Abrasive - Natural (silica) or synthetic (aluminum oxide) component used in compounds and cleaners, which cuts the paint surface to remove imperfections.
ACGIH - American Conference of Government Industrial Hygienists.
Acid - A chemical substance below 7 on a pH scale. Cleaning products containing acids must be used with care, following the directions on the label and using safety equipment.
Acid Rain - Rain contaminated with airborne acid materials. Can cause damage to automotive paint finishes and glass.
Adhesion - How well a product bonds to the surface to which it is applied.
Alkaline-Alkalis - Substances above 7 on a pH scale classified as being caustic. Caustics (sodium hydroxide) are sometimes used in cleaning products such as engine degreasers, etc. Cleaning products containing
alkalis must be used with care. Follow the directions on the label and use safety equipment. Also known as "Base" or "Basic".
Appearance Reconditioning - The cosmetic restoration of a vehicle to a like new condition.
Basecoat - The color coat of a basecoat/clear coat automotive finish. Specifically the layer of pigmented paint applied over the primer coat and usually measures about 1 mil.
Bath Tubber - A colloquial term used referring to a chemical manufacturer who mixes their own chemical products in large drums or “bath tubs”. Usually low-priced and poor quality.
Biodegradable - NB – There is no actual legal definition or universally accepted test for biodegradability. It commonly refers to organic material generally derived from living matter capable of being broken down
into hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and less complex organic compounds through natural forces such as sunlight, bacteria, or enzymes.
Bird Dropping Etching - A pitted or mottled stain on the paint's surface that has been caused by the acidic nature of bird droppings etching into the clear coat or paint.
Blushing - New paint finish turns milky or cloudy shortly after polishing. Caused by the solvents not evaporating from the paint. Wait thirty days to rebuff.
Body Shop Safe - A term used to refer to products to be used in a body shop that contain no silicone or materials that can cause fish eyes and paint finish problems.
Buff Marks - Circular scratch marks in the paint surface. Also called "Buffer Marks" or "Swirls".
Buffer - A tool used by skilled technicians to apply products to a vehicle. Also referred to as a "High-speed Buffer" or "Rotary Buffer".
Buffer Trails - Trails of hazing left in the surface of paint/clear coat caused by a rotary buffing machine. Also known as "Holograms" or "Rotary Induced Machine Marring". In some U.S. states, can also be known as
"Zebra Stripes", and in Germany it's known as "Polishing Veil".
Buffing Compound - A chemical that contains abrasives designed to remove severe oxidation or other major finish imperfections from painted surfaces. Not all buffing compounds are compatible with all paint finishes
(such as clear coats) and must be used carefully by skilled technicians.
Buffing Spur - A small hand-held tool with a spoked wheel, used to clean wool buffing pads of the accumulation of compound and/or polish.
Burn - Remove paint from a vehicle using a rotary or high-speed buffer.
Burnish - Polish with a tool to make the surface smooth or shiny by friction; increase a loss of the paint by smoothing.
CAS No. - Chemical Abstracts Services registration number.
Ceramic Clear Coat - A paint that contains microscopic ceramic fillers in the formulation that gives the clear coat a harder and more durable finish.
Checking, Cracking, Crazing - Paint looks like shattered glass. Paint dries and loses its elasticity. Extreme temperatures cause the paint to expand and contract and pulls the paint apart.
Chemicals - A term to categorize a group of products. i.e., Polishing Chemicals, Chemical Cleaners, Cleaning Chemicals.
Citrus - A cleaning chemical that uses d-Limonene as the solvent.
Cleaner (paint) - A product that contains a mild abrasive for removing light oxidation, scratches, and minor finish imperfections. Usually less aggressive than rubbing compound and offers little or no protection.
Cleaner/Glaze - A product that removes light to medium oxidation and scratches from the paint surface and leaves a protective coating. Commonly known as a "One Step".
Clear Coat - A thin, transparent layer of paint usually applied over a pigmented layer of paint (base coat) to provide a deep, rich, shiny finish. Most vehicles have 1.5 to 2.0 mils of clear coat.
Color Sanding - Another term for “Wet Sanding” (see below).
Combustible Liquid - A liquid with a Flash Point between 100ºF to 200ºF. See also "Flash Point" (below).
Compound - An abrasive product designed to remove heavy surface contamination and deep scratches. Can reduce paint thickness quickly. Can leave visible scratches (swirls) in the paint finish.
Concentrate - A product that requires thinning with an appropriate reducer, water, or solvent.
