I want to totally strip all of last years Zaino polish off and apply a different version of the Zaino line.

I previously have used the "Dawn dishwashing liquid" trick to remove the previous years polish. Lately though, I've heard different opinions on its effectiveness. So, I'm looking into other possible solutions.

I was considering a mixture of 50% water with 50% Isopropyl Alcohol. I've also read about Meguiar's All Purpose Cleaner Plus (a non-butyl cleaner) diluted 64:1 will remove wax, but this product is being replaced with a butyl based cleaner. The new butyl based cleaner says to dilute 4:1 for dewaxing. I don't know enough about either to know if it is safe for my paint.

I've also read from another post about wax removal around emblemsMrapii wrote:
I use denatured alcohol and even full strength it won't damage cured paint.

and 70ELCO wrote:
The miracle product to remove anything on your paint....a "MILD" enamel reducer you can buy a auto paint supplier



Any suggestions or opinions
.

I thought Zaino polish was a polymer rather than carnuba based? According to their hype the more coats the deeper the shine. Have you checked their web site for a pre-polish cleaner. I know when I was in the body shop years ago we used a wash called" silicone wax remover", very effective. Myself after a show season I'll use a foam pad on a DA polisher and use Meguiars "show car glaze" which is a very mild cleaner to remove any fine scratches. After that reapply a few coats of Zaino Z5 or Z2.

Sal Zaino recommends Dawn. From Spring through fall I must put on easily 10-15 layers of Zaino. Come Spring I wash the car with Dawn and give it a good clay bar cleaning. I usually give it two good Dawn cleanings then wash it with Zaino car shampoo. The finish comes out very "squeaky" for lack of a better word. There appears to be no polish on the surface at all.

According to their hype the more coats the deeper the shine. Have you checked their web site for a pre-polish cleaner.

Good point about pre-polish cleaner! I currently use the old formula Z2, but want to go with the Z2-Pro. I also apply many layers during a car show season, but strip it off in the spring to start fresh.

This year, I will be using the new Z-PC (which is Zaino's Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover), then Z2-Pro w/ZFX. At the start of the season, I'll apply three coats. Before I do though, and before I clay, I want the surface as polish/wax free as possible.

From some of the other detailer websites I visit, there is much discussion on the merits of using Dawn, which I have used in the past. That is why I am going to try something different this year.

At this point, I'm leaning towards using a mixture of 50% water with 50% Isopropyl Alcohol to "dewax" the entire Elco. I've used this in small quantities in the past to remove wax residue from in-between emblems and seams (from the previous owners wax job).

Leo, I'm going to be using your Magic Cube also. My plan to prep the Elco is to strip the wax off using the 50/50 ISA, wash with Z-7, Magic Cube it, then clay it. After the prep, I'll apply one layer of Z-PC, then three layers of Z2-Pro w/ZFX, with a quick Z-6 QD in-between layers. Then top off with Z-8 Grand Finale Spray Seal.

Opinions are always welcome. This years Zaino and Magic Cube are on its way, and the weather is still lousy. So I have plenty of time before I start.

Thanks again.

Jay, all sounds greast except one thing, use the Magic Cube after the clay, the clay is much more aggressive. You should also use the cube every couple of washes.

Thanks for the clarification Leo. Even though it is cold and snow flurries outside, I'm getting that spring fever :)

Come Spring I wash the car with Dawn and give it a good clay bar cleaning.

Is Clay Bar safe for a relatively new paint job?

Is Clay Bar safe for a relatively new paint job?

Of course, clay won't hurt your paint, you just need to watch for foreign particles stuck in it which can scratch. Just keep foding it in on itself.

Hey Jay, How's it going? App. a year ago I put a set of stainless steel rocker panels on my Caddy. The type with the 3M adhesive backing. The instructions called for complete removal of wax by using a really harsh chemical that I can't pronounce. I couldn't get the product from any suppliers because it's now outlawed, seems it's used in bomb making nowadays. At any rate, I was told to use Dupont bug and tar remover, as the chemical makeup will do the job. The label does state it will safely remove everything, including your wax. The panels I installed were app. 5 inches wide down the length of the car. After marking the area, I used the stuff twice then washed it with dawn, and buddy, the wax was gone. You could really see the difference above and below that line. The paint I used it on is a pearlesant white, basecoat/clearcoat, and it did no damage to my paint whatsoever. On my second use of the product I used a dark blue rag to see if any of the paint was coming off, and it wasn't. So that was my experience with the bug and tar remover, but please be careful, the stuff is quite strong. I'd try it behind a bumper or somewhere small first. Let us know how it turns out. Good luck.

Hey Jay,

I think I would go with the Dawn method. Why not just use a really high concentration, to make sure it does the job?

Dawn now makes a foaming pump (to use at the sink). I would think you could squirt this directly on your wash mitt, and cover the whole vehicle with it. Let it sit to work its magic, then hose it off.

I'm sure you'll create a lot of bubbles, but your driveway will be squeaky clean!

