411 on stripping wax

[rimz808]

Hey guys,

 

Ok, i need to know the 411 on stripping wax. I've always been just washing and putting wax/polish when i think it's time my car needs it. However, i never knew about stripping wax/taking it off. Therefore, i would like the 411 on the process and procedure.

 

Why strip wax?

When do i strip wax?

How do i know if i have strip all the wax off?

What do i use to strip off wax?

What are the "need to look out for"?

 

Any help into this would be greatly appreciated. Again, i never knew about taking off wax until i started reading this forum. My car is a little over 3 years old and i've been washing and taking care of her very well. I wax and polish at least 3-4 times a year. What would be the "best" practices?

 

Mahalo,

Ryan

[Chewy]

You usually want to strip wax before polishing your car. It can clog the pads and make them less effective.

 

There are basically three ways to remove your LSP.

 

Dawn wash

Isopropyl Alcohol 50/50 with water

Clay

 

Personally, I like washing the car with Adams Soap and then I follow that up with IPA and a WW towel and do a wipe down. Dawn isn't kind to plastics, so the less you use it, the better.

 

Chris

[BKazzle]

On top of what Chewy said... You want to strip wax so you're working with bare clear coat again. This makes it easier to correct it and/or so you can have your preferable wax on top.

Also dawn dish washing soap might not strip your wax off; it depends and doesn't work effectively all the time. Also it supposedly dries out rubber/plastic although people have done tests to prove otherwise.

 

Edited March 26, 2014 by BKazzle
Spelling errors: phone

[rimz808]

On top of what Chewy said... You want to strip wax so you're working with bare clear coat again. This makes it easier to correct it and/or so you can have your preferable wax on top.

 

Also dawn dish washing soap might not strip your wax off; it depends and doesn't work effectively all the time. Also it supposedly dries out rubber/plastic although people have done tests to prove otherwise.

 

Another really good way to strip wax is to dilute All purpose cleaner with your car shampoo. The APC is designed to break down wax, sealants, glaze, dressings, etc...

 

You should know if you strip all the wax off by the way water sits on your car: I.E.- it won't bead.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

How much APC should be diluted in a 5 gallon bucket with the car shampoo? Best to do that instead of just spraying APC on the car and then washing it? I'm kind of nervous about using Dawn soap because i was always told never to use dish soap to wash cars.

 

I'm asking because im thinking about getting Americana wax instead of using Meg. wax that i've been using for years. So of course i want to strip the old stuff off to make room for the new, better one!

 

Thanks for your advise.

[Chewy]

Thanks for the info.

 

How much APC should be diluted in a 5 gallon bucket with the car shampoo? Best to do that instead of just spraying APC on the car and then washing it? I'm kind of nervous about using Dawn soap because i was always told never to use dish soap to wash cars.

 

I'm asking because im thinking about getting Americana wax instead of using Meg. wax that i've been using for years. So of course i want to strip the old stuff off to make room for the new, better one!

 

Thanks for your advise.

 

If that's all you're doing, just use the IPA method. APC is expensive, I don't waste it to remove wax, plus if it dries on the paint, you'll be polishing to remove the damage.

 

JMO

[Antv20]

I love this forum, learn something every time I login.

[IrishCurse]

Chase also does the IPA wipe down, but he dilutes 70/30 IPA/Ionized water. I did that and it produced wonderful results. I feel that is the best way... wash the car free of any dust/dirt and then perform the IPA wipe down with at least 50/50 IPA solution.

[Schwag one]

Use gas man, use gas, it will remove everything...kidding! Chris, please explain how it can APC can hurt the paint. Like you said; if APC dries on the paint, you'll be do more polishing to fix the damage? Explain...

[camaro2ssblack]

Add 2oz of Apc to your wash bucket and 2 oz to your foam gun (if u use one). That will strip the wax quickly and easily without adding the extra step of a pre polish IPA wipedown. Just simply don't let it dry which is common practice that you should follow during any wash routine. I like to blast the car periodically with the remaining solution in the foam gun canister to keep everything wet until the final rinse.

 

As far as costs per use, it really shouldn't matter unless your detailing cars every day because you should only be stripping wax about every 2-3 months on your personal fleet. If your stripping more often than that your not worried about money anyway because your playing around with lots of LSPs.

Edited May 7, 2013 by camaro2ssblack

[rimz808]

Add 2oz of Apc to your wash bucket and 2 oz to your foam gun (if u use one). That will strip the wax quickly and easily without adding the extra step of a pre polish IPA wipedown. Just simply don't let it dry which is common practice that you should follow during any wash routine. I like to blast the car periodically with the remaining solution in the foam gun canister to keep everything wet until the final rinse.

 

As far as costs per use, it really shouldn't matter unless your detailing cars every day because you should only be stripping wax about every 2-3 months on your personal fleet. If your stripping more often than that your not worried about money anyway because your playing around with lots of LSPs.

 

Thanks. Well since I don't have a foam gun, I can just put some apc into my car wash bucket and wash the car like normally? With the apc in my shampoo, it should strip the wax? Should i put less car shampoo and more apc? I'll make sure to rinse my car in sections so that it doesn't dry with the apc on the paint.

 

Let me know. Thanks

[camaro2ssblack]

2 oz APC, 2 oz shampoo and 3.5 gallons of water should do the trick.