Conventional Paint System - Refers to a single-stage paint finish, either recognized as lacquer or enamel. Several color coats of paint are applied over the primer with no clear coat application.
Co-Polymer - A chemical compound of two polymers, which are compatible and stable when joined.
Cosmoline - A heavy-grade petroleum by-product applied to automotive exteriors as a protective coating during transit of vehicles. Requires special chemicals and procedures to remove.
Degradable -A product capable of being broken down through exposure to heat, moisture, sunlight, or other chemicals. Resultant products of degradation may or may not be stable.
Detail Procedure/Processing - The steps followed to complete a detail job.
Detail Technician - A skilled and knowledgeable professional in the art of detailing.
Detailing - To clean each area or part of a motor vehicle until the desired results are achieved.
Detergents - Cleaning products for auto interiors and exteriors with different chemical formulations as the active cleaning agent. Differentiated by thickness and cleaning ability.
Dilute - To reduce by thinning with appropriate reducer, water, solvent, thinner, etc. in accordance with directions.
D.O.T. - Department of Transportation. Government agency that regulates the transport of goods.
Dressed/Dressing - The application of a coating applied to vinyl, leather, plastic, and rubber to protect or make shiny.
Dual Action Buffer/Polisher - An electrical or pneumatic tool that has a clutching mechanism attached to the spindle assembly, which provides a smooth shifting motion between random orbital and rotary by applying
force to the tool.
Durability - The power of long-term resistance to deterioration or change.
Dwell Time - The time in which a product is allowed to remain in an active state on the surface. Many cleaning products require a dwell time to work properly.
Emollient - A substance designed to add moisture or increase softness. Found in hand cleaners or leather or vinyl conditioners.
Emulsion - Commonly a mixture of two incompatible liquids where one exists as finely dispersed particles within the other.
Enamel Paint - Type of automotive paint used by auto manufacturers and collision repair shops. Sprays shiny.
E.P.A. - Environmental Protection Agency. Government agency that protects the environment. Has jurisdiction over the manufacturer through the end user of a product.
Exposure - An employee subject to a hazardous chemical in the course of employment, through any route of entry (inhalation, ingestion, skin contact, or absorption).
Extractor - A machine used to clean carpets and fabric seats. Applies cleaning solution in a spray and removes moisture and dirt by vacuum suction. In car washing, a machine used to spin dry towels.
Fabric Protector - A product applied to cloth seats and carpets that repels moisture, thus preventing staining.
Fallout - Contamination that settles out of the air onto automotive paint finishes. Such things as airborne industrial fallout, brake dust, rail dust, aircraft fuel, and even volcanic ash. See also "Rail Dust"
(below).
Fish Eye - Paint finish problem that occurs during painting when there is a presence of grease, oil, or silicone on the paint surface. Also known as "Detachment" in Chile.
Flammable Liquid - A chemical that has a flash point below 140ºF.
Flash Off - Dwell time for solvent to evaporate from the paint surface.
Flash Point - The temperature at which a chemical will combust. Also known as "Ignition Point", "Combustion Point", or "Reaction Point".
Foam Cutting Pad - A less aggressive foam pad that is used with a compound to correct paint finish problems and clear coat finishes.
Foam Pad - A round foam disc made of various form textures for buffing, cutting, or polishing paint.
Foam Polishing Pad - A soft foam pad that is used with a swirl remover/polish to either remove buffer swirls or polish and smooth the paint finish.
Hard Water Staining/Etching - Surface contamination on the paint caused by hard water and/or heavy contamination in water. Also known as "Mineral Deposits".
Hazardous Chemicals - Products or chemicals that pose a health risk to the user if used improperly or if safety equipment is not used. Read MSDS for each product you use. Warnings are normally written as if hazardous
product were at 100% solution.
Haze - When a chemical product such as wax/sealant dries on the surface and appears dull or milky. A dull film caused by imbedded dirt, oxidation, or scratches on the paint surface.
Hi-Tech Paints - Refers to base coat/clear coat systems, tri-coats, fluorine clears, etc.
H.M.I.S. - Hazardous Material Identification System. A system of numbers, symbols, and letters that provide information about health, flammability, reactivity, and personal protection for chemicals and products.
Holograms - Trails of hazing left in the surface of paint/clear coat caused by a rotary buffing machine. Also known as "Buffer Trails" or "Rotary Induced Machine Marring". In some U.S. states, can also be known as
"Zebra Stripes", and in Germany, known as "Polishing Veil".
HSE - Health & Safety Executive. A U.K. government agency that sets standards for workers' safety.
IARC - International Agency for Research of Cancer.
