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Old 11-08-2018, 10:56 AM   #1
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STARTING OVER

I have the week of Thanksgiving off and plan to give my baby some love.
I want to start over with the waxing process. Do I need to wash the car with some dish soap like Dawn to remove any old wax or polish? before applying new. then Clay bar then paint correction with a buffer before applying any type of wax. What would your process be if starting over.
THANKS
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Old 11-08-2018, 11:48 AM   #2
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I wouldn't put dawn dish soap on any of my cars. Yes, it is a degreaser, but it's too harsh for a clear coat. I would look into getting a strip wash soap. Stuff that's actually meant for paint on a car.

I "start over" once a month. My process is:

1. Strip Wash (I use Adam's products)
2. Clay Bar
3. Wash with regular soap
4. Wax
5. Sealant

It may seem redundant, but it'll pay off when your car is 15 years old and still has pristine paint.
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Old 11-08-2018, 12:40 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Overflow View Post
I wouldn't put dawn dish soap on any of my cars. Yes, it is a degreaser, but it's too harsh for a clear coat. I would look into getting a strip wash soap. Stuff that's actually meant for paint on a car.

I "start over" once a month. My process is:

1. Strip Wash (I use Adam's products)
2. Clay Bar
3. Wash with regular soap
4. Wax
5. Sealant

It may seem redundant, but it'll pay off when your car is 15 years old and still has pristine paint.
Wax should go after sealant imo
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Old 11-08-2018, 01:28 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by fif_gen_powa View Post
Wax should go after sealant imo
It could go either way. Wax is a protectant and sealant is an enhancer.
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Old 11-08-2018, 02:37 PM   #5
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Since you live in Florida, I'd advise against using wax for a daily driven car. Car wax will begin to evaporate around 120* F. While the air temperature may not be that hot outside, a car with a dark colored base coat like yours left in direct sunlight will easily reach this temperature in the Florida sun.

That being said, many products labeled as "wax" aren't really wax, they are sealants. Wax is made of natural ingredients, sealants are made of polymers or other synthetics, most recently Silica, not to be confused with silicone. Sealants don't evaporate until the surface temp they are in contact with exceeds 300* F.

The most durable form of protection made today are coatings. These apply about 100X thicker than a wax does, have evaporation points in excess of 700* F and last 2 years or longer.

So if you choose to add wax, be advised on a daily driven car it wont last very long. 1-2 months.

If the only thing you have is wax on the car, Dawn will strip it off with no problems. Just be sure the car is cool to the touch and out of direct sunlight. Do not allow the Dawn to dry on the surface before rinsing.

Then clay the car. Using a clay alternative like the SM Arnold Speedy Prep Towel will cut your time to do this step by 50% or more. Use fine grade.

After claying...... wipe the car down with Isopropyl Alcohol diluted to 15-20%. You can get a bottle of 91% IPA and dilute it with distilled water. Both of these can be found at Wal-Mart for less than $5 for both. The IPA will remove any left over wax that the Dawn didn't get off, and any residue from claying.

Now polish the car. Since the introduction of Carpro Essence, I don't use standard finishing polish anymore. Essence will produce the same or better results in about 1/2 the time. It also leaves a layer of Silica protection that lasts for 1 year.

After polishing, wipe the car down again with the IPA solution to remove any oils or residues from the paint, this step is key to get a proper bond from whatever type of protection you put on the paint. With Essence you can skip this step.

Apply your protection. When applying, put a thin as possible coat on. While it may seem that thicker is better, if you have a lot of residue to buff off, your just wasting product, it's going into your towel instead of on the paint.

It's a good idea if you have never done it, after claying the car, to do an iron decontamination as well. Claying wont remove iron deposits.
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Old 11-08-2018, 09:05 PM   #6
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1- wash and strip
2- clay bar
3- polish
4- sealant
5- wax
I use chemical guys, I think they have high quality products. A orbital polisher and some quality pads will make life a lot easier
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Old 11-16-2018, 09:05 AM   #7
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I generally do not use dish washing soap to wash my car. Some sealants may recommend it, but I find that dishwashing soap is harsh for the surface. You are lucky that you are in a warm climate, because my detailing season usually ends in November.

If you are diligent in cleaning the car and keeping it out of the weather, then you may find that you will only need to prep and polish the car once a year. My regimen will usually consist of the following:

Wash
-claybar/wash-rinse
-tape trim areas
-I like to start with a medium grade polish (swirl mark remover strength). Others may use a paint cleaning polish to start. I use an orbital buffer with different grades of pads.
-Paint clean and/or Finishing polish.
-Clean residue (I like a non carnauba based QD)
-Wax or sealant of your choice.

If I'm in really great shape (meaning no swirls), then I'll skip the aggressive polish and use a paint cleaning polish.

After I put down the wax, I'll just wash the car occasionally and continue to add wax until the end of the season (usually when its too cold to wax.)

I've had great results every time with my regimen, but it depends on the condition of your paint and the type of materials that you will use.

Good luck.
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Old 11-24-2018, 06:43 AM   #8
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Well I had the week off and finished loving on the car and I think it looks better than ever.Started with a wash with dawn then followed by Adam's paint correction cream
( the orange one) followed with the white finishing polish. Then 2 coats of Mothers Brazilian carnuba wax. Some of you will understand what I'm saying when I say the car actually felt soft. Car looks amazing. I'll try and get some pics later today.
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Old 11-24-2018, 06:47 AM   #9
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Well I had the week off and finished loving on the car and I think it looks better than ever.Started with a wash with dawn then followed by claying with mothers clay then followed with adam's paint correction cream
( the orange one) followed with the white finishing polish. Then 2 coats of Mothers Brazilian carnuba wax. Some of you will understand what I'm saying when I say the car actually felt soft. Car looks amazing. I'll try and get some pics later today.
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