It is amazing the number of people that don’t know how to properly clean or polish and wax their cars. Many people use products that were never intended for their car and others use products and equipment that should only be used by properly trained professionals. Some never even wax or clean their cars. Then they wonder why their car is given a very low trade in figure at the dealer, or why their paint is dull and flaking.

For the purpose of this article we interviewed numerous professional automotive detailers and similar professionals. We asked them what products they used and for tips that consumers could use. They pretty much came back with the same advice:

Properly clean the car: This is very important as the use of harsh, non-automotive products can actually harm your cars finish and make it wear quicker. Spray the car first and get it wet. Use the water to spray off dirt and other contaminates that will scratch your car if you immediately start using a sponge and water first. Also do not clean your car in the sun on a hot day. Do make sure you use warm water as it works best to loosen contaminates. After getting your car wet, use an automotive car wash solution and add to water in a bucket. Follow the directions on the bottle. Then wash the car. You will find it easier if you use a long handled wash brush (most auto parts stores have these). Be sure to wash and rinse in sections so the car wash soap doesn’t dry before being washed off. Then using terry cloth towels or chamois, dry the car off. Expert tip: use a squeegee. It is much faster and easier.

Remove stubborn contaminants: There will be dirt, bugs, tar, etc… that will be left after washing. There are many products that are made specifically for removing these items you’re your paint and car. The resounding answer from the experts was Meguiar’s bug and tar cleaner. Remove all the contaminants and follow the directions (some products can remove paint if not used correctly). Expert tip: 3M and other manufacturers make a plastic shield that can be applied over areas of your car’s paint like bumpers and behind the tires to protect from contaminants and rock chips.

Use a cleaner polish: This will remove any left over stubborn contaminates like ground in bug splatter on your painted bumper, acid rain etching, bird drop spots, and minor scratches. Use a circular motion, just like for wax. Follow the directions for that particular cleaner polish (some require a wet or damp applicator pad others don’t). Do the car one section at a time and use a clean section of cloth to buff once dry. Most cleaner polishes will dry to a whitish haze. Be sure to buff off all the haze and residue from the cleaner polish. When done the car finish will be really smooth. Expert tip: for deeper scratches, contaminants, etc… you can use an orbital buffer or polisher to apply the cleaner polish. Be careful and use low rpm’s (under 2000) anything above this and you risk burning the paint.

Apply several coats of polish or wax: There is a big difference between car wax and car polish. Car wax is usually a blend of carnauba and other waxes which will give a deep, wet look and new car shine. It comes in both a liquid and a paste, and it will not last as long as a car polish. Car wax is also less effective in high temperatures and can actually melt on hot areas like the hood. Car polish is a polymer blend usually with no wax. Car polishes can last 1 year between coats and is very durable protection for your paint. The experts recommend a car polish with Teflon in it for maximum protection and durability. The experts love the extra, deeper shine from car wax, but all agreed it was better suited for car shows. Whichever you choose, they are both applied the same way. Apply in a circular motion and let it dry to a haze. Then buff dry with a clean terry cloth or microfiber towel.

Expert tip: Don’t use regular towels or diaper cloths as they can trap dirt particles and similar and leave scratch patterns in your finish. A microfiber cloth works best for removing dried car polish or car wax haze. 2 to 3 coats are recommended for maximum protection and shine. A good rule is to reapply the car polish or car wax at least 2 times per year. Expert tip: Apply car wax, not car polish (as car polish will leave streaks and smudges on glass), to your windows. Do one light coat and completely buff it off. The car wax will work better than the leading brand glass treatment for rain (it will also quite your windshield wipers).

David Maillie is an alumni of Cornell University and specializes in automotive safety products and information. He holds numerous patents and awards for his patented headlight cleaner and restorer. For more information, tips, and money saving products for your car please visit http://www.mdwholesale.com

Every car owners enjoys the look of his brand new car. However, such a joy is short-lived as within no time the paintwork becomes scratched, stained with oil marks and dust. Ageing of the exterior paint is a natural process that gives a dull look for the car. Application of polish helps restore shine to your car as also give it a bright look. To do that, the car polish has to have some essential ingredients which work hard to remove dust; grime and oil as also remove the minor scratches that develop.

It is critical that one understands the difference between a car polish and a car wax. Normal wax gives a water protective layer and a shiny finish. It does not remove scratches as car waxes usually do not have abrasive agents. Abrasive ingredients present in the composition of polish helps remove scratches. Car polish has hydrocarbon solvents that help remove dust, grime and oil marks, and scratch marks are taken care of by the abrasive elements in the polish. Abrasive ingredients works by removing a thin layer of paint, only a few microns thick. Since only a very thin layer is removed, the paint now starts looking brand new.

However, this new look does not yet have the ‘shine’ due to the abrasion carried out. Including wax ingredient in the polish gives the burnished effect. Car polish comes in different varieties. Water solvent polishing agents based car polish is one of the types. Automatic car wash systems use aqueous dispersion car polish. Silicone based solutions are most popular variety with car owners. Silicone base ensures that the car gets a shiny look. Silicone carries out three functions in a car polish, namely of acting as a water repellant, lubricant and giving the car a good shine.

Car polish comes in various forms – in tins as a liquid, or even as a spray. Aerospace technology used by NASA has also been incorporated to produce patented car polish. Their sprays are based on “Electrophoresis Dynamics” wherein the ingredients on following a strict application procedure meld very close to the paint surface after the abrading and cleaning process is over. The paint ingredients and the metal of the car are bonded tightly on account of magnetic attraction for a long time. Any car polish application process is hard work, whether by using your own hands or by using car polishing automated tools. Polishing a car is a three-step process of polishing with hard, medium and soft pressure. Car polish is essential for the upkeep of a car and not another optional item.

For more on car polish, visit AddictedToYourCar.com

When a car is used for a long time, there must be some surface imperfections like swirl marks, light scratches. It’s time for your car to be polished. But a machine polisher does not work so well, sometimes it even will scratch or damage the car’s finish. As a result, many people choose to polish their car by themselves. To do this job, people can create the shine their desire.

Before you polish your car, you must wash it thoroughly as clean as possible. You will need a deep clean before you apply the polish. You can use a machine car wash; however, to remove all of the caked-on dirt, you may want to stick to hand washing the vehicle. Choose a wax designed specifically for automobile paint. A number of waxes contain scrubbing granules that can damage car surfaces, so choose carefully. Apply the polish to the face of the pad in a circle near the edge. Place the intake on a thick layer of newspapers on a table or work bench and make sure you have all the items you need to polish it within arm’s reach. Put on the gloves and protective eyewear before you handle the chemical products. Begin polishing at the hood of the car. Apply a thin coat of car wax and rub the wax evenly over the surface of the hood. Allow the wax to dry to a milky color before buffing.

When you are waxing the rest of surfaces of the car, be careful not to put wax on any chrome or rubber surfaces. Always work in one small area at a time, as the wax dries quickly and needs to be buffed as soon as it is dry. Coat the entire car in a second layer of wax, using the buffer on a polishing speed to get the highest shine possible from your car. Take care not to press down on the buffer and eat into your paint job. Add a straight line of polish to the part of the car in which you want to start. Just a dab of polish will be enough for each section. Then take your small, soft cloth and rub the polish in. Apply the polish to the desired area with a circular motion until it has been completely absorbed.

When you enjoy polishing your car, something about polishing a car you should know about: Use caution when running the buffer on your car. Pushing too hard on it will cause permanent damage to the surface of your vehicle. Do not try to use a rotor buffer without instruction, or you can seriously damage your paint. A dual-action orbital buffer is safe and will not burn the paint.

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