How To Remove The Car Swirl Marks? Compounding?

What is Car Swirl Marks?

Swirl Marks or “swirls” are those Nasty circular lines or micro-scratches that Show up in bright sunlight on vehicles paint and clear-coat, usually caused by Improper washing and Drying techniques but also can be from "detailer" neglect.

Typically these swirl-marks add up over time from Automatic Car Washes. In the shade, the vehicle shows a lack of gloss and almost a hazy finish. To highlight this damage, you can use bright sunlight or gas station lights at night. Here, I am using a 500 watt halogen work light.

There are a number of swirl removal products available. Some are basically polishes that work by dulling the edges of the scratches; this might not remove the scratches entirely but it can help out the situation considerably. 

Others work as fillers, placing material in the scratch so that they effectively disappear. Wax and glazes perform a similar function. If you are not satisfied with the results of your swirl remover treatment, consult a detailing professional.

The key to removing these horrendous looking marks is a multi-step process of compounding, polishing, and finishing with various foam and wool pads using a rotary, dual action, or direct-drive dual action polisher. Unfortunately, some marks are so deep that removing them would reduce the life of the paint too much. This ultimately becomes a trade-off and the use of a paint thickness gauge will help keep the process safe. Believe it or not, the paint you see here has moderate swirl marks.



Not only are the swirl-marks, holograms, and light scratches removed, the paint is Noticeably richer in color, wetter looking, and far more reflective. With the addition of a polymer paint sealant, the surface feels very slick and smooth to the touch. This virtually frictionless surface will provide the owner with a much easier vehicle to wash and dry, drastically reduced swirl-mark accumulation, and a stunning appearance.

Side By Side

Here is a side-by-side comparison of severe swirl marks, marring, and scouring marks on the passenger side, and a compounded and polished surface on the right. I used painter's tape to mark the razor sharp line down the center.

Notice on the damaged side-the dull, cloudy, and hazy appearance of what years of neglect will do. The compounded and polished driver's side has a notable improvement in clarity, depth, gloss, and wetness.

The improvement is drastic and shows what proper products, processes, and patience can do to improve a vehicle's appearance.

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How Does Car Polish Protect a Cars Paint?

Acts as a Sealant

Car polish offers a protective barrier to car paint. A good quality car polish applies very much like car wax, and it offers many of the same benefits. Car polish absorbs directly into the outermost layers of a car's paint. When the polish is removed, a small film of polish is left directly on the paint. This layer of polish seals each individual paint pore and offers protection against sun, dirt and many other environmental factors.

Creates a Non-Stick Surface

In addition to offering protection against external environmental factors, car polish further protects a car's paint job by creating a super-slippery surface that makes it extremely difficult for potentially damaging particulate to cling to your car. Road grime, bird droppings and tree sap all count as substances that are extremely hazardous particulate that can damage a car's paint job immensely. By eliminating or reducing the amount of foreign matter that sticks to a car's paint job, car polish offers extraordinary protection.

Removes Oxidation
Oxidation is the natural process of paint decay that is primarily caused by excessive heat, sun and oxygen exposure. Oxidized paint results in a faded, cracked and weakened paint surface. Car polish eliminates a great deal of oxidation by absorbing the damaged paint molecules and enabling healthier areas of paint to shine through. When car polish is wiped off with a rag, the oxidized paint is removed along with it.

Conditions Paint
Many car polishes contain a variety of additives that are designed to condition--or alter positively--a car's paint job. Aloe, polyurethane and even jojoba extracts are added to many leading car polishes in order to further protect and condition a car's paint job. Many of these additives improve the texture, shine and gloss of car paint, and they offer further protection against environmental hazards.

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What is Car Detailing?

What is Car Detailing?

Car detailing, or Auto detailing is a term that is used allot nowadays and it can have different meanings to different People. For example, in America the term detailing usually refers to most kinds of car cleaning, whereas in the U.K the term ‘car valeting’ is more predominantly used to describe most car cleaning activities, with the term detailing only fairly recently being adopted to refer to a more thorough clean.

