How many of you use APC/DWC during "normal" wash?

[ericR]

So i read in an article that if you dont use some sort of degreaser (not sure that's the right word) before washing your car you will introduce a lot of scratches since the schampo won't be able to remove some of the tougher contaminants.

 

I've seen that some of you use All purpose or deep wheel cleaner mixed with schampo when doing a normal wash.

 

So I was just wondering is that is the way to go? will APC or DWC affect my wax? i dont have the time or the patience to wax every time

 

[Tim]

APC in your wash will strip your wax.  DWC - I don't know, to use it for decontamination, you use it straight, not diluted, but I would bet it will strip wax also.

[ericR]

Good to know! thanks Tim! How does everybody go about removing tougher stains without removing the wax? Bird presents and so on? Do you wash the area with APC and re-wax just that spot?

 

I'm fairly new to all this if you haven't noticed

[JBlack151]

As Tim mentioned, both APC and DWC will strip your protection applied such as sealants and/or waxes. A lot of people mix APC in with Car Shampoo during the wash process with the intent to remove their sealants/waxes so they can begin the decontamination process with DWC and move on to the clay bar process. This allows for the paint to be completely bare for the next steps of machine polishing.

 

Now if you have your vehicle to your liking after the polishing process and you've sealed or waxed it, the next time you wash you should simply remain with the Car Shampoo by itself as it's pH balanced and will not remove those protectants you applied.

 

With things like a bird bomb as you mentioned and your vehicles paint has been sealed or waxed, I would spray some Waterless Wash on the area and allow it to break up the remnants with a quick spray of your hose. Even being extra cautious with just WW and a WW microfiber towel alone may induce scratches, although some will go about it this way instead of spraying off the area in question. Waterless Wash is only intended to clean up light dust from your vehicles paint, NOT remove heavy dirt and grime. So you may need to just perform a standard wash to remove the bird bomb.

 

If there is a stain present from the bird bomb after removing/washing I would then suggest claying the area after a wash to see if that helps remove the stain. If not, then machine polishing will become your next step. From there you can reapply your preferred protectant.

 

If you haven't already, take the time to go thru and watch all the "Instructional Videos" Adam's has. These are very helpful to understand the line up of products, and how to use them. I've provided a link below for the videos.

 

http://www.adamspolishes.com/t-videos.aspx

 

 

If you have any further question ask away here on the forum. Either the Adam's crew or other members are always available to help.

Edited May 29, 2013 by JBlack151

[Chewy]

You can't do both in most cases Eric.  If you have a bad stain, you'll have to use something stronger and then reapply your LSP of choice.  

 

Usually I only get a bit of road tar or oil on my car so I just use some 3M adhesive remover or APC to get rid of it and then reapply my LSP.  You need to keep up with bird bombs and bugs as much as possible before they harm the paint.

 

APC is a GREAT grease remover!  

[ericR]

Yeah I've seen all the videos, this particular thing though im not sure they adressed But that's why i love this forum, everybody is so nice and helpful! 

 

So how often do you guys (and gals of course) remove your wax/sealant reapply it?

[Ricky]

Good to know! thanks Tim! How does everybody go about removing tougher stains without removing the wax? Bird presents and so on? Do you wash the area with APC and re-wax just that spot?

 

I'm fairly new to all this if you haven't noticed

I Would Use Waterless Wash To Remove This Like Bird Droppings, Bugs And Such. It Will Not Strip Wax, Glaze And Protucts Like This. If It Doesn't Remove Then You Can Use Alchol on A Micro To Remove All Protects To Fix Problem Then Recoat The Area After It I Corrected.

[JBlack151]

Removing sealants/waxes will become a personal preference based off a few things. For example one may love to bust out their machine to stay on top of their paint corrections every couple of months. Others may be fine with leaving their protectants on until they begin to see the beading/sheeting becoming less over the span of 4-6 or more months.

 

This will also play factor with what you have laid down. If you only applied wax (no sealant underneath) then you may be applying a new coat every 2-3 months depending on the conditions the wax has been put through. Again, watching how the paint repels/beads water will help you judge when it will be time to reapply a coat of wax.

 

Now with sealants you will get a much longer length of protection versus just a coat of wax. With Machine Super Sealant and Quick Sealants there is definitely protection from 6 months plus, and sometimes well beyond with the proper care.  

Edited May 29, 2013 by JBlack151

[ericR]

Im leaning towards buying som quick selants for the winter months, as they can get pretty rough here in Sweden! Thanks guys!

[mc2hill]

Eric, for bird bombs and bad bugs, I like to soak the area.  I pre-treat the area with WW or pre-mixed Car Shampoo in a bottle with a foaming sprayer.  Then I soak a thin microfiber towel in my wash bucket and place it over the area.  Leaving it in place for 5-10 minutes should loosen up the bird poo/bugs enough to remove them with the wash mitt.  Here is a tread I did where I removed love bugs with this method - http://www.adamsforums.com/topic/18701-removing-bugs-soaking-method/?hl=%2Blove+%2Bbugs

[Chris@Adams]

I use APC every wash only on my tires and under fenders, and as far as bird bombs ( I removed some bombs on my truck 10 min. ago) I use WW!

[Team Adam's]

I APC my tires every time, simply because they tend to need it. 

 

DWC is more for heavier cleaning. Use GWC for moderate cleaning, or just soap/water for light cleaning.