Ever wander what it means to "Decontaminate the paint" on your vehicle?? I thought I'd share a couple of examples and some photos to explain.
Paint decontamination is the process of removing embedded contaminants such as airborne compounds, brake dust, industrial partials, rail dust, ferrous (iron containing) particles, paint overspray, grit, road grime etc. that have become embedded in the paint surface that normal washing does not remove. Most of the time you can't even see it on your paint, but you can definitely feel it. After washing your car, or even running it through the carwash, if your paint doesn't feel smooth like glass, it needs to be deconed. By not decontatining your paint, these particles will build up and cause rust, discoloration of your pain, oxidation and even break down the clear coat on your vehicle causing permanent damage.
To protect your investment in you vehicle, manufactures paint centers suggest having the exterior decontaminated twice yearly.
At Delux Detail there are several ways we remove decon on your vehicle. This is considered the preparation stage.
*We begin by using an iron fallout remover spray. The key ingredient in a fallout remover is Thioglycolic acid which bleeds red on contact with ferrous material which in this situation is mainly brake dust on wheels and paint.
*Then a hand wash using our foam cannon.
*The clay bar is then used to remove any superficial decon.
After these processes are complete, if there is future damage from contaminates, such as oxidation, swirl marks, scratches, etc. a 2-step compound process is used for removal and restoration of the paint. This process is the paint correction stage and can actually change the color of the paint on your vehicle.
After all the prep work is complete, the protection stage begins.
*A high-end sealant is applied to the surface to seal the paint. Glazes contain micro-refined oils, fillers, and leveling agents to fill in light swirls and scratches. This step protects the clear coat from all the contaminates that was just removed.
*Finally a premium wax/sealant is applied for a high gloss and shine.
Our SHOW CAR DETAIL Package, with paint correction is our high end, most intense exterior detail. Within this process, a vehicle can be gone over anywhere from 10 - 12 times. It is labor, product and time intensive, but it offers THE BEST protection and shine for maintaining the intriguing of your vehicles exterior and increasing the value of your vehicle.
SIDE NOTE: Some think because their vehicle is new that this process isn't necessary. On the contrary, a new vehicle is even MORE of a reason for this process. At the cost of vehicles today, keeping them maintained is necessary. If the vehicle is new, it is less labor intensive to decon and you have a better chance of protecting your investment for years to come.