[Chuckkilo3]

Add 2oz of Apc to your wash bucket and 2 oz to your foam gun (if u use one). That will strip the wax quickly and easily without adding the extra step of a pre polish IPA wipedown. Just simply don't let it dry which is common practice that you should follow during any wash routine. I like to blast the car periodically with the remaining solution in the foam gun canister to keep everything wet until the final rinse.

 

As far as costs per use, it really shouldn't matter unless your detailing cars every day because you should only be stripping wax about every 2-3 months on your personal fleet. If your stripping more often than that your not worried about money anyway because your playing around with lots of LSPs.

 

I used this method to strip the last 2 vehicles of wax. APC isn't that expensive when you are only using a few ounces. I still have 2 gallons left after just emptying a gallon over the weekend to refill my 36 oz bottle. I don't strip that often though. My fleet is garaged more than outdoors so my sealant and LSP seem to last a long time.

[Chewy]

I just have a VERY hard time believing it can do as good of a job that diluted as IPA does.

 

APC is already diluted and then you put 2oz in a 3.5 gallon bucket... Plus I may use 2oz in my bucket, but I rinse and add new water as I wash, so I'd use even more. IPA is a buck or less at Walgreens.

 

I guess if it works for ya, go for it.

[Chuckkilo3]

I just have a VERY hard time believing it can do as good of a job that diluted as IPA does.

 

APC is already diluted and then you put 2oz in a 3.5 gallon bucket... Plus I may use 2oz in my bucket, but I rinse and add new water as I wash, so I'd use even more. IPA is a buck or less at Walgreens.

 

I guess if it works for ya, go for it.

 

The combo of the APC in the foam gun and the wash water certainly worked for me. When it was rinse time, no beading. I still do a IPA wipe down when I am done polishing and ready to apply MSS.

[ForceofWill]

^ Agreed. I use APC to strip and it works good. I have 2 spray bottles that are 70/30 IPA for half the bottle and half distilled water that I use for cleaning polish residue off before I do any sort of sealing.

[Chewy]

The combo of the APC in the foam gun and the wash water certainly worked for me. When it was rinse time, no beading. I still do a IPA wipe down when I am done polishing and ready to apply MSS.

 

Foam gun I can see, because you're doubling up on it, but just in the bucket, it's hard to believe between the water in the bucket and the water on the car, that it'd be strong enough to strip all the wax. I'm not saying it can't, I just don't believe it.

[Chuckkilo3]

Foam gun I can see, because you're doubling up on it, but just in the bucket, it's hard to believe between the water in the bucket and the water on the car, that it'd be strong enough to strip all the wax. I'm not saying it can't, I just don't believe it.

 

I hear ya. That's why I do both.

[White05GT]

Here's a question considering I've never done the IPA wipedown before. What should I wipe it down with? waterless MF or Single Soft towels? Should I rewash the car after? or just continue on to claying? I have to get the tar off the wheel wells after that.

The Dawn and APC does work. I still had wax on the Stang from last summer (summer car. garage kept over winter) and it beaded up when I wet the car before the wash. When I rinsed no such beads, at all. I just want to make sure that all of the previous product is off so I can start fresh with Adams stuff. Hence the wipedown questions.

 

Thanks guys

 

Rob

[IrishCurse]

I used a double soft, but I also have like 15 of them so I tend to use them when a towel is touching my paint. I feel the double softs absorb well, and the IPA tends to evap quickly. I just adjust the surface of the towel like I would during a waterless wash. Spray the panel, wipe, an watch the residue evap to nothingness within seconds. Pretty easy, pretty awesome.

[camaro2ssblack]

WW towels

[GaryW]

I used this method to strip the last 2 vehicles of wax. APC isn't that expensive when you are only using a few ounces. I still have 2 gallons left after just emptying a gallon over the weekend to refill my 36 oz bottle. I don't strip that often though. My fleet is garaged more than outdoors so my sealant and LSP seem to last a long time.

 

Easy Jar Head :lolsmack:

[Chewy]

WW towels and IPA and then on to clay...

[mxkx250]

The IPA that bought was 70% in the bottle. Do I dilute it again 50%. Is it sprayed on and wiped off or applied to the towel and wiped?

[rimz808]

Here's a question considering I've never done the IPA wipedown before. What should I wipe it down with? waterless MF or Single Soft towels? Should I rewash the car after? or just continue on to claying? I have to get the tar off the wheel wells after that.

The Dawn and APC does work. I still had wax on the Stang from last summer (summer car. garage kept over winter) and it beaded up when I wet the car before the wash. When I rinsed no such beads, at all. I just want to make sure that all of the previous product is off so I can start fresh with Adams stuff. Hence the wipedown questions.

 

Thanks guys

 

Rob

Same question. I'm assuming you wipe down with whatever MF towel using the IPA after a car wash, but then after the wash, do I have to rewash the car again?

 

Please let me know.

 

Thanks

[IrishCurse]

No need to re-wash the car.  I take 91% and dilute it 50/50.  I've read here that it is strong, but I don't see how it hurts anything so long as it is not sprayed on vinyl and trip.  I once worked on "special weapons" in the military and alcohol was used to clean almost anything/everything concerning the units.

[rimz808]

The IPA that bought was 70% in the bottle. Do I dilute it again 50%. Is it sprayed on and wiped off or applied to the towel and wiped?

I would like to know the answer to this question as well. What method do you guys use? I have a 32oz of 70% IPA. Dilute and spray on or apply to towel and wipe without dilution?