High pressure wash
11-18-14, 06:32 AM
#1
High pressure wash
Does a high pressure wash, either warm water with soap followed by a cold rinse OR just the cold rinse, remove the sealer? It makes sense that it removes wax, but the sealer is supposed to "bond" to the paint.
Should I be using the soap step or just the rinse when I use the high pressure wash?
It's SO hard to keep a car clean in the winter! (On my way to buy some Optimum No Rinse and Shine!)
Should I be using the soap step or just the rinse when I use the high pressure wash?
It's SO hard to keep a car clean in the winter! (On my way to buy some Optimum No Rinse and Shine!)
Last edited by User 41924; 11-18-14 at 07:20 AM.
11-18-14, 06:51 AM
#2
The 'soap' used at touchless washes or coin-op pressure washes has the potential to remove or degrade traditional waxes or sealants. It should not harm ceramic paint coatings, though.
In winter months, I would not hesitate to use the soap at the pressure wash as it will help to remove the gunk that has accumulated on the vehicle, however just know that it is a good idea to reapply protection more frequently if you visit the coin-op or touchless wash often.
My personal winter maintenance routine consists of the following:
- Visit coin-op pressure wash to remove majority of salt/dirt buildup on car (start with soapy rinse, then regular rinse, and finally with low pressure spotless rinse)
- Return home and perform a rinseless wash using Optimum No Rinse and warm water
- Quickly and Easily Apply additional protection using CarPro Reload
Here is a great article on Winter Washing using ONR
Also, a sealant does not "bond" to the paint, it simply clings to the surface in the same fashion that a wax does. A paint coating (such as cquartz or opti-coat) will create a chemical bond with the paint, which is what makes them so much more durable.
-Zach
In winter months, I would not hesitate to use the soap at the pressure wash as it will help to remove the gunk that has accumulated on the vehicle, however just know that it is a good idea to reapply protection more frequently if you visit the coin-op or touchless wash often.
My personal winter maintenance routine consists of the following:
- Visit coin-op pressure wash to remove majority of salt/dirt buildup on car (start with soapy rinse, then regular rinse, and finally with low pressure spotless rinse)
- Return home and perform a rinseless wash using Optimum No Rinse and warm water
- Quickly and Easily Apply additional protection using CarPro Reload
Here is a great article on Winter Washing using ONR
Also, a sealant does not "bond" to the paint, it simply clings to the surface in the same fashion that a wax does. A paint coating (such as cquartz or opti-coat) will create a chemical bond with the paint, which is what makes them so much more durable.
-Zach
11-20-14, 07:46 AM
#3
Thanks, Zach! I also got a reply from a friend of mine that is a chemist, and has worked a lot with car care products. Everyone has an opinion, and I like hearing as many as I can. Being a chemist with a complete understanding of polymers and how they work is great, and helps me understand the "why" part, but it's hard to beat the practical experience Zach has!
According to my friend, a carnauba sits on top of the paint. A polymer WILL create a chemical bond., and paint "coatings" are simply a different bond, usually more durable than the typical sealant with polymers.
Also, "high pressure washes create a good deal of friction and will likely degrade a sealant. However, you won't be able to remove it unless you're trying. In that case, you will likely damage the paint as well". According to him, people tend to think the high pressure strips the sealant because the beading gets "sloppy" during the wash process, due to the strong detergents breaking the surface tension of the beads. Like Zach, he recommends a good rinse followed by a "spotless" rinse to restore the beading. Also like Zach, he adds a spray wax after the wash to restore any degradation, but he stresses the bond for spray on sealants usually isn't as strong as a regular sealant, and certainly not as strong as a coating.
I did order some Optimum No Rinse because of the recommendations found here, and reviews on other sites. I'm looking forward to trying it, but I'll still have to use the high pressure wash first, to get off the mag chloride and sand residue after a snow. I just can't help thinking that I'm grinding it into the paint, otherwise.
According to my friend, a carnauba sits on top of the paint. A polymer WILL create a chemical bond., and paint "coatings" are simply a different bond, usually more durable than the typical sealant with polymers.
Also, "high pressure washes create a good deal of friction and will likely degrade a sealant. However, you won't be able to remove it unless you're trying. In that case, you will likely damage the paint as well". According to him, people tend to think the high pressure strips the sealant because the beading gets "sloppy" during the wash process, due to the strong detergents breaking the surface tension of the beads. Like Zach, he recommends a good rinse followed by a "spotless" rinse to restore the beading. Also like Zach, he adds a spray wax after the wash to restore any degradation, but he stresses the bond for spray on sealants usually isn't as strong as a regular sealant, and certainly not as strong as a coating.
I did order some Optimum No Rinse because of the recommendations found here, and reviews on other sites. I'm looking forward to trying it, but I'll still have to use the high pressure wash first, to get off the mag chloride and sand residue after a snow. I just can't help thinking that I'm grinding it into the paint, otherwise.
11-20-14, 12:04 PM
#4
Thanks, Zach! I also got a reply from a friend of mine that is a chemist, and has worked a lot with car care products. Everyone has an opinion, and I like hearing as many as I can. Being a chemist with a complete understanding of polymers and how they work is great, and helps me understand the "why" part, but it's hard to beat the practical experience Zach has!
According to my friend, a carnauba sits on top of the paint. A polymer WILL create a chemical bond., and paint "coatings" are simply a different bond, usually more durable than the typical sealant with polymers.
Also, "high pressure washes create a good deal of friction and will likely degrade a sealant. However, you won't be able to remove it unless you're trying. In that case, you will likely damage the paint as well". According to him, people tend to think the high pressure strips the sealant because the beading gets "sloppy" during the wash process, due to the strong detergents breaking the surface tension of the beads. Like Zach, he recommends a good rinse followed by a "spotless" rinse to restore the beading. Also like Zach, he adds a spray wax after the wash to restore any degradation, but he stresses the bond for spray on sealants usually isn't as strong as a regular sealant, and certainly not as strong as a coating.
I did order some Optimum No Rinse because of the recommendations found here, and reviews on other sites. I'm looking forward to trying it, but I'll still have to use the high pressure wash first, to get off the mag chloride and sand residue after a snow. I just can't help thinking that I'm grinding it into the paint, otherwise.
According to my friend, a carnauba sits on top of the paint. A polymer WILL create a chemical bond., and paint "coatings" are simply a different bond, usually more durable than the typical sealant with polymers.
Also, "high pressure washes create a good deal of friction and will likely degrade a sealant. However, you won't be able to remove it unless you're trying. In that case, you will likely damage the paint as well". According to him, people tend to think the high pressure strips the sealant because the beading gets "sloppy" during the wash process, due to the strong detergents breaking the surface tension of the beads. Like Zach, he recommends a good rinse followed by a "spotless" rinse to restore the beading. Also like Zach, he adds a spray wax after the wash to restore any degradation, but he stresses the bond for spray on sealants usually isn't as strong as a regular sealant, and certainly not as strong as a coating.
I did order some Optimum No Rinse because of the recommendations found here, and reviews on other sites. I'm looking forward to trying it, but I'll still have to use the high pressure wash first, to get off the mag chloride and sand residue after a snow. I just can't help thinking that I'm grinding it into the paint, otherwise.
Great info, thanks for sharing!
ONR is certainly a great product to have in your arsenal, but you're correct to spray the vehicle off first if it has a large buildup of crud on the surface. This may not be needed during summer months when the only type of dirt is from typical road grime and rain spots. Just pre-soak each panel with ONR to provide additional lubrication, too.
-Zach
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