Cleaning Pads of Residue

[CARTfan]

How do you guys clean your pads as you work on a vehicle? Say my orange pad is loaded with compound after doing a few panels; how would you go about cleaning the pad mid detail?

I usually just switch to another pad.

Tips? Tricks?

[tuscarora dave]

I spray min down with PB APC and work it in a bit and then just rinse with the hose a few times. Then I put them on my polisher and spin them dry at highest speed setting.

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[Bunky]

I just wiped them well with <no brand name mentioned> terry cloth towel (more or less how Mike Phillips did it. I use at least 2 to 3 min when I do a lot of polishing.

[Beemerboy]

If you are talking about well you are using them, there is a brush / scraper that will take the bulk of the product off, I have a small brush that works wonders. I also have a terry towel to clean as I go

[RaskyR1]

I use a MF towel and clean them on the fly after each panel. After they become too clogged up I clean it in the UPW and then spin to dry on the rotary. I grab a new pad while the other dries.

Dawn Power Dissolver helps too.

[ccking85]

I thought you werent suppose to use Dawn because it could mess the velcro on the pads.

[belcherm58]

I spray them with a Citrus APC and rinse with water and squeeze them out and put back on
the buffer and run at highest setting to sling as much as possible off. The citrus apc does a better job than any other apc I have tried. I get one at Walmart called Orange Blast that works really well and cheap. I was using a dish detergent last time I was doing some buffing and rinsed until water was running clear. Sprayed the Orange Blast on the pad and started rinsing again and the water was very milky. That showed me the Orange Blast broke down more product again and released it from the pad.

[cheapshot]

I use a MF towel, after a panel or two. I Wrap the MF in a tight ball in my hand, I place the machine between my legs, and let it rip holding the mf to the pad, moving it around on the pad (from center to edge).


I clean my pads by hand in the sink with dawn, I recently started using a lil' APC+ as a presoak, then do a dawn soak, squeeze the day lights out of them with my hands and fingers, then a plain warm water soak and rinse. They appear to be very clean when I am done. The sink looks nasty.

I tried this with FS-UPP finishing pad, and my hands felt sealed. LOL

[Jeremy]

I use that orange brush that the vendors sell,I like it a lot and works well

[groebuck]

what happened to putting them in the washing machine? am I old school? lol I have the pad cleaning brush and usually have enough pads I can switch out.

[ArmstrongDetailing]

Originally Posted by cheapshot

I tried this with FS-UPP finishing pad, and my hands felt sealed. LOL

I have experienced this too. I also tried to clean a pad out one time that had Ultima Tire and Trim Guard on it and my hands had a nice thick layer of protection on them. It was a bear to get off. Made me feel good about using the stuff because it held up so well on my hands.

Originally Posted by groebuck

what happened to putting them in the washing machine? am I old school? lol I have the pad cleaning brush and usually have enough pads I can switch out.

The main thing is to not put them in the dryer. Using your washing machine isn't always OK with the wife who believes you are contaminating it.

[Dwayne]

Cleaning pads in a bucket actually uses much less water than washing by machine and it's easier on the pads so they will last longer. I can wash a few dozen pads with 2-3 gallons of water either in a bucker with a foam pad conditioning brush or by using the Universal Pad Washer.

[Bunky]

I like Optimum Power Clean to clean pads. Unlike say Dawn, it removes wax/polish quickly and rinses cleanly.

[JohnHenry]

Grit Guard Universal Pad Washer,Dual action orbital pad washer, foam and wool pad washer, rotary pad washer, Cyclo pad washer, Porter Cable pad

Cannot be beat!

[groebuck]

Originally Posted by Troy@DetailCity

I have experienced this too. I also tried to clean a pad out one time that had Ultima Tire and Trim Guard on it and my hands had a nice thick layer of protection on them. It was a bear to get off. Made me feel good about using the stuff because it held up so well on my hands.



The main thing is to not put them in the dryer. Using your washing machine isn't always OK with the wife who believes you are contaminating it.

wait don't put them in the dryer?? :P

I have one of those 1000 rpm spin cycle top loaders - a lil all free and clear and 10 mins later I gots clean practically dry pads.