IDLH - Immediately Dangerous to Life or Health.
Industrial Fallout - Airborne pollutants from industry, which settle onto automotive surfaces and become embedded on the paint and degrade the finish. As the particles oxidize/rust, they appear as orange specks
on the paint. Requires special products and procedures to be removed. Also known as "Rail Dust".
Lacquer Paint - Any of the various clean or colored synthetic coatings made by dissolving nitrocellulose or other cellulose derivatives together with plasticizers and pigments in a mixture of volatile solvents
and used to impart a high gloss to surfaces. Also defined as a glossy, resinous material, such as the exudation of the lacquer tree, used as a surface coating.
Lacquer Thinner - A highly flammable solvent used to thin lacquer or paints and to clean various items on the vehicle.
Matte Finished Paints - Any paint that leaves a flat, non-shiny finish such as that used on side mirrors, etc.
Metallic Paint - A type of automotive paint that contains metallic flakes producing a glittery appearance.
Metering System - A system that automatically dilutes concentrated, water-based chemicals with water.
Micro Blisters - Tiny blisters in the paint's surface caused by contamination in the painting process. Also known as "Solvent Pop". In the UAE, this is known as "Pin Holes".
Micro Scratches - Circular scratches left in the paint surface caused by improper or harsh washing technique. Also known as "Swirl Marks" and, in some U.S. states, known as "Spider Webbing".
Mineral Deposits - Surface contamination on the paint's surface caused by hard water and/or heavy contamination in water. Also known as "Hard Water Staining/Etching".
Mottling - Where the paint appears streaked with light and dark areas. Caused by heavier film thickness in one area over others.
MSDS - Material (or Manufacturer) Safety Data Sheets, which describe the hazardous ingredients in a chemical, safety measures, first aid procedures, etc.
Multiple Step Process - Where three or more steps are required to properly correct the painted surface of the vehicle.
Oil - A viscous liquid of which are mixtures of terpene and simple esters or mineral oils which are mixtures of hydrocarbons, used in paint and auto polishes.
One Step - A process where the paint is corrected, polished, and protected in one step. Or a chemical product that corrects, polishes, and protects.
Orange Peel - The nubby, rough appearance on paint that looks much like the texture of an orange peel; surface lacks clarity of reflected image.
Orbital Buffer - An air or electrical tool with a pad that travels in ellipses instead of rotating on a fixed axis. Used when waxing to simulate the movement of the human hand.
Original Finish - The paint applied by the manufacturer (O.E.M. finish).
OSHA - Occupational Safety and Health Administration. A U.S. government agency that sets standards for workers' safety.
Overspray - Substance such as paint mist that settles out of the air onto an automobile's surface appearing as tiny specks.
Oxidation - Chemical substances within an automotive finish that collect and bond with oxygen molecules, causing the paint to become dry, dull, and faded. Typical of single-stage paint finishes.
Pad Washer - A mechanical device used to clean buffing pads of compounds, cleaners, waxes, etc.
Paint Burn - To literally remove paint from a vehicle due to the friction generated by a rotary buffer.
Paint Cleaner - A product that contains mild abrasive used for removing oxidation, light scratches, and minor surface imperfections from the paint surface. Normally less aggressive than rubbing compounds and offers
no protection.
Paint Etching - Damage that can occur to a paint finish when an acidic substance rests on the surface “eating” into the paint.
Paint Film Thickness - The measure of the amount of film on the vehicle. Measured in mils, which is thousandths of an inch.
Paint Sealant - A protective product applied by hand or machine to automotive paint, which coats, seals, and protects the surface.
Paint Thickness Gauge - A magnetic or electronic instrument that measures the film thickness (primer and paint) on a metal vehicle surface (typically ferrous metal).
PEL - Permissible Exposure Limit.
Petroleum Distillates - Compounds that are derived from crude oil through the refining process, capable of dissolving other substances.
Petroleum Solvents - Liquids that are derived from crude oil through the refining process, capable of dissolving other substances.
pH Scale - A scale from 0-14 to determine the acidic or alkaline nature of a chemical. 0-6 is acidic; 8-14 is alkaline; 7 is considered neutral. The lower the number the more acidic a chemical, the higher the
number the more alkaline or caustic the chemical.
Polish - A chemical formulated to produce a smooth, bright, and glossy paint surface. It can also remove swirl marks. Can also be called a "Swirl Remover".
Polisher - Another name for a rotary or dual action buffer.
Polishing - The action of a rotary or dual action buffer to remove swirls and/or smooth the paint to a high-gloss finish.
