kinda harsh (at least compared to stuff you can wash wildlife with ;) ).
 
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