Quick Sealant issue

[Purple87SS]

So I was detailing a buddies 2003 Topaz Blue Metallic M3 this past Saturday which I had a strange issue happen to me with Quick Sealant.  it was about 70ish degrees out and mostly cloudy while I was doing the car.  Maybe a little more humid then average humidity but nothing crazy

 

I stripped the car with Adams Car shampoo, some, Dawn, and some Adams APC.  Rinsed thoroughly.  Clayed the entire car, then washed again with just Car Shampoo.  Dried with Adams Detail Spray and my waffle weave towel.  I pulled out my Sealant applicator (marked with "S" so it only sees Sealant ever, and cleaned/dried thoroughly before using) and shook it well, then sprayed on the applicator and started with a 2x2 section on the hood.  Let it haze a bit and wiped off with a clean Adams single soft.  This is where the problem occurred-It seemed like the sealant wouldn't wipe off clean and left behind some of the actual fibers of the towel on the hood where the sealant was applied with the applicator.  Tried to wipe clean and it seemed to spread the fibers of the towel even worse.  It was very frustrating and I actually switched a different brand sealant to finish that coat/car.  The issue didn't happen with the other guys sealant when I went to "plan B".  No pics as I was trying to be efficient and didn't have time to stop and photograph said problem.  

 

Anything you can think of that I'm doing wrong?  I've used the Adam Quick sealant prior with no issue but I have about 3 cans of it that I'm not wanting to reach for now.  Any input?  I appreciate you feedback.  

[camaro2ssblack]

Did you use the same towel when using the other sealant?  Sounds like the towel simply starting linting.

[man5011]

It's not your Sealant. Your MF towel is linting. Most will tell you it's time for a new MF towel. I have found that the cheaper MF towels work better for removing quick sealant haze.

[Chewy]

AQS builds a TON of static charge when it's curing so it's not abnormal for it to pull some fibers from your towels.  I've only ever seen it happen on older towels that are going bad.  

[Kingsford]

It's the towels. How old are they? How do you wash them? Have you boiled them if they have been used a lot?

 

I just got rid of some old towels that wouldn't stop linting after several washes and boiling them. They were way past their lifespan. Plush towels do have lifespans and depending on how you take care of them it can be short or long.

[Chris@Adams]

I think you left the QS on too long before wiping off.....here is the instructions from the site. 

Do you think that this could be the issue?

 

Simply prime a soft foam applicator, like the Adam's Americana Hex Grip, with a small amount of product then spray onto any surface in need of protection. Spread evenly with the applicator and allow a few moments for the product to form hard chemical bonds. Remove any residues with an Adam's Single or Double Soft microfiber towel. Finally, step back and admire the shine! Adam's Quick Sealant provides a lasting hard coat that will endure months of exposure to the element

[Purple87SS]

Towels are 1.5 yrs old, if that. Washed with only microfibers, with some apc, and liquid laundry detergent, never bleached. Never been boiled ( maybe time to try that?). All microfiber dried in dryer on reg heat.

 

But the single softs towels don't lint when removing polish or waxes as I used them to finish the job- ie, other guys sealant and buttery wax removed with 4 other different single softs. All single softs were washed with the ss towel that "linted" with the Quick sealant.

 

I also let the spot haze for 1 minute tops. I thinking its the product causing the lint, not the towels.

[camaro2ssblack]

Easy way to find out. Go apply quick sealant with a towel that you know does not lint. If no lint, try it again with the towel in question. Either of those tests will verify the culprit.

I'm 99.9% sure your single soft towel is starting to lint like many others have...

It will leave heavy lint with any wet product like quick sealant or detail spray, and leave minor lint when removing hazed products such as waxes or glazes.

Edited May 28, 2014 by camaro2ssblack

[zxgto06]

The towels are the problem. Almost all of my Adams towels lint like crazy. They have been washed in a new HE washer with the microfiber wash, boiled, anything I can think of and they are still absolutely terrible. Lots of people have problems with them, do some searching on the topic.

[Purple87SS]

Can someone explain the boiling process so I can try that ASAP?  Is there anything special to it? I want to make sure I do it right and try the Quick Sealant/SS towel again for confirmation.  

[Team Adam's]

Boil them in the biggest pot you can find, and add a capful or two of white vinegar.  Boil them for about a minute, pull them out with tongs, and toss them in the washing machine and go through the normal wash/dry process.

 

I feel that there's something else at work here causing issues though.  I'd usually lean toward humidity, but you mentioned it wasn't bad.  Did you use those towels with anything else?  DS or wax removal during the process?

 

I'd also try letting the QS sit a little longer before removal.  I've found that on my black truck, if I try working one panel at a time, removal is tough and "sticky" but if I do 1/2 the truck, then go back and remove, it comes off much easier. 

 

Give the towels a boil/wash, then test a few small spots to see how the QS/towels act and report back!

[Purple87SS]

No it was a freshly cleaned SS towel, and my other SS towels worked fine with other products I used (another company sealant -not a spray like Adams QS, and then Adams Buttery Wax).  I'll boil and try again and also try photograph the issue.

[Team Adam's]

If they worked with other products, then I'd rule out the towels being the issue, as you mentioned.

 

Play with different timing when wiping the QS, and as mentioned, I bet a little longer setup time will solve your issue.

[Purple87SS]

Will boil and clean as my Adams towels as normal, and also try a longer setup time with the QS.  Thanks for tips.  Love this forum.  Ill report back soon.

[Ricky Bobby]

Quick Sealant and its competitor's product (abbreviated PNS) tend to be a bit grabby when removing, but shouldn't be pulling lint out of the towels, unless those towels have seen better days.  Nick, correct me if I'm wrong but weren't the Single Softs discontinued in favor of the Borderless Blues?  Not sure if it was a QC issue or a supply chain issue with those.

 

I find when I use my extra plush 660 gsm towels for removing residues with the aerosol sealants, that it grabs a bit more and actually dialing down to a 500 gsm towel or even a 400 gsm allows for easier wipedowns of residues, because of the lower nap of the towel.

 

I prefer removing wax and liquid sealant residues with my extra plush 660 gsm and higher towels, as the residues tend to be dried and just absorbed into the towel.  The haze residue from the aerosol sealants tends to "gum up" the removal towel quicker, so you either need to use a less plush towel (Adam's all purpose towels come to mind) or use more than one towel and switch to a clean one halfway through. I own no Single Softs so I'm no help.

 

I have a can of the other brand's "Quick Sealant" and not sure how it compares but if you leave the sealant to dry on the surface for more than a minute it becomes VERY tough to buff off and if it dries rock hard you actually have to add more to the surface to "reactivate" the dried residues, and then wipe all off together.  With PNS I can only do one panel at a time, then buff.  If I did half the car first I'd never get it off from where I started, again this is my experience with another aerosol sealant but I can't imagine they are remarkably different.  Been meaning to try Quick Sealant out but I still have 3/4 a can left of what I have.

 

Good luck.

Edited May 28, 2014 by Ricky Bobby