Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I’ve heard nothing but good things about Zaino products. I’d like a show car finish. What products do I need?
A: For the ultimate in show car appearance, it is vital to get the cleanest and smoothest finish possible. We recommend washing the car with original blue Liquid Dawn only for this initial cleaning. Once you have your vehicle completely washed, follow up with the Z-18 Claybar, to remove any surface contamination. Follow up the Z-18 Claybar with a thorough wash using our Z-7 Show Car Wash. For any Zaino polish application, it’s critical to include ZFX. For that show car finish, we prefer to use ZFX with Z-2 Show Car Polish. ZFX replaces Z-1 and is superior to Z-1. Z-2 Show Car Polish should be applied with our 314 Polish Aplicator pad. The key to our ultimate shine, is multiple thin layers of Z-2, with Z-6 between application. The results with just two coats of Z-2 are amazing. If your finish contains fine scratches or swirl marks, Z-5 Show Car Polish will safely fill and level minor imperfections. As you layer Z-5, these imperfections will disappear! So for the ultimate, your shopping list includes ZFX (or Z-1), Z-2, Z-6, Z-7, Z-18 and a couple of #314’s applicator pads. For minor imperfections, pick up some Z-5. If you’re working on a paint finish that doesn’t have a clear coat, simply replace Z-2 with Z-3.
Q: I’d like to try out Zaino polish. What’s the minimum I should try?
A: You need minimally ZFX or Z-1 (ZFX is better), Z-2, and a 314 Polish Applicator pad. I would also order Z-6 Gloss Enhancer Spray to keep your car dust free and looking beautiful. Z-6 is used between coats of Z-2 to provide enhanced gloss. If you wash your car yourself, pick up some Z-7 as well.
Q: Ok, I just received my Zaino products. What should I do to my paint before applying my Zaino?
A: The first thing you should do is wash your vehicle thoroughly with Dawn (or comparable) dish soap to remove any wax, grease, and oil from your paint. Then, my recommendation is to use Z-18 ClayBar to remove any bonded surface contaminants such as rail dust, tree sap, bug marks, or hard water deposits from the paint before applying any of your Zaino products.Using Clay is optional, but it really does make a difference!!
Q: I wiped my paint down with Z-6, but I have streaks. Why?
A: Chances are, you used too much Z-6. Z-6 is SUPER CONCENTRATED and you should be able to wipe down an average size car with less than one ounce!! Apply Z-6 sparingly, and work in small sections, rubbing the Z-6 until it dries and gets slick.Also, turn your towel often to be sure that you are not using a section of it that may be wet with Z-6.
Q: Z-2, Z-3, or Z-5 is taking hours to dry. What’s wrong?
A: Sounds like you applied it too heavily. A neat trick that helps you get even coats without having to load the polish up on the paint is to lightly dampen your applicator pad, spray a couple mists of Z-6 on it, then put a few thin stripes of polish on it and spread the polish evenly across the face of the pad with your fingers. The object of applying the polish to your car is to get on thin, even coats. Putting it on heavy only wastes polish, and slows the dry time. Also, keep in mind that cool temperatures or high humidity can lengthen the drying time of Zaino polishes.
Q: What is the best way to remove the polish residue?
A: The safest way to remove the residue from your paint is with white, made in USA, 100% cotton name brand large bath towels, such as Cannon or FieldCrest. Get them in the bath section at any major department store. The towels that you find in auto parts stores, or the auto sections of the department stores are usually not made in the USA, and even though they may say they are 100% cotton, they are not. Anything other than 100% pure white cotton may scratch your paint finish.You should use white towels because the dyes in colored towels can leave a chemical residue on the paint, and cause streaking. Also, it’s important to either remove the stitched borders from your towels, or keep the towels folded in a way that keeps the borders away from the paint. The borders(edges or designs) can scratch your paint, as they may not be 100% cotton. Wash your towels in hot water, and with a liquid detergent, like liquid Tide, or ALL. Avoid using Powdered detergents, Bleach or any kind of Fabric softeners as these products will leave a chemical residue on your towels that will cause streaking and scratching.
Q: Can I use an orbital polisher to apply/remove Zaino polish?
A: Yes, you can use an orbital to apply Zaino Z-2, Z-3, or Z-5. I don’t recommend it because you waste too much polish that way. The pad on an eleven inch polisher can absorb almost enough polish to coat your entire vehicle. Each time you use an orbital to apply Zaino polish, you are probably wasting as much polish, if not more than you actually applied to the car. Zaino polish applies easily by hand, especially if you dampen the applicator pad with water and spritz it with Z-6 before applying it. If you use an orbital to remove the residue, you should place a white, 100% cotton towel between the pad and the paint, and keep it turned and refolded often so that you are removing the residue with a clean section of towel all the time. Note: A single orbital pad WILL NOT remove the polish residue from an entire vehicle. You will have smears if you don’t use a towel and turn and refold it frequently.
Q: What is the usable shelf life of Zaino products?
A: A 70° room temperature is best for the longevity of Zaino products. Due to the optical additives used, extreme heat or cold can result in a decrease in gloss-enhancing properties. When stored at average room temperature between 65° and 75° degrees, shelf life is as follows:
Z-PC 3+ years
Z-AIO 3+ years
Z-CS 5+ years
Z-1 For optimum results, use before 3 years.
Z-2 For optimum results, use before 3 years.
Z-3 For optimum results, use before 3 years.
Z-5 For optimum results, use before 3 years.
Z-6 5+ years
Z-7 5+ years
Z-8 5+ years
Z-9 5+ years
Z-10 For optimum results, use before 2 years.
Z-12 For optimum results, use before 2 years.
Z-14 For optimum results, use before 2 years.
Z-16 3 to 5 years
Z-18 5 years +
ZFX For optimum results, keep tightly capped, avoiding moisture. Use before 24 months.
Q: I just received my order including ZFX, but the bottle is only half full. Is this normal?
A: Yes. The vial containing ZFX is less than half full. There are 120 to 140 drops within the vial, which is enough for up to 32 ounces of polish! The pressure inside a smaller vial would result in unwanted multiple drops. The larger vial is used to prevent waste of our potent product. When adding ZFX to your polish, simply invert the bottle, and let the drops gently trickle out. Do not squeeze the bottle.
Q: Are Micro-Fiber products safe to use?
A: Zaino has been testing various Micro-Fiber products. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on them. Some of them are excellent and do not scratch. Others are terrible and definitely scratch. The quality control of these products from overseas, especially Korea, is not consistent, so you never know if they will be the same scratch-free quality. Even when using the same brand, we found the quality to be inconsistent. For now, we do not recommend using them. However, lab testing is ongoing, and we will post an update when we have more conclusive results. NOTE: If you are already using microfiber towels, look carefully at your paint finish under flourescent light when you are using your towels. If you are not getting any swirls or fine scratches from the microfiber towels, then you are okay and can continue to use them. Remember it’s better to be safe than swirly.
