onefatsurfer

My dad worked with a guy that used to have a really nice show car, and one day, he walked into the guy's shop and there was white powder everywhere, all over his beautiful show car, and the guy was furiously rubbing this powder into the car's finish. Turns out, it was cornstarch, which he said makes the car super shiny and removes any wax buildups. I tried it yesterday and it does seem to make the wax smoother, but immediately after I did it, it rained.

Anyone have any experience with this before? I'll post before/after pics the next time I wax my car and corn-starch it.

Leesha

Meguiars new Tech Wax-Try this...you'll be safe and know that your 'cornstarch' won't start to eat at your paint...

onefatsurfer

I have wax. The cornstarch technique helps smooth out the wax and removes wax buildup.

CnnmnSchnpps

iTrader: (1)

interesting....

05shinka

I have heard of this before, from what i have heard, yes it makes your paint really smooth. but at the cost of making your paint very brittle. i.e. the cornstarch pulls all of the moisture out of the paint.

I have heard about someone using cornstarch for a long period, they were in a small accident, and their paint "shattered" like it was glass, and came off the car in big sheets.

Not a pretty picture, IMO.

Razz1

Yikes!

CnnmnSchnpps

iTrader: (1)

I would like to have seen that... Paint shattering on impact..

TurboEight

iTrader: (1)

wow.....I 'l stick to my zaino thanks=)

Fighter Pilot

cornstarch is for the kitchen!

huzer21

iTrader: (1)

If you want to remove all of your wax buildup, just use some Dawn (hmm, something else from the kitchen). If you want to remove paint imperfections use clay. use corn starch is you're trying to make RX-8 pudding or something.

Leesha

Hey I like RX8 pudding...:

onefatsurfer

yeah. rx-8 pudding is yummylicious.

but wait, seriously, have any of you tried this? how on earth could it cause your paint to shatter? your paint can get pooped on, salted on, doused with alcohol, water, gasoline, acetone, (most strong solvents) and it won't get damaged. I seriously doubt that corn starch would cause any problems.

Mazurfer

No, but all the damn chickens following you around will make a hellva mess and scratch up your paint!
Sorry................I know that was of no help at all.

onefatsurfer

not to mention poo all over the paint

Mazurfer

Yeah..........but since it rained.........if you take it out in the sun....would we all have cornbread?

DOMINION

I love cornbread

Huey52

iTrader: (2)

"Field expedients" like cornstarch were great back in the day when products were limited, but today's technology (polymers, etc.) has far exceeded their worth.

Razz1

Corn starch in the oil makes it like grease.

Captain Kirk

Cornstarch acts like a mild polishing compound. Repeated use will slowly remove the clear topcoat from some factory finishes, which is what contributes to long-term degredation.

savedsol

So much bad info. Corn starch wouldn't touch the paint folks, just the wax. It's not going to "take the moisture out" - the big oven at the Mazda factory already did that so it could dry. It's also not going to ruin the clear coat because again, you're rubbing it on a freshly waxed car.

Do you believe your own BS, on which you are not informed at all, before you type?

05shinka

I failed to find "uses corn starch" in your sig....

Jethro Tull

iTrader: (6)

Well, actually you have to be very careful before you label something BS unconditionally- unless you don't mind coming off as something other than informative.

I work professionally with abrasives and polishing compounds and corn starch, if used repeatedly and unrelentingly, can and WILL remove clear coat, color coat, even primer- of course that is an extreme, unrealistic case, but it is possible.

If you assume a light use on fresh wax every time, then there is probably nothing to worry about.

Can you guarantee that everyone who tries it will only ever use it on recently-applied wax? I'd be willing to bet that some rube could easily just skip the wax and stick with cornstarch because it's easier- or he can steal it from the diaper bag...

Now, the moisture issue is something else entirely. That does sound like a load.

05shinka

The "moisture" thing, was just what i was told... My father did tell me he saw the paint "shattered" and coming off the car in big flakes/sheets. I did not personally see this. he told me about this when i was around 16 years old... im 37 now, so i dont remember all the details. I just know that stuck in my mind as a no-no...

Reguardless of it being true or not, i dont feel inclined to take the chance.

I was mearly trying to pass on my limited knowledge.

But, i dont think someone can call BS, unless they have used it for an extended period of time. Just like i couldnt call BS on it being completely safe.

Jethro Tull

iTrader: (6)

05s, paint chemistry has come a long way in the last few decades. It's much, much tougher stuff than it used to be even ten or fifteen years ago.

Now if Mazda would just apply it in a THICKER layer, and use a tinted primer...

dozer

iTrader: (3)

huh?