Paint Care 101

=Where swirls and scratches come from=
Where do most swirls and scratches come from? They come from you! Improper washing, drying, polishing and buffing techniques are the #1 source of swirls and scratches.

=Steps=
1. Wash
2. Clay
3. Cleaner
4. Polish
5. LSP (Last Stage Protectant) (or "Topper")
*Maintenance w/ a QD (Quick Detailer)

The vital key for optimal results is prep. You can use teh finest products, but using them incorrectly or poorly will give you poor results. Before you get the the final stage of topping the car off, you need to be as thorough as possible with each step. You do this ONE time and maintain it with a quality QD (quick detailer) you wont need to be this thorough ever again.

------------------------------------------------------------

1. Washing & drying
Here is a rundown of what you should be using and how to use them:

- soap / "shampoo"
Not every soap is the same. Some soaps are very mild and others are very harsh. The harder soaps will strip wax off your car. A good soap will not strip wax off your car and provide a good lubrication so that you are not scratching your paint while you wash it.

- 2 buckets
One for soapy water and one with clean water for rinsing. Called "2 bucket wash". After you wash a small section of the car, you dunk it in the "clean" water and rinse it thoroughly. This keeps your soap bucket cleaner. Always wash as much of the top of the car and work your way down. As you get lower, you should be rinsing your mitt more often.

- washmitt
Wool or microfiber are optimal. Both of these products have depth to them to allow dirt and other materials to lie deep in the fibers. Sponges and other products pin the debris and every time you move your sponge it creates scratches.

- rinsing
Do not use a nozzled hose full blast on your car. Optimally, you should be using no nozzle at all. Without a nozzle, you can run the water over the surface of the car - called "sheeting". This is the most effective way of rinsing your car.

- drying
1. Waffle weave towels are the best
2. 100% cotton towels
California Water Blade is excellent as long as you keep wiping the blade clean with a wet rag.
Throw your chamois away - it only creates more fine scratches.
Be sure to remove any tags that hang from any towels. The tags can and will causes fine scratches.

Steps 2 - 4 are the most important steps.
Prep is the key to optimal shine, color and depth. The LSP brings out what's there. Weak prep with a great LSP will net much less than optimal results. Do not skimp or be lazy for steps 2-4. The better the prep, the better the outcome.


2. Clay 1-3 times per year maximum - too much claying is not good!
Clay is used to remove debris / contaminants on the surface of your car. Wash and dry your car. Then run your hand over the painted surfaces. If it's not smooth and you feel any kind of debris, you could use a clay.

If you clay, you are starting all over and must clean, polish and LSP.

Clay is very easy to use. The most commonly available are Mother's Clay kit and Clay Magic from your local auto store. Either will work fine.

To use, just follow the directions that come with the kit. You do not have to use the lubricant provided. A spray bottle with a mixture of car wash soap and water works just fine.

If you drop it, do not use it! Clay is very sticky and will pick up any debris it comes in contact with. Even if you think it's ok, it's not. With a dirty clay bar you are are doing more harm than good. You are dragging debris over your paint over and over causing damage.

People have various techniques - side to side, front to back, circles. For each section I do, I do a left-right clay over the entire section and go back and do a front-back pass on the entire section.

Make sure you keep the surface nicely lubricated and knead the clay often.

You do not have to wash your car after claying, but you can if you want.

From this point forward, it is NOT a one day process. Waxes need time to cure - anywhere from 30 minutes to 24 hours per coat.

3. Cleaner / cleanser 1-2 coats. 1 coat is usually sufficient if you are thorough
Now it's time to clean your paint. Paint cleaners are intended to remove debris that the clay did not pick up, old wax, water spotting, oxidation, stains, etc. Think of clay as doing the heavy cleaning and a cleaner to do the fine cleaning.

Cleaners are NOT polishes.

Note: Klasse All In One (AIO) and NXT claim to be a one-step cure-all product that will last months (leading the average consumer to believe that a wash and using AIO or NXT is enough) when in fact they aren't and wont.

Both contain:
-cleaners to clean the paint
-fillers / oils to hide swirls
-mild abrasives to attempt to polish out very minor swirls
-sealants (very weak)

They can be used as and are very good cleaners. If your paint is in a condition you are satisfied with, you can use AIO or NXT and skip step 4. Polish and go directly to step 5. Topper.

