Purple Foamed Wool Users

Whats the best way to clean? How many do you go thru on your avg size car?

 

I find PFW to clean up much better than foam pads (would make sense ). On a very heavily damaged car, I went through about 30 PFW pads. I had 6 at my disposal, which I washed 5 times. I had excellent luck using CWG at a little less than car wash dilution in a wash bucket and just soaking them in for a couple of minutes. Even in near freezing water, it worked really well and rinsed out fast.

They clean up well with just dishwashing liquid and warm water as well. I usually mist a bit of APC on mine and agitating the fibers a bit before putting them in the wash dilution. I've never machine washed my pads.

 

I've only used mine twice and both times I gave them a few light squirts of 5:1 APC, massaged in some warm water and then rinsed out in some fresh water before being left to dry (squeezed as much excess water out as I could)

Hope that helps

 

Damn you needed 30 pads to clean that car? Wow, that's insane. I know they gunk up fast but that is just wild. They are definitely worth it though.

 

I have some at work and just throw them in the wash machine and there great. I air dry them. theyve probably been washed 10x. look as good as new.

 

I clean them in a solution of Micro Restore and water. While I am polishing with it though I use a spur after 1-2 sections. The spur gets the majority of gunk and dust out so you do not have to keep switching pads

 

I usually use my UPW for most of my pads when I'm in the field. I'm thinking of starting to wash them in the washer since I've had great results with that.

 

omg, 30 PFW for 1 car is insane. I just bought only 1 recently and can't wait to try it out myself.

 

I think he meant the equivalent of 30 pads ("I had 6 at my disposal, which I washed 5 times") 6 X 5 = 30 but I could be mistaken

 

I throw my pads in the washer with 2 oz Hi-Temp Prep Wash and run the delicate cycle. I wash foam and wool separately. My pads always come out looking brand new; haven't damaged a pad to date.

 

So you can put foam pads in to the washing machine too?

 

Yes you can put the foam pads in the washing machine just make sure to have 2 rinse cycles so you can get all the detergent your using out. Then I air dry my pads some where warm so it dries faster.

 

Many manufacturers do not recommend machine washing pads. I suspect it is considered a liability because it is not the most gentle way to clean pads. The bond between the hook and loop attachment medium and foam material appears to be the chief concern when cleaning pads; therefore, the gentlest method is advised to minimize the potential for adhesive failure. Although machine washing is not gentle in comparison to hand washing, it is simple and effective.

 

Cool! Do you guys throw foam app pads in to the machine too?

 

Yes. However, I recommend using a detergent which is specifically formulated to clean polishing media. I generally use Hi-Temp Prep Wash; however, Chemical Guy's Pad Cleaner or Microfiber Wash is also very effective. I begin by setting the machine to delicate cycle, fill the machine with warm water, add a predetermined amount of detergent (2 oz - small, 3 oz - medium, 4 oz - large), set pads in the machine, let pads soak for 15 minutes, close machine top, return after machine accomplishes cycle and complete an extra spin cycle. Pads should be virtually dry after the second spin cycle.

 

Sweet! i got gallons of CG mircofiber wash. No more siting pads in bucket overnight

 

Agreed.

 

I will say the old megs pads are not good in the washer though. lake country are fine.

 

You can use a spur, brush, or MF towel to clean them while polishing. Otherwise you can clean them the same way you clean foam pads. The cleaner the pad is during polishing the better. So either use a bunch, or clean often while polishing.

 

I only have two foamed wool and just spur them after each section is polished (ie - every 3 x 3 ft area)
wool can be spurred but foam should not

All my pads including meg's go into the machine with earths choice laundry liquid and two rinse cycles and I have never had a problem with any of them having velcro failure or other drama's

Though as I use my pads, I have a bucket of water and a little driven multi surface to soak them and clean them as I use another one of the same grade. then I hand clean the first one and bring it back into use