Color contamination on pads

[magnus]

Both of my personal vehicles (white) have a clear coat with little to no oxidation. However, I am planning on doing a friends vehicle (light metallic blue) that does not have a clear coat and medium oxidation. I am worried that my pads will pick up the paint color of the friends car and then might do something to my vehicles when I work on them next.

How likely is this to happen? Will cleaning the pads (using water instead of dry methods) reduce or eliminate the risk?

Thanks for the help!

[jfelbab]

Even with washing, the color from non-CC paint will not be removed. That said, I don't wash my pads and the color has never transfered in my use, even to white. The pads may not look good but they work the same.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi magnus,

Like jfelbab posted, while the pad may not look pretty, it won't effect performance and it won't dye the next car you do a strange color.

The only exception would be if you buff out a single stage color, like red, and then buff out a single stage white finish, I would think that if you didn't clean the pad to the best of your ability you might see a little color transfer in the beginning, but as your work the pad against the white paint, your chemical of choice and the paint residue you're removing will dilute the effect and then turn your pad white.

The big pictures is it shouldn't be an performance or results issue, just an aesthetic issue.

Mike

[magnus]

Good to know. Thank you gentlemen!

I was worried that I would have to make another investment in pads! It didn't sound logical to have hundreds of pad lying around for those of you who have detailed numerous vehicles, but I thought I would ask, just to make sure.

[Tim Lingor]

Hey Magnus,

I have to agree with the others. In all of my years of detailing, I have never had a problems with paint transfer between non-BC/CC paints when using the same buffing pads.

Tim

[Lt1Corvette]

What if the color contamination is on a finishing pad that is used for waxing. I waxed a guys old red Porsche after claying and glazing it. I ended up pulling quite a bit of paint onto the pad. I have been reluctant to reuse the pad. Though everyone has agreed that there is minimal to no transfer on a cutting pad, how about a finishing wax pad.

[SilverS2k]

Will all single stage paint contaminate the pads? The only time I've ever had paint go onto my pads was on a Miata and some body kit pieces on a focus. I recently read on here that Miatas have single stage paint and that kind of got me thinking because that was the same case with the focus parts. In both cases some TLC to the pads made them look fine.

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by Lt1Corvette
What if the color contamination is on a finishing pad that is used for waxing. I waxed a guys old red Porsche after claying and glazing it. I ended up pulling quite a bit of paint onto the pad. I have been reluctant to reuse the pad. Though everyone has agreed that there is minimal to no transfer on a cutting pad, how about a finishing wax pad.

Clean the pad as best as you can and it will be perfectly okay to use again.

Mike