Category Archives: Guides & Tips

Harbor Freight Bauer DA polisher review for car detailing
09
Jul
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Garage & Equipment, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction, Professional Detailing

Harbor Freight DA Polisher Review & Guide | Bauer 5.7 Amp 6 in. Short-Throw Random Orbit DA Polisher/Sander

Posted on by Mike Phillips

When it comes to entry level dual action (“DA”) random orbital polishers, Harbor Freight’s Bauer Short-Throw Random Orbit DA Polisher/Sander is one of the most popular thanks to its wide availability and low price point. But is this polisher actually worth the money? What should you know about this polisher before you buy? I’ll answer […]

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10 Tips for Keeping a Black Car Clean
31
Jan
Behind the Detail, Ceramic Coatings, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, How To

10 Tips for Keeping a Black Car Clean

Posted on by Victor Espeland

Keeping a black car clean can seem like a fool’s errand. Deep black paints contrast with light-colored water spots, bird droppings, dust and dirt, making stains and grime impossible to hide.  How do you maintain pristine black paint when they look so much dirtier than other paints? Ultimately it comes down to protecting the paint […]

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How to Use a Foam Cannon: Step-by-Step Guide
28
Apr
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Garage & Equipment, Guides & Tips, How To

How to Use a Foam Cannon (Step-by-Step Guide)

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Foam cannons are unique soap-delivery systems for washing cars. They spray layers of thick, sudsy soap foam that help loosen and break down dirt, grime and other types of contamination.  Professional detailers love them because they speed up the washing process and provide extra lubrication between your wash mitt and the paint to prevent scratches.  […]

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Mike Phillips and Dr. Beasley's guide to polishing compounds
04
Jun
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction

The Ultimate Guide to Polishing Compounds for Car Paint (2025)

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Doing a major paintwork correction on a car with deep swirls, scratches, water spots and/or oxidation often requires something called a “compound” or “rubbing compound” that cuts paint faster and more aggressively than a polish.  There are a lot of different compounds on the market today using a lot of different technologies. In this article, […]

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EGO Power+ Pressure Washer Full Guide and Review
20
May
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Garage & Equipment, Guides & Tips, Professional Detailing, Videos & Media

EGO Power+ 3200 PSI Pressure Washer | Complete Review & Guide

Posted on by Mike Phillips

If you like to wash your car regularly, one of the handiest tools you can own is a pressure washer.  Pressure washers excel at cleaning just about anything with minimal effort. The high pressure water jet blasts the contaminants away while you simply hold the wand and aim.  There are a lot of consumer-friendly options […]

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Diagram showing the different types of scratches on car paint based on depth
28
Apr
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction

How to Tell How Deep a Scratch is On Your Car

Posted on by Victor Espeland

Surface science begins with understanding clear coat, paintwork, and scratch identification. Here’s everything you need to know about the science behind car scratches and the different ways to remedy them.

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Red Volkswagon Jetta in the Snow
20
Sep
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips

Easiest Car Color to Keep Clean? Ranking the Best & Worst

Posted on by Victor Espeland

Choosing the best car color to keep clean isn’t something many people think of, but it’s surprisingly important when it comes to how much you’ll enjoy your car long term. After all, who wants to spend all their time driving a car that looks dirty and is a pain to keep clean? The fact is, […]

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The best way to remove water spots
22
Jul
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Guides & Tips, How To, Paint Correction, Professional Detailing

The Best Way to Remove Water Spots

Posted on by Mike Phillips

One of the most annoying paint defects to see on your car’s paint and then have to somehow remove are water spots! And while you may think removing water spots is a simple process, it can actually be quite complicated because there are more than one type of water spot.  In fact, I’m the guy […]

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The best car polishers for beginners
24
Jun
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Garage & Equipment, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction, Videos & Media

Best Car Polishers for Beginners (2024)

Posted on by Mike Phillips

The good news about polishing car paint in 2024 is there are a LOT of options when it comes to machine polishers for beginners starting out doing paint correction. The bad news? There are SO MANY options now when it comes to polishers and buffers that it can be VERY confusing. As a teacher of […]

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Guide to Rupes Polishing Pads
12
Dec
Behind the Detail, Exterior Detailing, Garage & Equipment, Guides & Tips, Paint Correction, Videos & Media

What are the Different RUPES Polishing Pads?

Posted on by Mike Phillips

Transcript When you hear the word Rupes—and by the way, that is the correct way to pronounce the name—the first thing that comes to mind is normally their amazing tools, like the long-stroke polishers, the Scorpio sanders, and also the Rupes Nanos. But something that a lot of people might not know is they also […]

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