Generally, the correct definition for the term car detailing is to meticulously clean, polish and protect all parts of a vehicle from top to bottom, inside and out, using specialist tools and products that would not normally be used by your typical car cleaner. It does not however, include paintwork and body repairs although sometimes light cosmetic restorative work will be undertaken, for example stone chip touch ups and clear coat wet sanding, depending on the condition of the vehicle and the detailer in question.

The main area and aim of car detailing is to fully enhance and restore the vehicles paintwork by eliminating light scratches and swirl marks that have been inflicted over time and that reflect the light in such a way that they give an unsightly cob webbing effect on the surface of the paint or clear coat.

Before this is undertaken though, the exterior has to be thouroughly washed and cleaned in order to remove as much dirt and as many contaminants as possible. 

The first step of the exterior detailing process is usually to foam the vehicle completely and allow it to soak, this helps to soften up any dirt and lift it off from the surface prior to pre rinsing. Whilst soaking, a soft bristled detailing brush may be used to agitate areas like the window rubbers, plastic grills, trim details and badges. The foam, along with the loosened dirt and grime is then thoroughly rinsed off.

Before washing the paintwork, wheels and wheel wells or arches are usually cleaned as these tend to be the dirtiest and most contaminated parts of a vehicle. Specialist brushes and wheel cleaning products are used to remove grime and baked on brake dust from all areas of the wheels and wells/arches including suspension components, brake calipers, around lug nuts and even from the wheel rears.

After the wheels and arches have been thoroughly cleaned, the paintwork can then be washed from top to bottom using plush wash mitts instead of sponges and soft micro fiber towels instead of chamois leathers in conjunction with the two bucket technique and grit guards, which all help to prevent any damage (in the form of light scratches and swirl marks) from being inflicted. The complete wash process including the wheels and arches can take anywhere up to two hours to complete, depending on the size and condition of the vehicle.

After washing, paintwork is Clayed using a specialist automotive clay bar and lubricant which gently removes any bonded surface contaminants that washing alone cannot remove. This is an important step in the car detailing process as these contaminants can hinder the polishing process and prevent a top quality finish from being achieved.

After the paintwork has been properly cleaned and prepared it is then Polished to remove any light scratches, swirl marks, hazing, oxidation and other surface imperfections. This is usually done with a rotary or dual action polishing machine as they allow the polish products to be thoroughly worked into the surface and broken down and so generally create better results. However, paintwork can effectively be polished by hand using the right products and great results can also be achieved with enough time and effort.

The polishing process is usually a multi-step task, as differing abrasive Grades of polish are used to correct and Refine the finish and it can take a number of hours or even days to complete, again, depending on the size and condition of the vehicle. This is usually the most involving, labor intensive and time consuming part of the car detailing process.

After being polished and corrected of any imperfections, the paintwork is then protected and Sealed. Some detailers choose to use a pre wax cleansing product which prepares the paint for wax and ensurers it bonds to the surface properly. High quality natural carnauba based paste waxes and synthetic polymer sealants are used to provide months of tough, long lasting protection and create an incredible shine. 

Multiple layers of wax and sealant are often applied to ensure optimum durability and shine are achieved and it is not uncommon for high end carnauba paste waxes to cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

Once the paintwork has been sufficiently polished, enhanced and protected, the Other Exterior parts are then dealt with. Windows and glass are also polished and protected, as are any metal and chrome parts. Rubbers, plastics and vinyls are revived and dressed to help bring them back to life and protect them from the elements. The wheels and even the brake calipers may also be polished and waxed using designated products which further enhance and protect them and give a level of detail beyond that of a normal vehicle clean.

The Engine Bay area is also always properly cleaned, polished, dressed and protected during the car detailing process, using a range of cleaning products and brushes, but it varies from person to person at which part in the process it is undertaken. Some prefer to tackle it first before the rest of the car, while others may clean it after the exterior has been detailed, before moving onto the interior.

