Polish Your Car Like a Pro

Why It’s Important to Polish Your Car

Despite your best efforts with a weekly car wash, your car’s finish will lose its shine thanks to water, salt deposits, tree sap, bugs, bird droppings, chemical pollution, and harmful dulling effects from harsh winter or summer weather. Periodic polishing helps remove these contaminants and restore your car’s finish to its original shine and luster.

Get it Clean: Washing Your Car the Right Way

The Difference Between Polishing and Waxing

Though similar, car wax and auto polish are different products with different chemical compositions. The words are often used interchangeably but that’s not correct.

All in one compound, polish and wax kits take the guesswork out of the car care process.

Waxing protects your car’s finish with a coating that prevents fading and defends against scratches. It also makes your vehicle shiny.

Polishing won’t make your car shiny, but it will remove any wax build-up and damage to the paint finish’s top coat. Polishing also creates a protective layer that repels contaminants and oxidation, which can cause long-term damage.

Machine Buffer or Hand Polish: What’s Best For Car Polishing?

Both machine buffering and hand polishing have advantages and disadvantages. The method you choose depends on factors like your experience with machine polishing, the softness and thickness of your car’s clear coat, and how much time you want to spend polishing your vehicle.

Powerful dual action and rotary polishers are highly effective but require some practice to prevent damage.

Using a machine removes water spots, oxidation, minor scratches, and swirls efficiently, quickly, and with better results. However, misusing a machine with too much pressure could result in wearing or “burning” through the paint finish, especially on curves and corner edges.

Less powerful polishers are better for beginners.

If it’s your first time, we recommend an entry-level dual-action polisher that combines the rotary and orbital motions to keep the buffing pad moving. That way, you don’t spend too much time on a specific area and possibly burn through the clear coat.

Another benefit is that low power dual-action machines stop spinning if you apply too much downward pressure.

Once you become proficient with a dual-action buffer, you might want to move up to a more expensive professional-level polisher that operates regardless of how much pressure you apply.

However, you can get excellent results from hand-polishing with a microfiber applicator or cloth. It will take significantly more elbow grease and effort, but you can gain confidence and see great results with practice.

Learn More: Why Microfiber Cloths Are Perfect for Car Care

Hand polishing is a safe and effective path to a superior paint finish.

What You Need to Polish Your Car

Car polish comes in two variants: abrasive and non-abrasive.

Abrasive: Suppose your vehicle has noticeable oxidation, fading paint, or other finish imperfections. In that case, you’ll want abrasive polishing compound. It has tiny particles that buff out surface contaminants and leave a smooth, reflective finish.

Non-Abrasive: If your vehicle is new (or relatively new) with a smooth shine, then non-abrasive is your best choice.

Read the label on the polish and choose the one compatible with your car’s color and level of damage to the paint surface. Always follow application instructions.

A variable speed random orbital polisher, buffing pads, and staged polish in one kit.

Everything you need (other than water and elbow grease) can be found on eBay.

• Polishing compound or car polish – Choose either standard or clear coat-friendly polish, depending on your car’s finish. Read the product labels to determine which best suits the current condition of your vehicle’s finish.
• Polishing pads – If you prefer machine polishing, you’ll also need pads, which come in kits ranging from rough to fine textures.
• Microfiber towels – Whether you polish your vehicle by machine or by hand, you’ll need towels to remove excess polish during the buffing process.
• Wash mitt
• Car wash soap
• A bottle of bug and tar remover
• Clay bar

Discover Clay Bar Paint Treatment: A Powerful Automotive Detailing Tool

Prepare for Polishing

Start with a clean car before polishing. That’s essential.

First, wash your car thoroughly. That also means drying your vehicle completely. If you begin polishing without removing all the water droplets, it could result in moisture getting underneath the polish. An automotive squeegee helps remove water quickly.

If you have an air compressor hose or leaf blower, use it on low to gently remove water from cracks and crevices. If you have trouble with streaks after wiping down the car, try using a detailing spray with a microfiber cloth.

Apply compound to the buffing pad and place it on the paint.

After the car is clean, thoroughly inspect the entire painted surface for imperfections such as road tar, bugs, stains from bird droppings, paint chips, door dings, paint fading, and the like. You may need tar and bug remover, commercial scratch remover, a paint pen for minor touch-ups, or products to remove paint swirls. Door dings or dents may require professionals for minor body and paint work.

Read: DIY Car Paint Repairs Are Easier Than You Think

The Polishing Process

Now that your car is clean, dry, cool, and parked in a shady spot out of direct sunlight, it’s time to get down to the business of polishing.

1. Apply polish to the pad, not directly onto the car’s finish.
2. Work on one section of the vehicle at a time and carefully polish the car. If polishing by hand, continue in circular motions over the entire vehicle.
3. Let the polish dry entirely to a hazy finish.
4. Remove the polish with clean microfiber cloths until the whole vehicle is smooth and shiny.

Start the lowest speed and work the compound or glaze one section at a time.

After your car has been thoroughly cleaned and polished, we recommend applying a coat of car wax to help protect the paint from water and contaminants and prolong its shine and finish.