Washing after Paint - TriStateTuners.com :: Home of Tristate Auto Enthusiast

AutobahnRacer · 03-03-2011, 03:10 PM

So apparently I cannot get a straight answer.

After having a car or section of car painted, what is the wait time before being able to wash it?

supraghost · 03-03-2011, 03:17 PM

a week or two. depends on the paint.

AutobahnRacer · 03-03-2011, 03:19 PM

That would be awesome, because I want to wash it before Fast Five and Sonic meets.

slideORdie · 03-03-2011, 03:22 PM

also depends on how often car is on the sun cause the heat help the paint cure so as stated before most likely you should wait at least a week or two ..

92awdtsi · 03-03-2011, 03:47 PM

Also make sure you do a hand wash. Do NOT go through an automatic car wash with less than 2 month old paint.

AutobahnRacer · 03-03-2011, 03:55 PM

Only automatic ones I go to are touchless, but thanks for the heads up. Handwash it is

mitsuboost30 · 03-03-2011, 04:10 PM

I was always told a month... for hand washing.. you can spray it after 2-3 weeks..

devildog214 · 03-03-2011, 04:28 PM

i was told a few weeks, and not to use soap with wax additives

daewoo · 03-03-2011, 05:30 PM

I was told when i got my car painted to only hand wash it and DO NOT wax it the first 3 months. after that you can go to a carwash and wax it.

15psi88 · 03-04-2011, 12:40 AM

Is water going to reverse the chemical reaction that occurred or what? I don't understand the wait x amount of time thing.
Waxing is one thing.
Washing isn't going to bother day old paint. I've cut and buffed panels the day after they came out of the booth.
Especially if you only had a panel or two painted. They probably used a spot clear that "sets" quicker than an overall clear.(assuming we are talking about 2k clear)

SvicksTc · 03-04-2011, 02:03 AM

do not wax until at least 3 months depending on the paint

slideORdie · 03-04-2011, 03:12 AM

its all depends on the paint and how it is done ..i work at a body shop and i was cars after they have been painted ( hand washed) .. but thats also after they come out of a hot paint booth and the paint has cured but i would not wax a car for a few months .

evomike · 03-04-2011, 01:57 PM

Wash it immediately whenever you want there is no set time for washing you can wash it right out of the booth, just don't wax it that you can't do.

RyanG · 03-04-2011, 11:45 PM

You can wash it after it cures. Most paint without a booth cures in 24hrs. Enough to wash, wet sand and buff. You can wax it after as well, its not going to hurt it if it was painted properly. We just painted my rear bumper and waxed it 3 times within 48hrs. Itll be just fine ;)

The only reason why body shops tell you not to wax it right away is they dont want you to **** up their paint job. Even tho the paint is "cured" its still soft.. The average knucklehead with a dirty applicator will screw up their hard work. So they make you wait till the clear is rock hard so you cant screw it up. If you arent a fool you can wax right away ;)

03-03-2011, 03:10 PM	#1
AutobahnRacer Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TriState, PA Member #2056 iTrader: (3)	Washing after Paint So apparently I cannot get a straight answer. After having a car or section of car painted, what is the wait time before being able to wash it?

03-03-2011, 03:47 PM	#5
92awdtsi Tri-State Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: east greenville pa Member #8248 My Ride: 92 talon tsi awd iTrader: (0)	Also make sure you do a hand wash. Do NOT go through an automatic car wash with less than 2 month old paint. __________________ 92 eclipse gsx- 12.83@109.51 broken

03-03-2011, 05:30 PM	#9
daewoo Tri-State Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Lansdale Member #13542 My Ride: gsr civic and goped sport iTrader: (0)	I was told when i got my car painted to only hand wash it and DO NOT wax it the first 3 months. after that you can go to a carwash and wax it. __________________ "camden hookers and cars with no bumpers. The cars look (and probably smell) better."

03-04-2011, 02:03 AM	#11
SvicksTc Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Spoolin a Snail Member #7395 My Ride: Nike 6.0 iTrader: (1)	do not wax until at least 3 months depending on the paint __________________ Why V-tec When there is To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. ? \|Nikon\| Twitter: To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures.

03-04-2011, 11:45 PM	#14
RyanG Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Easton, PA Member #63 iTrader: (1)	You can wash it after it cures. Most paint without a booth cures in 24hrs. Enough to wash, wet sand and buff. You can wax it after as well, its not going to hurt it if it was painted properly. We just painted my rear bumper and waxed it 3 times within 48hrs. Itll be just fine ;) The only reason why body shops tell you not to wax it right away is they dont want you to **** up their paint job. Even tho the paint is "cured" its still soft.. The average knucklehead with a dirty applicator will screw up their hard work. So they make you wait till the clear is rock hard so you cant screw it up. If you arent a fool you can wax right away ;) __________________ I am Area1320 To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 signatures. Last edited by RyanG; 03-04-2011 at 11:48 PM.

03-03-2011, 03:19 PM	#3
AutobahnRacer Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TriState, PA Member #2056 iTrader: (3)	That would be awesome, because I want to wash it before Fast Five and Sonic meets.

03-03-2011, 03:22 PM	#4
slideORdie Tri-State Aficionado Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: levittown Member #14414 My Ride: 94 mustang ... sold , 92 240sx iTrader: (0)	also depends on how often car is on the sun cause the heat help the paint cure so as stated before most likely you should wait at least a week or two ..

03-03-2011, 03:55 PM	#6
AutobahnRacer Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: TriState, PA Member #2056 iTrader: (3)	Only automatic ones I go to are touchless, but thanks for the heads up. Handwash it is

03-03-2011, 04:10 PM	#7
mitsuboost30 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Jul 2008 Member #8197 My Ride: look at the picture..... iTrader: (3)	I was always told a month... for hand washing.. you can spray it after 2-3 weeks..

03-03-2011, 04:28 PM	#8
devildog214 Tri-State Aficionado Join Date: Dec 2009 Member #15356 My Ride: 1994 Pontiac Trans Am iTrader: (0)	i was told a few weeks, and not to use soap with wax additives

03-04-2011, 12:40 AM	#10
15psi88 Tri-State Addict Join Date: Aug 2007 Member #5625 My Ride: Is always a project. iTrader: (0)	Is water going to reverse the chemical reaction that occurred or what? I don't understand the wait x amount of time thing. Waxing is one thing. Washing isn't going to bother day old paint. I've cut and buffed panels the day after they came out of the booth. Especially if you only had a panel or two painted. They probably used a spot clear that "sets" quicker than an overall clear.(assuming we are talking about 2k clear)

03-04-2011, 03:12 AM	#12
slideORdie Tri-State Aficionado Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: levittown Member #14414 My Ride: 94 mustang ... sold , 92 240sx iTrader: (0)	its all depends on the paint and how it is done ..i work at a body shop and i was cars after they have been painted ( hand washed) .. but thats also after they come out of a hot paint booth and the paint has cured but i would not wax a car for a few months .

03-04-2011, 01:57 PM	#13
evomike Tri-State Post Whore Join Date: Sep 2006 Member #2578 My Ride: 03 duramax and a 04 evo iTrader: (3)	Wash it immediately whenever you want there is no set time for washing you can wash it right out of the booth, just don't wax it that you can't do.

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