The wipe down
process should be carried out both
before to ensure a surface that is free of any debris and after to ensure that defects have been removed as opposed to masked
by any lubrication oils or fillers left behind after the polishing process. The
wipe-down process may need to be repeated to ensure a perfectly ‘clean’, debris
free surface
Wiping the finish
with a micro fibre cloth you may feel that the swirls have been removed, only
to have them reappear after the surface has been washed. After polishing a
section, mist and wipe to fully remove residues and reveal the true paint
finish. Nothing worse than a client having paid for paint renovation to wash
the paint surface and then have paint marring reappear
·
Polymer sealants will not form a proper monocular bond with a
paint surface if there are any silicone or synthetic oils present, they will
also negatively affect durability if not removed
·
Silicone will cause surface smearing and will affect abrasives
effectiveness, product bonding and
durability (See also Silicone
Removal
Water-based
polishes tend to fill far less than oil-based; but they both contain silicone
resins and polymer or wax lubricants. A wipe down after polishing or
compounding is used to remove the carrier oils and wax used for surface
lubrication and allows you to inspect the surface to determine if the surface
is defect free or if further work is required.
When polishing or
compounding to remove fine swirls or holograms, it's easy for residues and / or
waxes or oils to settle in the swirls, hiding the true paint finish (drop
back).
Prior to the
application of a paint protection coating it is absolutely necessary to remove
any (mostly invisible to the naked eye) fillers and oils; if they are allowed
to remain a white or grey hazing will appear on the paint once the coating is
applied.
It’s the one thing
that keeps those who practice paint correction honest. Paint enhancement (glaze
or an oil-based wax) anybody can do. But paint correction is a lot harder and
IPA (or equivalent) is a liquid lie detector
Evaporation [: vaporization of a liquid that
occurs from the surface of a liquid into a gaseous phase]
Isopropyl alcohol
[Anhydrous Isopropyl alcohol [Molecular formula C3H8O]
for all-purpose cleaning, isopropyl alcohol, is a colourless liquid with a
pleasant odour, and is highly flammable. A miscible clear
fluid, Flash point 53.0F (12.0C) closed cup]
Reagent isopropanol
alcohol, whether a technical, surgical or analytical grade will be X %
isopropanol alcohol, the remaining percentage will be made up with water and is
available as a 70 to 95 percent
% solution.
The term "rubbing alcohol" has become a general
non-specific term for either isopropyl alcohol (isopropanol) or ethyl alcohol
(ethanol) Rubbing-alcohol products can leave a residue behind It is prepared from a special denatured
alcohol solution and contains 97.5-100% by volume of pure, concentrated ethanol
(ethyl alcohol) or reagent isopropyl alcohol (IPA)
Be cognizant that modern paint systems are porous, so be
cautious as to what solvents you use. Dependent upon the particulate size,
some chemicals penetrate easily, only liquids that are smaller on a molecular
level than the cross-linked paint can be absorbed; solvents and alcohol can
permeate the paint causing the paint to temporarily swell hiding surface
scratches and marring
Reagent isopropyl
alcohol (IPA) and or other solvents will permeate the paint, causing both
temporary softening and some swelling. Depending on the solvent (strength) used
and the amount of ambient heat, the amount of swelling varies. (See also “Paint (Solvent / Alcohol) Swelling”)
Using undiluted reagent isopropyl alcohol, even 70% IPA can
soften the paint excessively, but as you increase the dilution, the softening
drops exponentially, this softening effect is temporary. Using an abrasive
polish on solvent softened or ‘swollen’ paint may cause the paint film to
wrinkle or delaminate (tear or separate)
For less dense (soft) clear
coat, the lower rate of dilution (1:10) is recommended; conversely denser (dense) clear
coat should use a higher dilution (1:25); as you increase the dilution rate of reagent
isopropyl alcohol its paint softening effect drops exponentially. The reason
for this wide range is due to the variations in clear coat paint systems
Isopropyl alcohol (IPA is a fast evaporating solvent, which
usually fully evaporate at temperatures above 80.OF , whereas ,
slower evaporating solvents like mineral spirits may take several days before they reach levels
below 1%.
Reagent isopropyl
alcohol (IPA) is readily available
and like acetone, it dissolves a wide range of non-polar compounds. It is also
relatively non-toxic and evaporates quickly. Thus it is used widely as a
solvent and as a cleaning fluid [1]
Mineral oil can be used to clean heavier oil stains by diluting and
liquefying the other oils, rendering the oils more accessible to detergents.
Likewise, it can be employed to de-gum, to remove adhesive residue left by
adhesive tape. Be cognizant that while it can be used as a solvent cleaner it
can leave a residue, which is undesirable
for paint cleaning applications.
Denatured alcohol (or Methylated spirits) - is ethanol that has additives to make it more
poisonous or unpalatable, and thus, undrinkable. Do not use denatured
alcohol as a substitute for reagent isopropyl
alcohol (IPA)
Use caution if
using paint thinner / strong solvent as there is a possibility that it can have
detrimental long term effects, which cause the paint matrix to fail over time
leaving a dull area that has a similar appearance to strikethrough, which cannot
be corrected
Distilled water
Potable
water usually contains a number of microscopic contaminants (turbidity) along
with dissolved minerals such as calcium and iron. Distilled water should
ideally be nothing but hydrogen and oxygen molecules and virtually all of its
impurities are removed through distillation, which involves boiling the water
and re-condensing the steam into a clean container (pH 6.0 – 7.5)
Any
dissolved solids such as salt, bacteria, calcium or iron remain solid while the
pure water converts to a much lighter steam and is drawn out for condensation,
leaving most if not all solid contaminants behind. Distilled water is preferred
for dilution as it’s a ‘known’ quality, unlike domestic potable water
In
larger chemical and biological laboratories, as well as industry, cheaper
alternatives such as deionised water are preferred over distilled water.