They can be used as a stand alone product, but you get very little durability (3-5 weeks), optimal color & depth (carnauba topper), and optimal shine (synthetic topper)

Different cleaners may recommend different techniques - foam, terry, microfiber applicator or circular application vs back and forth. Just follow the directions on the bottle.

*DO NOT use the same applicator for each step. You need one for each product!

Remove the cleaner with a microfiber towel. You can pick up a bundle of microfiber towels at your local Wal Mart, Target, auto store for not that much.

4. Polish 2-4 coats is recommended dependent on paint condition and application method - hand or PC
Now that the paint is clean of all contaminants, it's time to address those scratches and swirls.

You have two choices here:
Hide the swirls or remove the swirls.

Nothing wrong with either. It's just what you want to do.

-Hiding the swirls-
Is most common because true polishes are more expensive and not as readily available. Most "swirl removers" hide swirls with oils and fillers. The problem with using this method is that the swirls and scratches are still there and you have to keep hiding them.

The average consumer is more likely to use an OTC swirl remover than a polish.

Pros & cons:
-Easy to use
-Inexpensive (initially)
-Great immediate results
-Swirls are still there, just hidden. Repeated use is necessary to keep swirls hidden.

-Removing the swirls-
Swirls are small scratches in your clearcoat. Polishes are designed to take away some clearcoat to get to the level of the scratch so that the swirls are no longer there.

Yes, it sounds kind of scarey, but polishes are used all the time - most commonly used by professional detailers / knowledgable consumers / serious detailers.

Pros:
-More expensive (initially)
-Once swirls are gone, they're gone
-Hand application is difficult
-Porter Cable (PC) will net you amazing results


*Notes:
1. Read the directions on the bottles! Different products recommend different curing times for optimal results ranging from 4-24 hours. Do not be upset that you didn't get the optimal results you expected if you didn't follow the directions!

2. Different swirl removers and polishes may recommend different techniques - foam, terry, microfiber applicator or circular application vs back and forth. Just follow the directions on the bottle. (Using a polish by hand vs PC is night and day.)

3. DO NOT use the same applicator for each step. You need one for each product!

4. Remove the swirl remover / polish with a microfiber towel. You can pick up a bundle of microfiber towels at your local Wal Mart, Target, auto store for not that much.

5. People knock polishes and prefer swirl removers because they are:
a) applying by hand and don't see immediate / great results
b) lack of knowledge regarding polishes / swirl removers

DO NOT CONTINUE TO THIS STEP STEP UNTIL YOU ARE SATISFIED WITH THE SWIRL LEVEL OF YOUR PAINT!

5a. Sealant 1-2 coats recommended
Now that your paint is clean and when you are satisfied with the level of scratches (lack of), now you apply a sealant.

--Once you seal and/or top, you can't go back.--

The sealant is there to seal your hard work. The topper is there to protect the sealant, provide more depth and color. At any time after you have applied the sealant and/or topper and you try to use cleaner or polish you have just removed/weakened the the sealant/topper. You can not alternate after you have applied the sealant / topper!

The sealant can be final step, but you do not want to do this until you are happy with the way your paint looks. Does it still have swirls you want to get rid of? Then you need to keep using swirl remover or polish until you are happy. When you are satisfied, then you move on to the sealant and IF you want, a topper.

Keep in mind that you do not "need" an LSP / topper. (5.b) It does provide the extra depth, color, shine and durability, but if you want to or enjoy waxing, you can use a sealant like Zaino Z2 Pro, Four Star Ultimate Paint Protection, Klasse Sealant Glaze over and over (coat after coat).

5b. LSP / Topper 1-2 coats recommended depending on your preference
LSP - Last Stage Product or Topper is the final step. Your paint should be as clean and swirl-free as you want it, and sealed before you proceed.

One to two coats is should last you 4-6 months or longer with proper maintenance.

Like Step 4. Polish, you have 2 choices here - Carnauba or Synthetic.

Please read Carnaubas vs Synthetics for pros and cons of each.

Carnaubas and synthetics are very different. Each has pros and cons. Choose what works for you.


*Note: Read the directions on the bottles! Different products recommend different curing times for optimal results ranging from 4-24 hours. Do not be upset that you didn't get the optimal results you expected if you didn't follow the directions!

Different toppers may recommend different techniques - foam, terry, microfiber applicator or circular application vs back and forth. Just follow the directions on the bottle.

*DO NOT use the same applicator for each step. You need one for each product!

Remove the topper with a microfiber towel. You can pick up a bundle of microfiber towels at your local Wal Mart, Target, auto store for not that much.