All contaminants such as plaster, glue, or oil, should be removed prior to No-Ox application. The steps below are all VERY important and none should be skipped.
1. Clean the loco wheels with alcohol on a rag, and clean the rolling stock wheels with blue painters tape on the track, sticky side up.
2. Use a mild abrasive such as fine sandpaper to remove all oxidation. I used fine sandpaper starting with 1000 grit, then 1500 grit and finishing with 2000 grit. Whenever the rails are treated, I treated the top as well as the inside of the top of the rails where the wheels also make contact. I also burnished the inside top of the rails with a spoon.
3. Wipe all rails with a lint-free rag and alcohol to remove any dirt and fine particles.
4. Vacuum all rails to ensure cleanliness.
5. Put very thin smears on your finger and rub it on your rails, both the top of the rails and the top inside of the rails. The total amount of NO-OX-ID “A SPECIAL” that should be applied to 500’ of N scale track is about ¼ teaspoon. If you can SEE No-Ox on rails, you are putting TOO MUCH on! DO NOT APPLY MORE!
6. Run all your locomotives, EXCEPT ONES WITH TRACTION TIRES, (no rolling stock yet) over all of your track for at least 2 hours. You may notice some wheel slippage and skipping, (DO NOT PANIC) this ensures that all wheels get treated with No-Ox and that No-Ox is applied evenly to all rail surfaces.
7. Remove all locomotives from track and wipe all rails with a clean rag to remove any excess product. Rag will be black. Don’t scrub, just rub.
8. Wait 24 hours to allow for bonding to the track.
9. Wipe rails again. Rag will also be black, but less so than in step 6.
10. For locos with traction tires, turn them upside down, connect track power so that wheels turn. Put a small dab of No-Ox on a Q-tip and apply to all wheels that DON’T have traction tires. While wheels are still turning, use a clean Q-tip to remove any excess No-Ox (I didn't do this step since I don't have locos with traction tires).
11. Run trains and forget about cleaning your track except for occasional light vacuuming.