An Interior detail comprises of all upholstery being vacuumed and thoroughly shampooed to remove any contaminants and stains, while also brightening and freshening it up.

Headlining is cleaned, leather is thoroughly scrubbed to remove any dirt from deep in the grain and is then conditioned and protected.

Plastics, vinyl and trim are cleaned and dressed using appropriate products to revive and protect them from the sun, then the interior glass is also cleaned and polished to give a crystal clear, smear free finish.

The interior detailing process is also very involved and time consuming as every area including even the smallest vent and switch are properly dealt with using a wide variety of brushes, swabs and micro fiber towels to remove the smallest dust particles from the tightest of areas.

The general practice of car detailing is undertaken to ensure that the vehicle is kept in as good condition as possible during ownership. Once a full detail has been undertaken, mini details or maintenance cleans can be performed on a regular basis which will not be as involved as a full detail yet will help to give all parts of the vehicle that ‘just detailed’ look.

Car detailing helps to retain much of a vehicles origional value and it can also add a considerable amount to the value of older more neglected or abused vehicles that have never seen that level of care.

Overall, car detailing is the process of thoroughly cleaning, enhancing, restoring and protecting all parts of a vehicle, in order to keep it looking its very best and retain much of its value and a detail differs from your average car clean because of the levels of involvement, the time spent, the tools & products used and the quality of results that are achieved by the end of the process.

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Hand Polishing vs Machine Polishing

The Difference of Hand Polishing and Machine Polishing

There are fundamentally only two ways to polish the paintwork of your vehicle; either by HAND or with the use of a MACHINE. There are various advantages and disadvantages for both techniques and a number of things you should know before undertaking either.

Most of the time people will polish their vehicle by hand, as for many, this is seen as the only option or is seen as a good enough option, while machine polishing may be viewed as something that is only conducted by professionals in the auto industry.

There is now however, a growing trend and availability of products and information that is making machine polishing a lot more popular, especially amongst car cleaning and car detailing enthusiasts.

New machines are being manufactured by the large car cleaning product companies that are being aimed at these enthusiasts and more products are being designed and formulated to be used in conjunction with polishing machines.

Hand polishing is the process where the paintwork is simply polished using only the movement and power of you hands and arms. This is allot safer than using a machine, and in the right situations can produce decent results. For example, if your paintwork is not too heavily inflicted with surface imperfections, hand polishing serves as a safe and effective way to enhance and restore the finish.

For more neglected paintwork in a poor condition though, hand polishing may struggle to eliminate the heavier imperfections and allot of energy and time would have to be spent to make any form of noticeable difference, making it a fairly inefficient and ineffective practice. The hand polishing process in general, comprises of an appropriate polish product being applied to a soft foam or micro fiber applicator pad, spread over the surface of the paintwork then being worked in, in both circular and linear motions, before being buffed off and the process repeated if necessary.

Machine polishing on the other hand, utilizes the movement of the head of the machine to thoroughly work the product into the paintwork. There are two different kinds of polishing machines – the Rotary and the Dual Action Polisher.

The Rotary is the machine traditionally used by the professionals to polish and restore paintwork. The head rotates at a constant speed and removes small amounts of clear coat or paint from the surface, cutting through and eliminating the imperfections in the process. While this can be very effective, if not handled properly or used in the correct manner, a rotary machine polisher can very quickly inflict serious damage into your paintwork in the form of buffer trails, hologramming and even surface burn throughs.


Dual action polishing machines are usually slightly smaller and lighter than their rotary counterparts and so are much easier to handle. Instead of rotating, the head oscillates, mimicking the motion of hand polishing but at a much quicker speed. This oscillating movement prevents any heat from building up between the polishing pad and the paintwork which is what can potentially cause the serious damage when using a rotary machine.

Also, dual action machines slow down and even stop when a certain amount of pressure is applied, again to prevent any heat build up and damage being done, whereas rotary polishers continue to turn even when heavy pressure is applied.