Well, it took a bit before some "detailing" type weather and some free time came together, but this past weekend it hit. Saturday's weather was cloudy and just a little warm at about 73 degree's w/ low humidity. Plus for the previous three weeks of nights and weekends, I've been painting interior rooms in the house and a ton of other crap that just needed to be done, but I kept putting off... :mad:

But this weekend gave me the chance to try some new Zaino polish and detailing products.

To prep the Elco:
1. Strip the wax off using 50/50 ISA solution. Spray on wipe off with FieldCrest Cannon 100% cotton towels.
2. Wash with Dawn twice w/ DF Concours MF wash mitt using the two bucket wash method.
3. Dry w/leaf blower.
4. Clay using Meguiar’s Smooth Surface Clay Kit. Used included Quik Detailer for lubrication. Kit came w/ two 50 gram clay bars. Only used one.
5. Wash with Z-7 DF Concours MF wash mitt and DF Concours Magic Cube.
6. Dry w/leaf blower and P21S drying towel.
7. Evaluate.
After the prep,
8. One layer of Z-PC Fusion Dual Action Paint Cleaner Swirl Remover.
9. One layer of Z5 w/ZFX Show Car Polish for Swirl Marks and Fine Scratches.
10. Two layers of Z2-Pro w/ZFX, with a quick Z-6 QD in-between layers.
Stop for the day. Zaino recommends not more than three layers of ZFX per 24-hour period.
Cover on for the night.
Next day re-evaluate.
11. One layer of Z2-Pro w/ZFX.
12. Top off w/ Z-6 QD.

While I tried to capture the depth, clarity and "wetness" of the new Zaino products, my pictures do not do it justice. But in person, the red color is deeper and darker. Zaino Show Car Polish rocks. It is like I just added three or four coats of clearcoat to the El Camino.

Check out some
of this weekends pictures (http://webpages.charter.net/jlevitan1/elky/currentext/page1/page1.html)

Beautiful!! You did a great job. You just gotta love Zaino on a red car... http://dftowel.com/lscsale/Images/lscsale-15.jpg

Beautiful!! You did a great job. You just gotta love Zaino on a red car...

Thanks Leo. Red cars and Zaino just rock. I keep looking for different more articulate words to describe the new Zaino, as I'm just so impressed with the results. I'm not sure, but it seems the shine is "harder" and "deeper", almost like the paint is now "encased" by the shine. It also has a different "feel" to it that I like.

Although I have the new Zaino Z-8 Grand Finale Spray Seal, I haven't used it yet. I have a charity car show that we've been invited to display the Elco at and have been saving it for that show. Any opinions on that product?

By the way, I used the Concours Magic Cube after I clayed and like it. It got into some of the more unusual contours of the Elco and helped me prep to get it super squeaky clean. Even though it wasn't very dirty, I threw it in the wash as I was washing my detailing towels anyway. Took it out and let it air dry and it held up just fine. Can I use the Magic Cube with Spray & Wipe Waterless Wash (http://www.poorboysworld.com/spray-wipe.htm)? Before I put the cover on the Elco after a drive, I use the Waterless wash. No sense putting a clean cover on a dirty car? Or should the cube be used when I have lots of water available? Just wondering as I probally wash with the Waterless wash more than I using regular water washing methods.

Thanks.

I've never tested it with the waterless wash but I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work.

Man, a73ElkySS you must have some tough arms, hands and shoulders. My arms and hands get tired after a regular 2 stage Zymol wax job.

Man, a73ElkySS you must have some tough arms, hands and shoulders. My arms and hands get tired after a regular 2 stage Zymol wax job.

Your getting sore after waxing actually indicates to me that you're doing something wrong! Morew than likely you're applying too much product which makes it much more difficult to remove.

You only need a very thin layer, thinner than you may realize. My rule of thumb in using liquid polishes is no more than a dime sized amount per 3 sq. foot section. SO in other wordsa I only use a dime amount for half my roof, maybe a little more for half the hood. You just need barely enough to haze the surface. ANything more makes for harder work and a waste of product.

An 8 oz bottle of Zaino Z-2Pro will last me all summer and I use it at least once a month.

When using paste waxes just a touch of the applicator into the wax and spread it as far as it will go.

Man, a73ElkySS you must have some tough arms, hands and shoulders. My arms and hands get tired after a regular 2 stage Zymol wax job.

:lol: :lol: :lol: You're to funny! I don't really have tough arms, hands, and shoulders at all. As a matter of fact, a little muscle degeneration going on there, but that is another story.

One of the fantastic benefits of Zaino is the extremely small amount of liquid polish that you apply and how easily it comes off. I've also found that using the correct MF towel makes a world of difference in removal.

I might add one side note. After stripping off all the old wax (and yes, what I did was a bit overkill 8O ), the first application of Zaino did go on a little slow and tedious. But after that, layering on multiple coats was a breeze, plus I sprayed it with quick detailer in between coats.