Polishing Pad - A sheepskin or foam pad that is used with a rotary or dual action buffer to remove swirls or smooth the paint.
Polymer - From the Greek word “poly”, meaning many, and “mer”, meaning units. For example, “polyurethane”.
Polyurethane - A catalyst type of paint known for exceptional durability.
PPE - Personal Protective Equipment.
Pressure Washer - A machine that uses a piston pump to increase water pressure to a psi of 500 to over 3000. Used to clear engines, wheels, and wash and rinse vehicles.
Pre-Wash - First step in preparing a vehicle for detailing, by removing dirt, tar, etc.
Primer - Material applied to the surface to seal, fill scratches, and improve adhesion of paint.
Professional - A person completely knowledgeable, trained, and skilled in all aspects of their profession.
P.S.I. - Pounds Per Square Inch – a measure of air and water pressure.
Rail Dust - Small metallic particles that can settle on the surfaces of vehicles, which become embedded on the paint. As the particles oxidize/rust, they appear as orange specks on the paint. Requires special
products and procedures to be removed. Also known as "Industrial Fallout (IFO)".
Resin - A synthetic or naturally occurring polymer.
Respiratory Distress - A physical condition caused by inhaling toxic vapors, characterized by shortness of breath, inability to breathe, dizziness, and sometimes unconsciousness. This condition requires immediate
medical attention.
Rinseless Wash - A chemical characterized by its ability to require little or no water to rinse off the vehicle.
Rotary Induced Machine Marring - Trails of hazing left in the surface of paint/clear coat caused by a rotary buffing machine. Also known as "Buffer Trails" or "Holograms". In some U.S. states, can also be known as
"Zebra Stripes", and in Germany, it's known as "Polishing Veil".
RPM - Revolutions Per Minute – number of complete turns made in one minute.
Sealer/Sealant - A paint protection chemical applied by hand or machine to an automotive paint that coats, seals, and protects the surface. Normally contains amino-functional silicones to increase durability.
Shine - To brighten or increase luster of a paint finish.
Silicone - Any group of polymerized semi-organic compounds comprised of silicone items, oxygen, and possibly organic compounds. Characterized by high resistance to heat and water. Silicone adds durability, lubricity,
and enhances gloss. Silicone can create complications during repainting in body shops. Non-silicone products are preferable for body shop applications.
Solvent - A substance, usually liquid, that dissolves or can dissolve another substance.
Solvent Pop - Tiny blisters in the paint's surface caused by contamination in the painting process. Also known as "Micro Blisters". In the UAE, this is known as "Pin Holes".
STEL - Short Term Exposure Limit.
Surfactant - A compound that helps lift substances from a surface so they may be removed. Usually found in cleaners to improve rinsing.
Swirls/Swirl Marks - Circular micro scratches left in the paint surface caused by too abrasive a buffing pad, compound, faulty buffing technique, or improper/harsh washing technique. Also known as "Micro Scratching"
and, in some U.S. states, known as "Spider Webbing".
TCC - Tagliabue Closed Cup – test used to determine flammability of a product.
Teflon - A fluoropolymer patented by DuPont that is used in waxes and sealants to provide protection on paint finishes.
Throw Off - Chemical product that is thrown from the surface or buffing pad by force. Often appears as tiny speckles of product on other surfaces of the vehicle.
TLV - Threshold Limit Value.
Transit Coating - A protective coating applied to auto exteriors prior to transportation to prevent damage to the exterior surfaces. Requires special chemicals and removal procedures.
TWA - Time Weighted Average.
Two Step Correction - A paint correction process usually involving two separate steps of machine polishing, typically a compound or cutting step followed by a finishing polish or refining step.
Ultraviolet (UV) Rays - A component of ordinary light that cannot be seen by the human eye. Deteriorates automotive surfaces by causing fading, cracking, peeling, and discoloration. Some products contain ingredients
that guard against UV damage.
Urethane Paint - A catalyst paint known for exceptional durability.
Water Based - A product of which the primary liquid ingredient is water.
Water Soluble - Characterized by the ability to mix completely in or with water.
Waterless Wash - A chemical that can clean a vehicle without water. It is sprayed on and wiped off.
Wax - A natural or synthetic element used in chemicals to protect the paint (i.e., carnauba wax).
Weathering - The change or failure in paint caused by exposure to weather.
Wet Sanding - A procedure of simultaneously sanding and rinsing an automotive finish to remove imperfections. Regarded as complicated and should only be attempted by professionals.
Wool Cutting Pad - An aggressive 100% woven wool pad that is used with a compound to correct a major paint finish problem.
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