This is why dual action polishing machines have been aimed at car cleaning amateurs and enthusiasts who are new to machine polishing, as they allow a greater standard of finish to be achieved than when hand polishing, but without the risk of any serious damage being inflicted.

Machine polishers also save you energy, effort and perhaps a little time as the head does most of the work for you, leaving you to simply support and guide the unit over and across the surface.

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The Benefits of Car Polish

The Benefits of Car Polish

Polishing is often neglected and overshadowed by waxing, but is by far the most beneficial step in maintaining the pristine appearance of your car's paint finish.

Although polishing produces the majority of tangible results in car paint maintenance, it is often neglected because its intended purpose is not understood or it's seen as an unnecessary step. Because polishes produce the most dramatic results, we feel it's worth discussing their importance in the process of proper car paint maintenance.

What Are Polishes?

Unlike car wax, which act as a temporary shield designed to take the abuse of environmental elements so the paint surface below doesn't have to, polishes are the real labor force in the process of paintwork care maintenance and enhancing appearance.

Polishes maintain and extend the life of paint by

• Removing dirt too stubborn for general washing; 
• Removing oxidized paint (aged paint); 
• Smoothing out surface scratches and swirl marks (which are circular surface scratches);
• Conditioning the paintwork so that it doesn't dry, crack and peel. 

Knowing this, it's easy to see why polishing should be given considerable consideration as part of your overall car detailing regimen.

Put Away the Elbow Grease

Think polishing and you usually think hard labor. Unless your vehicle is heavily oxidized due to many years of neglect, there is a lot less effort involved than you would expect. But let's add a disclaimer and state that the amount of effort required, regardless of the condition of the paint finish, is very much dependant on the product you use. einszett formulates its polishes to produce the best results with the least amount of effort. einszett polishes contain, on average, thirty percent less water than other brands. A more concentrated solution requires less product to achieve the desired results. Another benefit of having less water is that the polish is easier to work with in hotter temperatures. Instead of drying quickly and turning into powder, the polish remains wet longer allowing the user to polish longer and get the desired results.

So, if the fear of hard labor prevented you from taking care of your car's paint finish, it's time to put that to rest and give the einszett polishes a try.

Types of Polishes

The first step in polishing is choosing the right polish. Contrary to popular belief, you do not choose a polish based on the color of your paint finish. Practically all paint finishes are coated with a top layer of clear paint also known as clear coat. So, regardless of the color beneath, you're always treating the clear coat layer. So, you want to choose a polish based on the condition of the paint surface which we have categorized in three different levels: new or well-maintained, dull, and weathered.

New and Well-Maintained

For paint finishes that are brand new or very well-maintained there is einszett PolishWax. PolishWax is a mild paint cleaner. PolishWax removes stubborn dirt, hides minor surface defects, removes light oxidation, and conditions the paintwork enhancing the depth and finish.

Like all of our polishes, PolishWax contain oils that condition the paint finish, adding gloss and depth, and reducing the appearance of very fine surface scratches and swirl marks. In addition, PolishWax contains carnauba wax which helps protect the surface against pollutants such as road grime, hard water, acid rain, bird droppings, sap, brake dust and the effects of UV (Ultra Violet) rays. It is also formulated with concealers that disguise the appearance of holograms and clouding that appear under certain lighting conditions. PolishWax is not formulated to remedy swirl marks, which are fine circular scratches in the paint finish, and oxidation. To address this concern, we move to the next step up in polishes.

Dull Paintwork with Swirl Marks

The average paint finish fits in this category. The finish no longer looks as pristine as the day you bought it. It may have light scratches and swirl marks (or spider-webbing as some call it). einszett Paint Polish is a mild polish and was created to address this type of dull finish. While many cars today have clear coat applied to the paintwork, which is designed to inhibit the aging effects of Ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun, it is not enough protection for the paintwork alone and in itself requires maintenance. Clear coat, which is simply non-pigmented paint with UV ray inhibitors, oxidizes and requires regular polishing and maintenance to maintain its depth and shine.