Wipe down Application Process
Application
- fill a
fine misting spray bottle with a dilute solution of reagent isopropyl alcohol
(IPA) / distilled water Spray
the surface you have just polished and allow the solution sit for approximately
15 seconds. If
it flashes too quickly (hot surface or environment) use further dilution
Reagent isopropyl
alcohol (IPA) and or other solvents will suspend waxes and silicones, and then
re-depositing them, this can be avoided by adding 10% d-limonene (P21S Total
Auto Wash) to the dilute IPA solution and wiping the surface with a clean, dry
micro fibre towel. (TAW will provide
surface lubrication to minimise surface marring on less dense (softer) paints)
Agitate
the area with a clean panel wipe or a
soft 100% cotton micro fibre towel (you may need to repeat this process)
change the towel to a fresh quarter after each panel to ensure oil and debris
are not re-deposited and observe.
This should have removed any wax or oils that may have
filled any remaining swirls and show the true post-polish surface condition.
If a diluted IPA solution doesn’t remove the surface
oils perhaps a specific paint preparation product, i.e. CarPro Intense Oil & Polish Cleanser or DuPont
PrepSol II™ may be more suitable
Now using your
surface inspection light, shine the light directly on the panel and look for
fine swirls. If they are still present, you should be able to see them. If not
you will see a clear bright reflection from the panel with a great shine, and
clarity
These fast acting solvent
cleaners will not leave a film residue
·
CarPro Intense Oil & Polish Cleanser
·
DuPont PrepSol II™
·
Menzerna Top Inspection
·
Wurth Clean Solve
Mineral
Spirits (White
Spirit) are a petrochemical based product (Stoddard solvent) it also contains
oils, so its use in a paint wipedown process is self-defeating as you’ll need
to remove the oils from the surface
Notes:
1.
For dense (hard) clear coat
use a very light dilution rate, for less dense(soft)clear coats use a more
diluted solution, as use too much
alcohol will cause a micro fibre to offer more surface resistance and may cause
surface marring.
2.
After
the paint surface has been subjected to a chemical cleaning its protective
layer (s) have been removed and the
paint surface left without protection, so it is very important that a wax or
polymer protection be applied
immediately.
Alternative
products
·
3M™ Prep Solvent-70 (#08983) is a low VOC, water- based solvent
used to remove oils, wax, grease, and silicone from surfaces prior to the
application of a coating. Effectively cleans metal, primed metal and painted
surfaces. Use with 3M™ Panel Wipes (#4567) the Panel Wipes have excellent
absorbency and are super strength when wet or dry. They are easy to carry and
are supplied in an easy to dispense box.
·
CarPro Intense Oil & Polish Cleanser - is anti-static, reagent
isopropyl alcohol (IPA) based cleaner designed to dissolve oil particles and
remove polish residue to inspect the surface after polishing or to prepare the
paintwork for the application of a coating product. Its intense cleaner
dissolves oils and it also attracts the dust left by compounding. When you wipe
down your vehicle with Eraser, you’re removing oils, fillers, and dust
completely. Enabling a coating to form a stronger bond and create an even,
long-lasting shine with a more durable protection.
·
DuPont PrepSol II™ - http://www.xurex.com/products.html)
spray onto a 100% cotton or a micro fibre towel and clean the surface
Groit’s Paint Prep - to
remove wax, silicone polymers and oil from painted surfaces so products can
properly bond to the surface. Paint Prep is easy to use and is safe for vinyl
and rubber (not for use on glass)
·
Hi-Temp's H-23 Prep Wash - to prepare a
paint surface for polishing, compounding, wax and / or polymer sealant
application (especially if changing from a wax to a polymer product) this is a
water-based paint cleaner designed to remove all traces of silicone, oil, and
buffing residue from any exterior paint surface
·
Menzerna Top Inspection (PP95) – use to inspect your work,
use this water-based cleaner that removes dust left by compounding and any
lubricating oils so you can see the real results of your work. There are no
silicones or fillers, just cleaning agents to uncover the real condition of
your vehicle’s paint
·
Optimum Power Clean - Optimum Power Clean™ is an
environmentally friendly, all surface-safe cleaner, used for paint dilute it
2:1
·
Wurth Clean Solve - is a fast acting cleaner and solvent
that will not leave a film residue. It will quickly remove wax, tar, gum,
grease, paint overspray, adhesive, oil, and silicone. It can be used on a
variety of surfaces including: base coat, clear coat, aluminium, fibreglass,
glass, fabrics and vinyl.
Relevant Articles
1. 1. “A
new perspective on paint defect return”, Jason Rose
from Meguiar’s - http://www.autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/112084-new-perspective-paint-defect-return-interesting.html
2. 2. “IPA
Wipe down”, David Ghodoussi - http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/40688-ipa-wipe-down.html
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