When do you remove wax/sealant?

G

Grimm

New member
I'm sure this has been discussed many times, but I didn't find any posts in a quick search, so bare with me asking....



When should an alchohol or such wipe down be done to remove any sealant/wax? I'll be polishing my car here soon, so I will be starting fresh, but what about in the middle of the summer when I'm ready to do more? I would think that if I'm just using one lsp, and wanted to reapply, that I wouldn't need to start over. But what about if I'm doing more than one product? So far my plan is to use Nattys Blue over XMT Glaze in the next couple weeks hopefully. So based on how long the Nattys will last, I will want to do it again by June. If I want to go with the same, should I bring it down to bare paint, or can I just retop the Nattys? What if I change my mind and start with EX-P under the Nattys? Would I just retop the Nattys in a couple months, or do a new coat of EX-P first, or just take it all off?
 
Grimm- I hardly *ever* remove my LSPs until I have marring that needs corrected and that doesn't happen for years. If that occurs when the LSP is *very* healthy (well, in that case *I* would probably just live with the marring :D but anyhow..) then I'll use IPA to compromise it. I only do this because I've had a healthy layer of KSG gum up a mild polishing pad.



But far more often, by the time I need to do correction the LSP isn't all *that* fresh so I just let the polish cut through it.



BUT *most* of the time I just reapply my LSP without stripping what's already on there. I clean the vehicle with Sonus green Ultra-fine Clay as needed and then just put on more LSP. That's what I'd plan to do if I were in your shoes.



So in your case I'd try to refresh the NB before it *really* needs doing. Staying just a bit ahead of the curve (the LSP-lifespan curve) makes this whole thing a lot easier. Regardless of what's underneath it, as long as you refresh the NB before it "dies" you oughta be OK. If you wait too long, or clay too aggressively when you clean, that'd be different though, and well, [stuff] happens...but at least you could *plan* to do it that way.
 
Accumulator, could you give me a little advice on this?

I usually wax my car about every 3 weeks. Up to now I've been stripping everything every 3 weeks and then doing a sealant, wax and AW topper combo. I've been experimenting trying to find the products I like so that I could settle into a routine. I think I would like to stay with my current combo which is UPP->NB and I use AW after every wash once a week. Would it be ok to say every month put on a new layer of NB on top of what I already have on the car? That would mean NB->AW - 1 week - AW - 1 week - AW - 1 week - AW and then on this 4th week just putting down another application of NB. Would there be problems with this?



Thanks.
 
Cheetah- The only potential wild-card I see is the AW and I simply don't have any experience with it. But from what I've read, no it shouldn't interfere with another coat of NB (note that I haven't tried *that* one either :o ).



The potential issues would be a) whether the new NB would bond OK to the AW- yeah, I think this'll be OK and, b) whether any "dead" AW/old NB will cause any problems, primarily just cosmetic ones- no I don't *think* so at least for maybe two months or so.



In either of the above possible cases, I bet a gentle claying with the Sonus green would fix things without stripping everything back all the way to your UPP. But I doubt you'll run into any problems.



FWIW if I were in your shoes I'd see how an every-other-wash application of AW would work and go ahead with your plan to just add more NB now and then. Heh heh, no *way* would *I* be redoing it all the way as often as you are, but that's just me.
 
Accumulator said:
I only do this because I've had a healthy layer of KSG gum up a mild polishing pad.
Click to expand...

I realize this thread is about removing wax from the paint, but Accumulator raises another question in my mind. Acculumator, how do you clean your pads? Lately I''ve been spritzing the pads with Dawn Power Dissolver (in a different spray bottle, I dont care for the standard sprayer), then soaking in a bucket of water before tossing in the washer. Yes I know many here don't like the washer, but it's been working for me, especially on the delicate cycle. The DPD seems to do a good job of getting out stubborn LSPs.
 
velobard said:
Acculumator, how do you clean your pads?
Click to expand...



First off, I don't stress *too* much about getting every last bit of stuff out of the pads. I've never had any problems from a bit of LSP residue, for instance. That said, I wash them by hand with Dawn and some stuff from TOL called (IIRC, bought it a long time ago) "Removes All", I *think* it's about the same as their/Hi-Temp's Akryla Klean (?sp?)..it's stuff designed to clean wax/polish residues off paint.



I've put 'em in the washer too, but I believe I get them cleaner by hand. It's a pain to stand at the sink squeezing all the Dawn suds out though...
 
Thanks again Accumulator.

I became addicted to detailing last December so since then I was trying tons of products trying to find something I could settle into which is why I was doing it so much.



I have some waxes and stuff for trade or sale in the trading area if anyone's interested btw.



I will try the every other week AW as you suggested and try putting NB on top of that when it's time and let you know how it went. I placed an order of Souveran so I will have to try that too. :woohoo:
 
Cheetah- Heh heh, given how long Souveran lasts for me (i.e., "not very") I hope you maintain your enthusiasm for frequent waxing :D



You might find that the repeated cycle of apply Souveran, watch it fail, reapply Souveran, etc. etc. will lead to a need for the light claying...more readily than, say, the NB/AW will. See what happens.



Oh, and apply the Souveran thinly (gee, ever hear *that* before ;) ) and let it dry to a haze instead of using W-O-W-O the way the instructions say. I get slightly better durability when I let it dry and it's never been hard to buff off, even when I let it dry for a *long* time.
 
I have pretty much decided that I would stick with NB because of the durability factor but I just had to try Souveran. hehe.

Thanks for the help.
 
this is very similar to my routine. thanks for posting it!



Cheetah said:
Accumulator, could you give me a little advice on this?

I usually wax my car about every 3 weeks. Up to now I've been stripping everything every 3 weeks and then doing a sealant, wax and AW topper combo. I've been experimenting trying to find the products I like so that I could settle into a routine. I think I would like to stay with my current combo which is UPP->NB and I use AW after every wash once a week. Would it be ok to say every month put on a new layer of NB on top of what I already have on the car? That would mean NB->AW - 1 week - AW - 1 week - AW - 1 week - AW and then on this 4th week just putting down another application of NB. Would there be problems with this?



Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top