Paint Polish is effective in treating surface defects such as oxidation, medium surface scratches and swirl marks by smoothing out the scratches using fine abrasives. As you polish, the abrasives made of clay granules smooth out the edges of the scratches to make them appear less visible. Paint Polish is formulated to bring back average looking paint finishes back to their original showroom shine.

Deep Scratches / Swirl Marks

For those with paint finishes that have suffered from many years of weathering or have deep scratches and swirl marks, there is Extra Scratch Remover. Extra is formulated not only to remove deep scratches (like those fingernail scratches under your car's door handles) but also to remove heavy oxidation and swirl marks that can make the paint finish look and feel very coarse. Extra utilizes more abrasives than a standard polish to cut through heavy oxidation and smooth out more aggressive swirl marks. On very weathered paintwork, Extra is able to dramatically reduce oxidation and restore luster. The finish will have more gloss and return closer to its smooth, original finish.

For even better results, following-up with einszett Paint Polish, you'll produce a more dramatic finish. Paint Polish will further enhance the depth and gloss results produced by Extra.

When to Polish?

Now you should know which type of polish best meets your needs. Now lets quickly recap why polishes are important. Many of you are constantly confused between waxes and polishes mainly due to false information and advertising. A true wax is designed only to protect a paintworks surface from environmental elements. They are not designed to clean the paint or maintain its overall condition. 

Polishes on the other hand can be compared to washing and applying lotion to your body. Polishes clean and rejuvenate the surface of your paintwork by removing aged paint due to oxidation, UV-Rays, temperature variances, as well as environmental influences such as bird droppings, sap, acid rain, etc. Polishes restore the gloss and depth of your paintwork and as a result extend the life of it. This is why it is so important to not rule out polishes from your paintwork maintenance regimen. In addition, polishing the paintwork prior to waxing will allow waxes to bond better and last on the paintwork surface longer.

We recommend polishing twice a year preferably spring and fall. After thoroughly washing the paintwork surface, apply the polish with either a 100 percent terry cotton towel or foam applicator pad (if applying by hand) or use an orbital buffer if you prefer applying by machine. An orbital buffer is a safe way to get machine results but with the safety of hand application. Dual Action orbitals will not harm the surface of your paint finish like a rotary polisher can which should be reserved for professionals. In addition, an orbital buffer will cut down your application time plus give you consistent results (read: you wont be tired after hours of polishing which can lead to uneven results). Whether you choose to apply by hand or machine (by the way, our polishes are designed to be applied by both methods) polish small sections at a time. Do not polish your entire paint finish and then attempt to wipe it off three by three foot sections are ideal. Otherwise, you will find yourself attempting to scrape off the product from the paint finish. In the unlikely event this happens to you, simply apply more product over the dried polish. This will safely soften the dried polish and allow for easy removal.

After applying the polish, by working it into the surface until it nearly disappears, wipe off with a clean cotton towel or better yet an einszett Microfiber Towel (microfiber towels are highly suggested because of their very fine surface area that wont cause minor surface scratches). Remember, when polishing do not apply too much or too little pressure the same amount of effort as we always suggest for surface care.

Summary

The benefits of polishing far exceed those of just waxing. While one works best with the other, polishes remain the work horse in the overall maintenance of the paintwork by removing aged paint, restoring depth and gloss and reducing or removing the appearance of surface defects such as surface scratches and the dreaded swirl mark. It also creates the ideal surface for a coat of wax.

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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Car Waxing

Advantages of Waxing

Auto detailers and car care experts all agree that nothing beats carnuba wax for a Deep, Rich, Durable Shine. Car wax will fill in very minor scratches like swirl marks, and harden to a protective layer that polishes can't match. Because the wax fills surface imperfections, and doesn't contain solvents, it is harder then the waxes found in polish and results in a smooth, durable finish.

Disadvantages of Waxing

Because wax builds up over time, layer upon layer, it is subject to minor defects and scratches just like the paint is. Over time these defects cause dulling of the finish. While it is better to have damaged and defective wax, this can be avoided by polishing from time to time. Polishing will remove the wax build-up, and if we used good wax in the first place, will restore the lost shine.

