Pad cleaning MF vs. Foam

T

tdowns187

New member
Hey everyone-


 


For my foam pads, I've been using Dawn power dissolver at the end of a detailing session.  I'm letting it soak for about 5 minutes, working pad from center out then rinsing several times and spin drying on my Griot's DA.  In between sections I'f been using a pad brush and a terry cloth towel.  


 


I just got my first set of MF pads.  I've read that compressed air is great for MF pads in between sections, but this isn't an option for me at this point.  


 


So...... would you guys recommend a different intra-correction cleaning process for MF pads?  What about post-correction?  Or should I stick with my foam pad cleaning strategies?


 


Thanks in Advance,


 


TD


 


 


 
 
I have always been cautious of using compressed air.  For the first thing, some people say that they have


an inline oiler, and this can leave oil on their pads.  This could be bad.  Second, I usually do work on a


dealer lot.  If I blow out a pad, the polish goes airborne and lands somewhere.  This doesn't seem to


be the "cleanest" method.


 


I have been looking for the method of cleaning pads with a microfiber towel, but I haven't been able to


find it yet.  I am curious as to how this thread is responded to.  I could use this information.
 
Using compressed air to clean MF pads isn't an option for me as well, but I've been wanting to give them a try.   Would love to see a short tutorial on other methods to effectively clean them between sections by someone with experience who doesn't use compressed air.
 
Intra-Correction (in the absence of air) I use a towel.  I prefer cotton, but Kevin Brown prefers MF. Damp (with water) or dry, I just do what seems intuitively obvious, no special technique.


 


Post-job I just clean them out the same as I do foam, but the MF cleans up quicker and easier.


 


Besides pad cleaning, I could go on a rant about how everybody, and I do mean *everybody* oughta have an air compressor, or at least a (leak-free) tank of air.  If I lived in an efficiency apartment I'd still have a little Harbor Freight compressor (mine was >$35 IIRC).
 
Yup, use a towel and brush........and swap pads out often. (while you buff)


 


After, maybe spray a little APC, scrub and blast with a heavy stream of water. Spin dry on your polisher and you should be ok.
 
So about the same process as I'd use for a foam pad?    Should the brush be softer than the type used on foam??    Do you clean MF pads in this manner with the machine running (as with foam) or do you have the pad held stationary?   
 
pwaug- I haven't cleaned pads with the machine running since the days of old-school compounds on the rotary.


 


Yeah, you might oughta use a softer brush on the MF, at least if the one you use on foam is really stiff.  Eh, I bet your common sense will take care of such worries since you're asking sensible questions.


 


I think you'll find that the MF pads clean up pretty easily compared to foam.
 
Air compressor + nylon brush (pad brush works fine + mf towel in the face of the brush.


 


It also helps to build 1000s of pads to never clean them!
 
Ive actually done several side by side tests and nothing can compete with compressed air at around 150-175 psi. I tried pad brushes, cleaning on the fly with a mf towel


 


When blowing out do so away from the paint. I even walk to an area 10-12 feet away from the working section, face opposite the panel, then squat to get the pas as close to the ground as possible so the majority of the expelled polish and debris goes onto the ground. NEVER had an issue with it going airborne and wafting back onto the surface....


 


Especially during final polishing NOTHING beats this imo....


 


AFTERWARD.. cleaning... APG or a clean rinising degreaser...... then spinnign onthe poolisher as David said.. then letting sit over night... good to go
 
10 to 12 feet away is far.

What if you are on a lot where there is a car 2 feet away?

I have thought about using a cardboard box to purge inside,


Blowing with air creates quite a mess.

Perhaps you all don't account for this, because you are

mainly doing one vehicle by itself, and it is secluded.


I am more worried about getting blown polish on other vehicles,

rather than just the vehicle I am working on.

To me, it is similar to pressure washing a dirty car, the dirt gets

blown airborne due to the pressure.
 
On blowing the pads clean, noting that I always work indoors and was concerned abou the dust migrating all over the place-  I walk over to a "bare" section of the shop's washbay area and blow them out there, trying to get the dust to go towards the wall, where it can be hosed away later if need be (assuming it settles there).


 


 I always have a few other (and already-detailed) vehicles in the shop and I haven't been covering them, recipe for disaster, huh?  Turned out to not be a problem.  Simple as that.  "Where does the dust go?!? It must be all over those other cars and it must cause issues!"  I hear ya, sounds obvious.  But nope, just not a problem.


