What does Paint Decon mean?
Alright… I love talking about this topic because it is simple and complicated at the same time, kind of a quirky subject.
First I will summarize the gist of it and then dive into each section later on. The Paint Decontamination we will be referencing in this blog is the process after the wash is completed, so lets hop in…! There are Chemical and Mechanical paint decontamination methods. They both remove Iron particles and other contaminates from brake dust and daily driving that get embedded in the paint that WILL NOT come off when the vehicle is washed. Paint Decontamination is a necessary step to having clean paint before a ceramic coating can be applied.
The Mechanical method is the most common method you will hear and see on social media, online, and from many detailers because it is the most known. What is a clay bar? Well… it is exactly what it says, it’s a bar of specially designed clay that is used with a lubricant on the paint to reduce the scratching and marring the paint receives. When we are “claying” the vehicle, we take the kneaded piece of clay and swipe it back and fourth to remove all of the embedded contaminates making it buttery smooth. Every panel or so we fold and knead the clay to “refresh” it for the next panel. If the clay falls on the ground, (it happens every now and then) it MUST be thrown away. Then…. somebody very intelligent invented synthetic clay. I very rubbery-feeling compound that is just as effective as regular clay, and if you drop it, just rinse it off and get back to work. Traditional clay bars are only a single use tool but synthetic clay is designed for 10+ cars. It is manufactured in mostly 3 Different Mediums; A clay disc, a clay towel, or a clay mitt (which is what I use). It is usually a bigger surface area than a traditional clay bar therefore making it more efficient to get around the vehicle in a timely manner. Alright Moving on…
When you hear the term Chemical Decontamination, think of your vehicle bleeding a purple color… Yes you heard that right, Bleeding… It is a chemical compound, also referred as an Iron Remover, that is sprayed over the vehicle that essentially speeds up the rust process on those little tiny imbedded iron particles on your paint so they don’t inhibit rust underneath your paint in the future. Now, I know your probably thinking… Why would I want my vehicle to rust faster? Well is is actually beneficial because the particles that are oxidizing have not come in contact with the metal underneath the paint yet so the actual body of the vehicle does not rust in the future. Ammonium-thioglycolate is the active ingredient that speeds up the process of oxidation when it comes into contact with ferrous metals. That allows the particles to be pulled off of the panel so they can be rinsed away. Ammonium-thioglycolate is what makes the product turn that purple color you might see watching a detailing video. After washing the vehicle we will spray this all over it because it is a very efficient method of removing imbedded iron particles out of the paint and wheels.
Okay, so why do you use both if they do the same job? I like to use both methods because after the iron remover is sprayed, it does not remove all the particles out of the paint, just the iron ones, hence the name. So, once the iron remover is rinsed off, we will then clay the vehicle to get all the other sorts of imbedded contaminates out of the paint, making your vehicle very buttery smooth. Usually following this process with Paint Correction and a Ceramic Coating. If you want more information on paint decontamination or ceramic coatings and the process of what it takes, CLICK HERE!
That just about sums up this blog about what paint decontamination is and all the nitty gritty about this process. You now know more than most human beings about detailing and the more you know, the more you can share with others. Stay tuned for the next one!
