Todd@RUPES
Just a regular guy
We have all been there... Or, if we continue in this hobby/passion long enough, we will be there...
You have polished a lot of paint to swirl-free perfection... But then you meet your match.. This paint seems a little different, a little “sticky”... Perhaps your polish doesn't wipe off as easily, or if you are using a rotary polisher, you can feel it fight you slightly and the paint get's hot.... Soft paint!! And not just soft, as is easily polishable soft paint, but butter-soft, impossible-to-maintain soft paint... A detailers worst nightmare!
When you go to wipe the polish residue off of the paint, you get marring... You can literally see the towel tracks of your final wipe? What can you do?
Next time you get towel marring, try these tips and techniques that I have used before.. They might help out!
USE A HIGH-QUALITY MICROFIBER TOWEL
This one may go without saying, but make sure you are using a super-soft microfiber towel for the polish removal. Anything less than perfectly soft, and perfectly clean can reek havoc on delicate paints. Plusher is not better! Too plush of a towel will force to you add pressure to remove the sticky polish residue.
Instead use a medium-to-short nap microfiber towel. My favorite is the Supreme 530. The short nap side provides enough bite, without the need for any additional pressure, while the long nap side does an excellent job of pampering the finish while removing much of the remaining residue.
Note: Make sure the towel is perfectly clean. Any debris trapped in the fibers will create marks.
USE A LUBRICANT OR DETAIL SPRAY FOR THE FINAL WIPE
If you are using a perfectly clean, high-quality microfiber towel and gently wiping the surface clean, AND you still see towel marks, they are likely traveling in the direction of the final wipe. As you buff the polish off the surface, the oil lubricants in the polish create a buffer that prevents the towel fibers from scratching. However, as you wipe away the lubrication, the towel scours the finish, and you are left with marks running in the final direction.
Using a high-lubricity detail spray or waterless wash to wipe the final residues of the paint. My favorite for general use is Meguiars M34 Final Inspection. This slippery lubricant will penetrate most oil-based polishing residues and allow for their easy removal while wiping away completely to avoid any interference with wax or sealant application.
If you plan on using a specific wax or sealant, you may consider using that brand's specific detail spray or consult with us. For example, BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Polymer Spray features the same bonding polymers as Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. You can use the Polymer Spray first to clean the surface, and apply the sealant after with no performance loss.
Note: If you need a perfectly clean surface to apply a coating consider using CarPro Eraser or Gtechniq Panel Wipe instead of diluted IPA. Both products are far more slippery then alcohol and will add the needed lubricity to prevent towel scratching. To learn more about the difference between the products, click here: Paint Stripper Comparo
TECHNIQUE
For tips on how to polish soft paint, check out this thread: Taming finicky paint with a DA Polisher
You have polished a lot of paint to swirl-free perfection... But then you meet your match.. This paint seems a little different, a little “sticky”... Perhaps your polish doesn't wipe off as easily, or if you are using a rotary polisher, you can feel it fight you slightly and the paint get's hot.... Soft paint!! And not just soft, as is easily polishable soft paint, but butter-soft, impossible-to-maintain soft paint... A detailers worst nightmare!
When you go to wipe the polish residue off of the paint, you get marring... You can literally see the towel tracks of your final wipe? What can you do?
Next time you get towel marring, try these tips and techniques that I have used before.. They might help out!
USE A HIGH-QUALITY MICROFIBER TOWEL
This one may go without saying, but make sure you are using a super-soft microfiber towel for the polish removal. Anything less than perfectly soft, and perfectly clean can reek havoc on delicate paints. Plusher is not better! Too plush of a towel will force to you add pressure to remove the sticky polish residue.
Instead use a medium-to-short nap microfiber towel. My favorite is the Supreme 530. The short nap side provides enough bite, without the need for any additional pressure, while the long nap side does an excellent job of pampering the finish while removing much of the remaining residue.
Note: Make sure the towel is perfectly clean. Any debris trapped in the fibers will create marks.
USE A LUBRICANT OR DETAIL SPRAY FOR THE FINAL WIPE
If you are using a perfectly clean, high-quality microfiber towel and gently wiping the surface clean, AND you still see towel marks, they are likely traveling in the direction of the final wipe. As you buff the polish off the surface, the oil lubricants in the polish create a buffer that prevents the towel fibers from scratching. However, as you wipe away the lubrication, the towel scours the finish, and you are left with marks running in the final direction.
Using a high-lubricity detail spray or waterless wash to wipe the final residues of the paint. My favorite for general use is Meguiars M34 Final Inspection. This slippery lubricant will penetrate most oil-based polishing residues and allow for their easy removal while wiping away completely to avoid any interference with wax or sealant application.
If you plan on using a specific wax or sealant, you may consider using that brand's specific detail spray or consult with us. For example, BLACKFIRE Wet Diamond Polymer Spray features the same bonding polymers as Wet Diamond All Finish Paint Protection. You can use the Polymer Spray first to clean the surface, and apply the sealant after with no performance loss.
Note: If you need a perfectly clean surface to apply a coating consider using CarPro Eraser or Gtechniq Panel Wipe instead of diluted IPA. Both products are far more slippery then alcohol and will add the needed lubricity to prevent towel scratching. To learn more about the difference between the products, click here: Paint Stripper Comparo
TECHNIQUE
- Begin by wiping the polish residue of the paint using a short-to-medium nap microfiber towel, or the short nap side of a Supreme 530. Instead of wiping in straight lines, use tiny overlapping circles, allowing the towel to take bites out of the residue.
- Switching to a medium nap microfiber towel, or using the plush side of a Supreme 530, lightly and gently wipe over the surface any remaining visible haze (the surface will still likely appear streaky from the very very thin layer of lubricant remaining. It is that streaky residue that is protecting your paint! That's okay!)
- Use a highly-lubricated detail spray or waterless wash. Lightly mist the surface and lightly buff over the surface using a medium-to-long nap microfiber towel. Use the cleaning ability and lubricity of the spray to wipe the surface clean.
For tips on how to polish soft paint, check out this thread: Taming finicky paint with a DA Polisher