 


But then I'm not doing much correction these days anyhow.  BUT#2 I've done some serious whole-vehicle corrections on new-to-me vehicles and it just didn't result in the other cars/horizontal surfaces/everything getting covered with dust as I had feared it would.  And that's with a *LOT* of M105 work too.


 


Maybe my air filters/cleaner works better than I'd expected, but its filter wasn't caked with compound dust or anything like that.


 


And no, heh heh...I'm not somehow failing to notice an issue.  If it *were* causing problems I'd go into the shop's bathroom, close the door, turn on the exhaust fan and blow 'em out in there, but's it's just not necessary to do all that.


Can't offer a decent explanation, just glad it worked out that way.
 
WilliamWallacesWashAndWax said:
10 to 12 feet away is far.

What if you are on a lot where there is a car 2 feet away?

I have thought about using a cardboard box to purge inside,


Blowing with air creates quite a mess.

Perhaps you all don't account for this, because you are

mainly doing one vehicle by itself, and it is secluded.


I am more worried about getting blown polish on other vehicles,

rather than just the vehicle I am working on.

To me, it is similar to pressure washing a dirty car, the dirt gets

blown airborne due to the pressure.
Click to expand...


 


As i stated above, i position the pad as close to the ground as possible then i blow on teh right side of the pad (facing up) working into the center then back outward to the edge. By doing it in this fashion the spend residue and  particulates are absorbed into the ground due to the cingrifugal force of the pad spinning them this way.  THere isnt much airborne. I f doing so in a lot i would proably rig some kind of drop cloth to catch it and block the car behind me to be more sure, because thats just hte smart play. Air is FAST and HIGHLY effective!


 


I say do what works for you and as fas as ive sen, nothing gets a pad as clean as this while keeping it primed so I have no use to do differently. IF you are more comfortable doing something else, then by all means continue..


 


Have you tried this or are you just expressing concerns?
 
Have I tried air? Yep, and it created cross contamination.

I am working outside, and it is generally very windy.

After reading your description, I might try again, but my

best bet might be a cardboard box with one side cut out.


Accumulator, it sounds just bizarre that you wouldn't have

residue on other cars, or even your air filter. I am not questioning your

findings, but merely noting that this is counter intuitive.

I could be making this a larger worry than it is.


I really appreciate your time taken to explain how you

personally had the same concerns, yet it was a non factor.
 
WilliamWallacesWashAndWax- Yeah, I really was concerned; with all my vehicles just the way I want them I would've been highly displeased had I caused issues.


 


Counter Intuitive indeed!  Could be a uniquely situational thing...the size of my shop, air currents, who-knows-what.


 


Heh heh, I guess we're talking two *radically* different situations here anyhow- you're working outside and I'm working indoors.  Working outside would probably introduce a whole lot of wildcard variables that I never have to consider.


 


Plus, maybe I just don't blow all that much [stuff] out!  I only do major corrections to entire vehicles during the initial get-ready on a new-to-me vehicle, and I'm pretty much over um....accumulating vehicles :lol:


 


I'll need to redo the older Crown Vic when it comes back from the tuner; we'll see how the dusting issue goes when I fix the inevitable damage from "months in the hands of others".  But it sure won't be as big a deal as it was the first time I did that car, and that job didn't cause any issues.
 
WilliamWallacesWashAndWax said:
Have I tried air? Yep, and it created cross contamination.

I am working outside, and it is generally very windy.

After reading your description, I might try again, but my

best bet might be a cardboard box with one side cut out.


Accumulator, it sounds just bizarre that you wouldn't have

residue on other cars, or even your air filter. I am not questioning your

findings, but merely noting that this is counter intuitive.

I could be making this a larger worry than it is.


I really appreciate your time taken to explain how you

personally had the same concerns, yet it was a non factor.
Click to expand...


 


 


i think the box with just enough space cut out of the top to get the buffer in with air is a great idea for particulate containment!


 


:D
 
nice call david... :)


 


Jason Rose and I were discussing this last night at the MOL 10year anniversary party and he mentioned this technque... said just enough water to catch the particulate
 
Wonder how many people spray a little water down on the floor (or I guess on the driveway/etc. when working outside)?  My habit of doing that (just a bit, not enough to cause humidity issues), might explain why I don't get "dust everywhere"-issues.
 
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