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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Car Polishing

Advantages of Polishing

Your vehicle's paint isn't smooth. It has a texture to it, and if it has been washed with harsh detergents and dried improperly, it may even have minor surface scratches.

The Advantage to using polishes after washing is that because they are slightly abrasive polishes will remove oxidized paint, remove minor scratches, and smooth imperfections in the paint. Where wax lays down a layer of protection, polish removes material to reveal clean smooth paint. The smoother the paint, the shinier the surface.

Disadvantages of Polishing

The major drawback to using polish is the fact that as you polish, and remove old dead paint and pesky surface scratches that dull the paint job, you are also removing the wax layer that has been applied over time. Exposing the paint to the elements like this will cause rapid oxidation as the solvents in the paint evaporate off.

Most polishes today have a wax in them to protect the paint, but the solvents in the polish weaken the wax, making it substantially less durable then wax alone.

Summary

The purpose of polishing or waxing your car is to keep it Looking its BEST.

To do this it is best to polish the car to remove old wax, paint, and residue. This restores the surface to clean paint and smooths the paint surface. After this, polishing is only needed every now and then to keep the paint clean and smooth.

After polishing, protect the paint with a good quality carnuba based wax every few weeks.

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What The Differences Are Between Compounds, Polishes, Glazes And Chemical Paint Cleaners?

Preparation, preparation, preparation... is the key to achieving amazing car care results. No matter how good your fancy wax is, or how many coats of it you apply, you will not achieve a perfect finish unless you spend time preparing your paint properly. Proper preparation involves two key steps. In the first, firmly bonded surface contaminants are removed using tar removers and detailing clay, to leave painted surfaces feeling perfectly smooth. In the second, sub-surface defects sitting below the paint surface are removed by polishing, which is a broad term for a range of processes that remove or mask paint defects and enhance surface gloss in preparation for the addition of protection.

The polishing step is often skipped or misquoted by many car care enthusiasts (in the latter case we mean that many people often say they have polished their car as a catch all term for whatever they have done to it). This may be because they do not fully understand what polishing does, or because they are not confident enough to try it, or because they believe it requires equipment that they do not have. As a result, many enthusiasts are left dissatisfied with the appearance of their paint. In this guide, we will attempt to shed some light on the subject of polishing by (i) illustrating common sub-surface paint defects, (ii) describing the different types of polish currently available on the market, (iii) demonstrating how to polish paint by hand and (iv) demonstrating how to polish paint by machine.

What do we mean by sub-surface defects? Sub-surface paint defects are any forms of damage that are cut into the uppermost layer of paint on your car, and include marring, swirl marks, scratches, stone chips, water spots and acid etching caused by bird droppings and bug remains. By far the most common form of sub-surface defect is stone chips, particularly on the front ends of cars. However, many paint finishes also suffer from swirl marks and etching, and scratches are almost guaranteed if you park in supermarket car parks on a regular basis. Another less common form of defect is buffer trails or holograms, which are lines of swirl marks inflicted by poor machine polishing attempts. A few of the more common forms of defects are shown in the images below.

Serious swirl marks really stand out on dark coloured paints

Water spotting and swirl marks characterise this neglected paint finish

Serious buffer trails and stone chips are blighting the front end of this BMW

Stone chips and scratches are obvious types of defect whose cause is clear, but what about swirl marks, water spots and etching? What are they and how are they caused? Swirl marks are circular patterns of fine scratches that resemble the form of cobwebs (hence why they are sometimes referred to as cobwebbing). They are nearly always the result of poor washing technique and are virtually guaranteed to be inflicted if you use automatic car washes (those rotating bristles aren't as soft and gentle as they look). The other classic cause of swirl marks are traditional sponges, as they provide no means of lifting particles of dirt safely away from painted surfaces when they are being washed. Instead, particles of dirt and grime are held on the face of the sponge and moved around over the underlying surfaces, creating fine scratches.

