Polishing a car with red paint

How Should I Polish My Car?

Polishing your own car is easier than it looks, but it’s also not something you should approach casually. Use this guide to determine whether polishing is right for you, and what the best approach will be.

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How Do I Know if My Car Needs Polishing?

If your car looks dull, scratched, or just doesn’t “pop” the way it used to, you might be wondering if it needs polishing. After all, isn’t that how you make a car look shiny? The truth is, not every car needs to be polished. Here’s what to look for if you’re not sure.

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What to Look For on Your Paint

Swirls & Scratches

Fine scratches are visible when paint is inspected under a strong light source such as the sun.

Fading & Oxidation

Paint appears dull and/or clouded due to clear coat damage from the sun’s UV rays.

Water Spots & Etches

Bonded water spots or etch marks that cannot be removed via washing or chemical treatment.

Avoid Over-Polishing

Polishing reduces clear coat thickness and should only be done as-needed — once a year at most.

Our Beginner Recommendation

Random Orbital Polisher

Random orbital polisher

Low Risk

These types of polishers stop if you press too hard so you can’t burn through the paint.

Easy to Use

Random orbitals have good maneuverability and won’t drag your arm across the paint like a rotary.

Easy to Find

Entry-level random orbital polishers are sold at major power tool stores at afforable prices.

What Polisher Should I Use on My Car?

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is grabbing the most aggressive pad and polish they can find and going straight to work. In reality, the smartest way to polish your car is to start with a test spot and let the paint tell you what it needs.

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What Polish & Pad Should I Use?

One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is grabbing the most aggressive pad and polish they can find and going straight to work. In reality, the smartest way to polish your car is to start with a test spot and let the paint tell you what it needs.

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How to Find THe Right Combo

Test

Polishing test spot

Start with a small section of paint on a flat surface. Use a medium pad and polish to test the paint and see if the defects can be removed.

Inspect

Inspecting polished paint

Check your results with an inspection light to see if the polish and pad removed the defects. If not, try a more aggressive pad or polish.

Repeat

Repeating polishing process

Once you’ve “dialed-in” a process that you know will remove the defects, you can repeat it across the rest of the vehicle with total confidence.

Never Skip This Step!
Some paints are hard, others are soft. What worked to remove defects on a car with soft paint may not work on harder paints. Always test first!

The Benefits of Ceramic Coatings

vs.
Wax
Ceramic Coating
Sticks to Paint
Bonds with Paint
<1 Month
1+ Years
Moderate Water Beading
Strong Water Beading
No Chemical Resistance
High Chemical Resistance
Frequent Re-Application
Quarterly Maintenance Treatments

Should I Apply Wax After Polishing?

If you don’t protect your paint after you polish it, you’ll lose all your hard work quickly. But don’t blindly grab for a can of wax out of habit — there are much better and longer lasting options available these days.

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