[MERLIN335i]

I cannot believe this has not been asked before, but have searched on here and Detailing World using "polish" and "residue" keywords but no luck.

How do you remove polish residue in stone chips ?????

Seem to remember someone suggested a "cocktail stick", but would prefer a "chemical" solution, obviously one that does not remove polish or wax.

A few extra chips have become visible, thanks to the white residue !

Any suggestions welcome.

[creepy coupe]

I've used lighter fluid in the past.

[E92Fan]

Cotton bud?

[335iLondon]

Fill em with paint

[Mr Plum]

If its at the polish stage and yet to apply any wax or sealant try wiping it down with IPA (isopropyl alcohol rather than India pale ale...). Should shift polish residue. Just be aware that if your polish has fillers it will take them away. If so consider using a glaze after the ipa wipedown to mask any swirls etc

[willhollin]

Tampax?

[MERLIN335i]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

I've used lighter fluid in the past.

Originally Posted by E92Fan

Cotton bud?

Tony, I feel honoured, thought you had "retired",

Originally Posted by Mr Plum

If its at the polish stage and yet to apply any wax or sealant try wiping it down with IPA (isopropyl alcohol rather than India pale ale...). Should shift polish residue. Just be aware that if your polish has fillers it will take them away. If so consider using a glaze after the ipa wipedown to mask any swirls etc

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, will try them out.

So its either lighter fuel on a cotton bud, or IPA on a cotton bud.

Mr Plum, where would I buy IPA ? Will it strip the wax ? If it does, then will be going around in circles, re-wax, more residue.

Originally Posted by willhollin

Tampax?

Will, I had stones land on the bonnet, NOT half-bricks.

[B005T3D-G]

Originally Posted by 335iLondon

Fill em with paint

I agree.

Remove the residue by any means possible then touch up the chips, flatten with T-Cut or an equivalent then polish the car. Hey presto, no white residue and existing chips are no longer obvious.

Understandably this can take time which some people don't have a lot of these days but the end results are worth it.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by B005T3D-G

I agree.

Remove the residue by any means possible then touch up the chips, flatten with T-Cut or an equivalent then polish the car. Hey presto, no white residue and existing chips are no longer obvious.

Understandably this can take time which some people don't have a lot of these days but the end results are worth it.

How can you flatten a stone chip with T Cut?

[rich1068]

It's the wire brush you apply it with.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by rich1068

It's the wire brush you apply it with.

Ah reet

[chrisbmwcy]

Originally Posted by 335iLondon

Fill em with paint

+1

I painted my bumper and bonnet. Too many stone chips.. And it looked horrible old and very very used.

[bmwak]

Clay bar with a detailer

[MERLIN335i]

Originally Posted by 335iLondon

Fill em with paint

I will do eventually, but before you can do this, you still need to clean-out the residue in the chip.

Further to Mr Plum's comment about IPA, I find that I have loads "in stock" already.

"Medi-Swab", the pad they clean you skin with prior to giving you an injection, the liquid on the pad is IPA.

So will try this at the weekend.

[MERLIN335i]

Originally Posted by chrisbmwcy

+1

I painted my bumper and bonnet. Too many stone chips.. And it looked horrible old and very very used.

I only have a few chips, so not worth a respray yet. Knowing my luck I would only get some more on the way home from the paintshop

Glad to know I am not the only one with good taste when it comes to car colour

[B005T3D-G]

Originally Posted by creepy coupe

How can you flatten a stone chip with T Cut?

Haha, I suspect a misunderstanding.

When you've applied the touch up paint you may be left with a slightly raised surface once dry depending on the size of the chip (I always get it with small chip touch ups but then I'm no Picasso) so I flatten it down with T-cut flush with the original paint before polishing. This doesn't apply if your using a 'Chip Stick' but I've never rated those kits.

[Mr Plum]

IPA will remove wax. I thought you were trying to remove polish residue. That said if you remove whatever residue you have and wax carefully you should be able to avoid any further residue. Out of interest - what polish and wax are you using?

The word wire brush should never be used in relation to paintwork in my book - but then neither should T-Cut in my mind, very aggressive product. If you want to flat out the raised surface left by a paint chip fill try some of those nail varnish remover pads. It won't remove clear coat but should flatten off any raised paint. I doubt you'd be able to use T-Cut in a sufficiently confined area to avoid damaging the paintwork/clearcoat around the chip if I'm honest.

[rich1068]

But I like using the word wire brush in relation to paintwork

[Frobius]

IPA will remove wax, polish residue and any unprotected paint!

I used some on a cotton bud on the E46 and found it was great at cleaning out stone chips full of polish residue. Use sparingly! I'd be reticent to use those pads you're talking about.. although that said, some people use IPA to clean their whole car after washing before polishing etc.

One thing to note is that once you use the IPA, you'll get marks on the paint - like a sort of residue from the IPA evaporating. This can apparently be mimimised by using higher % alcohol IPA, usually found in pharmacies. I think you need 97%+ or so for good measure. I used 94% and still found a little residue. Although, to be fair it rubbed off with a microfibre.

[MERLIN335i]

Originally Posted by Mr Plum

what polish and wax are you using?

AutoGlym Super Resin & BMW Nano Hardwax.

[MERLIN335i]

Originally Posted by Frobius

IPA will remove wax, polish residue and any unprotected paint!

I used some on a cotton bud on the E46 and found it was great at cleaning out stone chips full of polish residue. Use sparingly! I'd be reticent to use those pads you're talking about.. although that said, some people use IPA to clean their whole car after washing before polishing etc.

One thing to note is that once you use the IPA, you'll get marks on the paint - like a sort of residue from the IPA evaporating. This can apparently be mimimised by using higher % alcohol IPA, usually found in pharmacies. I think you need 97%+ or so for good measure. I used 94% and still found a little residue. Although, to be fair it rubbed off with a microfibre.

Just checked the "Medi Swab" pads, they are 70% IPA, will carefully try them today.

[Mr Plum]

Super resin polish does produce a lot of residue but I think it does a great job. It has fillers in it too so if you are happy with the results of the polishing I'd tackle the chips in as focused a way as possible with some IPA/cotton bud and then once dry just wax over the top for some protection. I'd only use the nail varnish pads for taking excess touch up point (again in a very isolated way).

I have IPA'd my whole car and can report no adverse results. If you are using a polish with fillers/or a glaze you will be undoing any of the filling that they have done though. If you machine polish properly an ipa wipedown should simply get rid of any polish residue enabling you to seal/wax your "perfect" finish.

Hth.