Foam Pad Care?

[A - 1]

I've been using Meguiars products for over 30 years on my boats, and really enjoy them. I have both a Porter Cable 7336 and a Makita 9227C. Predominantly I prefer the W5500 type foam pad Soft Buff on a 5/8" threaded disk. My question is, has anyone got a good way of removing the old wax products from these foam pads? I keep each wax to the same pad, and now have a dozen or so contaminated pads which are fairly glopped up. Shaking and spinning doesn't seem to get much of it.

I'm hoping there is a neat trick to refurbing them, as they still have life left and the cost to replace is over $100.00

Thanks for any help.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi A-1,

The W-5500 is the foam pad that is permanently attached to a plastic backing plate, as such the best way to clean them is to hold a nylon brush, like a tooth brush against them when they are dry while bringing the rpm's up on your rotary buffer. This will act to kick off any excess dried product. Use the highest speed setting. When your pads are wet, you can carefully hold an absorbent terry cloth towel against them while bringing the rpm's up on your rotary buffer. This will act to draw excess product out.