Automotive Polishing and Waxing

Polishing and detailing your vehicle can be a daunting task. With a little bit of knowledge and the right tools, you can bring the paint and exterior finish of your car back to a better then new look. You can get that show room shine and finish yourself without having to invest the money for a professional detailer to do it for you. Although I am a detailer, I am kinda telling you now not to come see me…. I might loose some business, but that is ok.

Paint Surface Preparation

The first thing that you are going to want to do is prepare the surface for polishing. An improperly cleaned paint surface will have dirt, grim and build up that will cause further scratching when you go to polish it. First step is a proper wash and dry. Use only car wash soap, 2 bucket system. This is having a soap and water solution in one and rinse water in the second. Before each pass, you rinse your mitt, then gather the soapy water, wash a small section, then rinse again. This helps keep the wash mitt clean. Wash the car from top down only. Change your water if needed half way through the process. Next is to use some detailer’s clay and lubricant. This removes the road grim, rail dust that builds up on your. If you run your hand along the surface and it feel rough, you need to use a clay bar. Once that step is complete, you will then need to remove the wax or sealant that was from the previous detailing session. You can use dish soap in this case only, a dawn type soap will remove this build up. Or a paint cleaner polish will also work well.

Exterior Automotive Paint Surface Diagnosis

Polishing the car’s paint surface requires a little diagnosis first. You need to determine that type of paint, single or dual stage, thickness and condition of the paint. Look for the type of scratching, can you catch you nail on it ? if so, then it’s deep and you might need some paint to fill that in first. Filling and wet sanding a scratch is a little more work, but may be necessary if the scratch is through the clear coat and/or paint layer.

Automotive Paint Polishing Process

Once you have determined the level of damage to the paint surface, you can select the tools and products to complete the job. Product selection will be varied, each paint brand, color and type will react differently to polishes you apply, some paints and clear coats are harder then others and need a heavier cut to do the same job as a mild cut on a different car. You should start out with a mild cut and a mild pad, if you do not get the results you want, move to the next heavier pad or product. Start mild and move up to the heavier cuts until you find the combination that removes the scratches and marks in the paint surface. Then work back to the mildest cut and glaze to complete the process. This normally takes between 2 and 4 passes on a single vehicle to go from a dull, scratched surface, to a crystal clear, rich, deep color finish.

Waxing and Sealing the Paint

Once you have polished the paint and removed the imperfections, scratches, halo’s, swirls, etc. Then you can wax or seal it. Waxing a car works very well to improve the look, as does a sealant, however, a sealant will last longer. Expect a good wax to last 4 to 8 weeks, were a sealant can last you 3 to 12 months. Environmental factors and how often you wash your car affect how long each of them will last.

Anyways, detailing your car and polishing it properly will help protect the paint and keep it looking new for years to come.