A popular misconception is that because swirl marks always appear in circular patterns, they must therefore have been caused by scrubbing the paint in a circular fashion. This is not true. The reason why swirl marks appear to be circular when viewed in the sun, or under any other form of point source lighting for that matter, is that the sharp edges of the fine scratches present in the paint are catching and reflecting light radiated outward in all directions from a single central point. If you look at the same surface under a highly diffuse source of lighting, you will actually discover that the fine scratches are running randomly in all directions; they just appear to be circular when viewed under any form of point source lighting for the reason given above.

Water spots may form on painted surfaces when hard tap water is used to rinse off after washing and is then left to dry off naturally. The spots themselves comprise calcium carbonate, or limescale as it is more commonly known, and other evaporative salts. If such spots are left on painted surfaces for any significant length of time, they can harden to the point where they become very difficult to remove, even by machine. In extreme cases, such deposits can attack underlying surfaces, causing etching. Etching refers to chemical erosion of the uppermost layer of paint (more often than not a clearcoat), and is also caused by the corrosive effects of strong organic acids in bird droppings and bug remains. Such contaminants should always be removed as quickly as possible in order to lower the risk of etching occurring.

Can all sub-surface defects be corrected by polishing? Sadly, the answer is no. Critical to this issue is the depth of the defect in relation to the paint system. Most modern paint systems are made up of three layers; a basecoat of primer, then a layer of flat colour and finally a topcoat of clear lacquer, commonly referred to as the clearcoat. The clearcoat on many modern cars is often twice as thick as the underlying colour layer and is designed to enhance the appearance of the finish as well provide environmental protection. Most sub-surface defects usually only affect the clearcoat and can often be fully corrected by polishing. However, if the defect has penetrated the deeply into the clearcoat or, even worse, exposed the colour layer then polishing will not help; in these cases your only option is a trip to the bodyshop for a partial respray. In our experience, most stone chip damage falls into this latter category. A good test of whether a defect can be corrected by polishing is the fingernail test; if you run your fingernail over a defect and it catches, even slightly, the chances are it is too deep to be corrected by polishing alone.

How can defects be corrected? Defects in the clearcoat can be corrected in one of two ways. Firstly, you can lower the level of the clearcoat in the vicinity of the defect by aggressive polishing until the defect is no longer visible. In general, it is safe to remove up to 25% of the thickness of the clearcoat over the lifetime of the car; anymore and you risk paint system failure. The benefit of this technique is that the defect is permanently removed, but the downside is that such action can compromise the integrity of the clearcoat, particularly if undertaken on a regular basis. The second option is to lessen the severity of the defect by gentle polishing and then try to hide or mask the remainder of it before applying sealant or wax protection. This is undoubtedly a safer option, but the downside is that the correction is only temporary; whatever you use to fill the defect will eventually be eroded, making it visible again.

In addition to the choices given above, you also have the option to work by either hand or machine. Polishing by hand is not a waste of time, although it is fair to say that it is hard work and the results will be limited to some extent. If you have any defects worse than minor swirl marks you will be hard pushed to remove them working by hand; the best you can hope to do is lessen their severity and then consider trying to mask them prior to applying protection. Machine polishing opens up greater possibilities, both good and bad. Whilst it becomes possible to fully correct even quite serious sub-surface paint defects, it equally becomes possible to remove too much of your clearcoat in a short space of time. If you go down the road of machine polishing, do your homework, follow the advice laid out below and in our supplementary guide entitled 'What polish should I use?', and set aside a reasonable amount of time for practice in order to gain experience.

At this stage of our discussion it is also important that we raise the issue of paint hardness as a critical factor in the safe polishing equation. Quite amazingly, paint hardness varies significantly between different makes of car, and also in some cases between different ages of the same make and model of car. The reasons why this is so are quite involved and the implications for choosing an appropriate polish for the task in hand are significant, so for these reasons we have written an additional guide entitled 'What polish should I use?' covering these two topics in detail. However, suffice to say for now that it is extremely important that paint hardness is properly taken into account when polishing because if it is not, then completely inappropriate products may be selected that either remove too much paint or turn out to be completely ineffective.

