Cleaning Foam Handpads

[HealthyCivic]

What do you guys do with your used foam handpads? I say "handpad" to distinguish from the buffer pads. I'm talking about the foam pads like the ones that come with the NXT Tech Wax. Do you wash them or buy new ones after each use? If you wash them, how? I just ScrachXed/waxed my car recently and both pads are dirty so I figure I shouldn't use them again unless replaced or washed. Thanks.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

There's at least a dozen threads on this topic but I'm not sure what kind of search term you would use to locate any of them.

At work we just throw them in the wash machine and then the dryer and in most cases delegate them to tire dressing applicators because we keep a fresh supply of new ones in the garage for paint work.

You can wash them and use them over again but if you really want to get them clean then figure out a way to squish them under warm running water with some kind of soap and squish the residual product out of the foam before placing them in the washing machine.

The washing machine is good, but it doesn't have little hands that come out and squish the foam to get most of the residual chemicals out of the foam and that is the goal, get the pads clean, both inside and out.

[HealthyCivic]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

Thanks Mike!

[Black Bart]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

I wash mine by hand use a dish soap and after running warm water on them and squeeze what you can get out of them use a generous amount of liquid soap and work it in then rinse and rinse until when you squeeze nothing but clear water comes out.
The cost of the hot water and soap will probably cost nearly as much as a new one but I wash mine and reuse them.

[EPHIOS]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

I put warm water in a container with dishwashing soap. I let the foam pads soak, then squish it a couple of times. Then, I let it sit overnight to loosen the wax on the pads. Rinse in the morning, let it air dry.

[Murr1525]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

Yeah, toss them in a bucket with Dawn and water... rinse out the next day.

[spamlova]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

I've been using Dawn Power Dissolver for a while now, and it gets the pads looking like they just came out of the wrapper. Spray on, let sit for 5 min, massage out under running water. It even works on pads saturated with NXT 2.0. Plus side, you can use it on your greasy dishes too!

[Black Bart]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

If you let them soak or clean them right away be sure to rinse them good.
if you leave soap residue then when you use them and they get wet from product you will get some of the soap.
I always rinse under a stream of water and keep squeezing them till the water comes out looking clear no soap bubbles.

[yakky]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

dawn power disolver will even get nxt stained pads back to new. nothing OTC comes close.

[HealthyCivic]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

Thanks guys I'll try that out.

[Jokeman]

Re: Cleaning Foam Handpads

dawn power disolver will even get nxt stained pads back to new. nothing OTC comes close.

That stuff is strong!