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Paint Deep Clean

Old 11-24-22, 08:56 AM
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TiHabanero
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Paint Deep Clean

Need help figuring out how to deep clean the paint on a 1979 Raleigh Pro without damaging the decals. The decals are super thin and have no clear coat over them. My guess is they are alcohol transfers or water transfers. Any ideas on how to deep clean the paint without damaging the decals?
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Old 11-24-22, 10:08 AM
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Not touch the decals during the paint rubbing out??? How clean are you aiming for. There are auto industry products that are made for this stuff. Will there be an after cleaning clear coat?

I had a 1976 Pro back when it was current tech. It was a really nice riding bike, especially with it's Mavic Oros and Clement Cottons. Andy
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Old 11-25-22, 06:01 PM
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The decals are not going to tolerate any abrasive, thus I'm thinking chemical only, and mild chemical at that. Been thinking of a degreaser with some surfactant, but I just don't know how durable the decals are. Don't have any place on the frame to test decals. Perhaps some Dawn soap and hot water is all it will tolerate.
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Old 11-26-22, 07:05 AM
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I would use a sponge, cold water and dawn on the decals. Maybe a paper towel as an abrasive, maybe not. Polish around them.
I use auto rubbing compound on the paint.
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Old 11-26-22, 12:01 PM
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I have yet to try a clay bar. Any of you?
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Old 11-28-22, 08:13 AM
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The problem with being a pro painter/builder is that the products we choose to use are typically bought in a size or volume that don’t make sense for a hobby one-off project. Here are 2 products I use to clean paint before applying more paint. This is usually done between paint layers to get rid of fingerprints or sanding dust. They have to be very mild and compatible with the paints being used. The 1st product is petroleum based but barely. It is designed to not disturb paint. Most thinners and reducers will soften or partly dissolve already applied paint. The House of Kolor cleaning product is water based and designed to be compatible with their paint line. This is what I use when cleaning decals because even mild petroleum based products might bother decals.

Most car paint polishes are designed for modern paints designed to harden by chemical action. Well at least the top clear coats are polyurethane enamel. A hardener is put into the clear just before spraying and there is a time window before it will then harden into a solid mass. Not cleaning out the spray gun right after painting can be a real problem. If I get some kind of blemish in my final clears I use these 3 polishes in succession after sanding the surface with very fine sand paper. BTW, I sand with progressively finer sandpapers as well before going to the polishers. They work best in combination. They vary in the coarseness of their abrasives so you start with a coarser polish and work your way through them until using one designed to give a high polish. It has taken me a long time to figure out which ones to use in combination to provide a very high and clear result. In other words without a milky look. By sanding and then using a series of polishers, one can take a paint job with surface issues (like when using a rattle can) and make it look professional.

The strongest petroleum based paint product I use is lacquer thinner.I use this by the gallon for gun cleanup and any time I’m removing grease from metal.It is what I have in abundance so that is why I use it.Sometimes when grease or tar or similar is really attached to a frame, I will wipe it down with lacquer thinner but I have to be really careful because it will dissolve or damage the paint I’m trying to clean.


Mild paint cleaners

polishers to remove blemishes in modern clear coats.
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