Now we can start to see why some people are daunted by polishing. Not only can we tackle defects in different ways, but we also have to take into account how the material that we are polishing can vary in terms of its hardness characteristics. If this level of complexity wasn't already bad enough, we now have to add in a third factor; that of product selection. It is no surprise that many car care enthusiasts are confused by the polishing process, for there are literally dozens of different polishes available on the market, all named and marketed in different ways. However, when you look past the choice and the labels, four main categories of polish appear, and these categories are the key to really understanding polishing, as they unify all of the other options outlined above. For this reason, in the next section we will explore these four categories of polish in more detail before then moving on to look at polishing techniques in more detail.

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The Best Way to Wash Your Car - Car Shampoo “Wash & Wax”

Car Shampoo “Wash & Wax”

What’s the best way to wash your car?

There’s always that temptation of taking your car to an Automatic Car Wash or a Hand Wash station, where a power wash and a horrible stone and mud-covered brush are provided. Take pity on your cars paintwork and treat it to a nice wash with your own fair hands. It’s a lot cheaper and a lot less damaging to your car this way.

Why shouldn’t I use Dishwashing Liquid (washing-up liquid)? 
Dish washing liquid is Too Harsh for your Paintwork and contains Salt which Rots Metal. It also strips any previously applied wax or sealants too! It’s much better to use a high quality specially formulated car shampoo. It’ll be much better for your paint and trim.

Ok. But what’s a GOOD car shampoo? 
 There’s some great wash ‘n’ wax products out there that don’t cost the world but do the world of good for your car and it will love you until the end for this.

Lets see what’s hot and what’s not.

  

The results we got were fine, and the Golf we washed went from un-maintained (no wax or polish applied since, well, ever) dirty rep-mobile to squeaky-clean in only a few minutes with no hassle. There’s actually something else this product does – you can use it as a maintenance wheel cleaner. As the viscosity is thin, simply pour it neat into a spray bottle, spray onto wheels, agitate with a wheel brush and leave for 5 minutes or so.

It actually worked fairly well like this too! Although some very ingrained and stubborn dirt refused to budge, it still cut through thick and baked-on brake and road grime – we didn’t even use a power washer on the wheels, just a common garden hose with a sprayer attachment. That, in our opinion, is a big plus if you’re in a hurry to get your vehicle clean.

We also used it for detailing around the badges and locks etc, and it performed well in these areas. Again, spray it on neat then use a soft brush to get into all the areas around the badges etc, leave to soak for a couple of minutes and then rinse the product off.

The finish on the bodywork was good, and bought back the metallic ‘pop’ in the paint. It also left behind a just-waxed feel. Although there was no water beading afterwards, it did help to sheet the water off more efficiently.

CAR WASH SHAMPOO PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The MAGIC SHINE Car Wash Shampoo is a great value car wash and wax. IT is a specially selected blend of surfactant, which ensure our shampoo is quick and easy to use. The super strength formula helps to remove dirt and road grime from your car's paintwork, while adding a protective wax layer, leaving a high gloss shine. The advanced formula leaves a streak-free showroom shine, which enhances the overall appearance of your car. It is suitable for use on all bodywork, wheels and bumpers.

FEATURES & BENEFITS OF “WASH & WAX” SHAMPOO

•                Adds wax as you wash

•               Leaves a streak-free, high gloss shine

•                Leaves a brilliant protective shine with every wash

•                Leaves a spotless, shiny surface fully prepared for waxing

•               Remove stubborn dirt, grime & traffic film and other harmful deposits

•               Slat free to ensure no harm to paintwork

•                Suitable for use on bodywork, trim & wheels

•                Powerful blend of detergents remove oil, grease & road grime

•                Dries to a streak free finish on bodywork & windows

•                Effective cleaning without stripping wax

•                Regular use help protect the appearance of your bodywork

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