How to Polish a Car Is All About...

...knowing the best wax and the best method of preparation and application.

"Ah, so you want to Know How to Polish a Car, right?"

Let's have a look at the best application method.

As with just about everything you can think of. The whole process revolves around preparation and a bit of knowledge.

If it's the first time you're waxing the car or you're trying a new product, then a good start is to do the exact opposite of what we discussed on the page on cleaning.

Lets break out the dish washing liquid and get the panel squeaky clean But only if it's the first time Remember multiple applications build up the finest auto finishes so let's not wipe them off.





I think I know what you're looking for. You want a wet look. And not an ordinary wet. You're looking for the slickest shiniest wet you can get. Almost like jelly out of a mould Are we anywhere near?

Ok. Let's see what we can do.

You're going to have to prepare that panel. I really would like to help you, but I'm out at the moment.

Lets repeat the advice on washing car panels. Because it also holds good on how to Polish a Car.

• All your motions should never be in a circular polishing motion, this will ensure that any fine scratches will be visible from any direction that you happen to be viewing your car from.



• Instead, when cleaning a horizontal surface such as a bonnet, work in a front to back motion (or fore aft, for any nautical types).



• On the wings and doors work up and down, there is reason for this - any fine marks your car will inevitably pick up in the course of cleaning over the years will be much harder to detect Its the way the
  light is reflected from the panels. Take a look at your own vehicle under fluorescent light and you'll see what I mean.

Now you're going to prepare the body panel. You're going to be using the most sensitive tool at your disposal... your hand!

That's right, when I work on a paint repair my touch and feel can tell me every imperfection long before I spray on the lacquer coat.

And you will be surprised at just how quickly you will pick up this trick. If you can feel every imperfection on the panel or a slight sticky residue you can remove it.

Please don't be put off with the following list. The effort required to Polish a Car, you only need to put in once. Just before the first waxing of your vehicle.

Remember, the wax you're going to apply is going to act as a sacrificial layer on your cars bodywork - Instead of your paintwork. We will look at

• Road Tar
• Tree Sap
• Kamikaze Bugs
• Aphid Poo
• White Lining Paint

Well, road tar can be removed with a proprietary thinner, simply rubbing the area will remove a slice of tar with every sweep.







If you park under trees you might have noticed miniscule clear specks almost the size of a pin head. You might have thought of this as sap. Well it was once.... just before passing through an aphid or greenfly!

That's right aphid poo, this type of organic material is best removed with one of the citrus based degreasers on the market. When working on the area as you polish a car, just continue running your finger tips over the panel. You will probably find that closing your eyes is beneficial. Your fingers will seem more sensitive. And you won't see your neighbors looking at you ;-).

Sap and white lining paint are much more difficult to remove. White lining paint is best removed straight away, but the sad fact is you never know you've got any splashes until it's dryed hard onto the panels. The removal technique involves using a clay pad. (Great care should be taken here to avoid the possibility of scratching the panel).

This pad was originally designed for removing overspray on a body panel; Using plenty of water, the pad is moved over the panel, aquaplaning over the paintwork. You will feel any imperfections; just keep moving the bar over the area until clean.

Keep feeling for any grit, you certainly do not want a scratch when you polish a car! If you loose concentration you'll loose the pad - right onto the ground. Throw it away It will have picked up some grit.

The panel must be thoroughly wetted, and kept wet. It going to take time, but its worth it. Remember your fingers will feel e-v-e-r-y imperfection when you polish a car - use those fingers! We always seem to work with gloves or through some form or cloth - Don't you think it takes away the intimacy?!

Er, Right. Let's get back to the waxing.

The majority of car waxes today are based on carnauba wax. And boy is it expensive! This wax is extracted from the palm leaves of the Copernica Prunifera tree native to Brazil. The wax in its natural state is rock hard - that's hard to believe, isn't it!

The leaves are immersed in turpentine or paraffin to soften the wax enough to harvest it.

Because it's so hard in its natural state it is mixed with other ingredients... enough to keep it soft.

Now the fun begins. Remember the exercise you've been giving you fingers. Well now there going to get a real treat.

A thin cotton cloth will be OK but by far the very best method to polish a car applying wax is on the palm of your hand. And the smell of carnauba is a treat.

The body heat on your hand will soften the wax enough to be spread it easily, and most importantly, thinly over the panel.

The wax reacts with oxygen during application welding itself hard to the bodywork.



As mentioned above you will feel the presence of any grit under your fingers. This is far better than the other technique, of waiting until you can see the results of any on grit, on your formerly pristine paintwork.



Don't be tempted to put carnauba wax on too thickly when you polish a car, firstly some waxes go rock hard quite soon after application (some of the most expensive). And will then be a devil of a job to shine.

Some waxes dry faster than others. Remember to follow the guidelines above - front back on a horizontal surface and up down on a vertical surface.

Your job of buffing the panel to a shine produces a fine white powder. Because the wax can only be built up to a certain level any extra wax will be buffed out on your final polishing. Leaving clouds of dust that settle into a very expensive and charming circle right around your car when you drive off!



Apply the wax in several layers leaving adequate drying time between each application; this time really depends on your chosen manufacturer of wax.

When you polish a car and apply wax you will find that any fine scratches will be less and less visible with each application, they are slowly being bridged with every layer. A vehicle that's suffered a harder life will need more applications.

Now the jobs almost done. You have the pleasure of seeing a lovely wet protective shine. The whole process has had the advantage of being very therapeutic. And just think of all that aerobic exercise, for free!

And The Best Bit Is...

Next Week When It's Time to Clean Your Car. You'll Only Need To Point A Hosepipe At It!





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