Many people mix car polishing and waxing, but they are two very different procedures. Use car polish when you need to remove defects from the surface of your vehicle and car wax when you plan to protect it.
Regular polishing revitalizes the exterior finish and keeps the beauty of the paint. It also removes contaminants and the oxidation layer at older vehicles. Plus, it can solve defects and scratches of the paint surface. The only thing you need is to find a way how to polish a car in the most efficient way possible.
Crucial Shine Requirements
It is not enough to polish your car. To get an ideal surface, you should fulfill a few essential requirements. Let’s see.
1. Paint condition
Basically, you don’t need to worry about the paint within two years after purchasing the car. In that period, it is oxidation-free, and in excellent condition, especially if you wash and protect your vehicle regularly.
2. Contamination-free
Unfortunately, you have already noticed traces of oil, tar, or bugs on the paint of your car. You usually catch them on the road and need to remove this dirt as soon as possible. When it stays on the car’s surface too long, you will have difficulties with its removal.
3. Protecting
It is a procedure of protecting the paint with a synthetic sealant. The synthetic coating is durable, creates a super-slick surface, and offers extended protection.
4. Polishing
Polishing is a crucial process for removing minor stains, scratches, swirl marks, and tiny traces of stones hitting your car. As a result, you will get a perfectly smooth surface.
5. Waxing
It is the final step to achieve the ideal shine of your car. After using pure carnauba wax, you will add some depth and warmth to the paint of your vehicle.
6. Glazing
The glaze is a paint treatment you can use to fill tiny scratches on the surface of your vehicle. That way, you will get a full paint gloss restored.
DIY Car Polish
You don’t need expensive products to polish your car and make it shiny. There is an excellent solution to how to make natural car polisher at your home.
You will need
- Bar of hand soap
- 4 fl oz (1 dl) of water
- 5 ounce (14 g) of beeswax
- 4 fl oz (1 dl) of jojoba oil
- Grater
- Double boiler
- Bowl
- Hand mixer
- Plastic airtight container
Instructions
Prepare the soap – First, you need the bar of hand soap. Grate it until getting about 2.25 ounces (64 g) of soap flakes. Mix them with 4 fl oz (1 dl) of water and let it sit overnight until dissolving.
Melt the wax – Mix 0.5 ounce (14 g) of beeswax and 4 fl oz (1 dl) of jojoba oil and cook them in a double boiler over medium heat. Remove the mixture from the heat as soon as the beeswax melts.
Make the polish – Stir both mixtures and blend them with a hand mixer getting a creamy car polish prepared for use.
Polish the car – Use a soft cloth and apply prepared cream to your vehicle. After polishing it, you should rub the surface to a shine with another dry cloth.
Keep the remained mixture safe in a sealed, airtight container until the next time.
Preparing the Car for Polishing
Always wash your car and remove all the dirt from the surface before polishing. That is the only way to get it smooth and shiny after finishing the job.
Park the car in a shadow
Start with washing your car. Direct sunlight may cause the soap drying onto the paint, which will ruin the final result. Therefore, you should always try to finish this job in a shady area. Also, it is crucial to park the vehicle on a solid surface to avoid getting it dirty immediately after washing.
Empty the car
Cover or remove things from the vehicle. Make sure your kids and pets are not inside or around the car to avoid ‘polishing’ them.
Wash the car with a hose
Spray water all over your vehicle and wash it with automotive soap from top to bottom. Don’t forget to rinse the tires and wheels thoroughly. After cleaning, you can begin polishing.
Polishing Methods
There are two standard methods of polishing the car available. You can use the one depending on your preferences.
Method 1. Polishing by hand
When you decide to apply car polish by hand, you will need a high-quality product and foam applicator pads. Put a mixture on the pad and rub the surface in circular motions until it becomes transparent.
After having the first layer of polish on, take a microfiber cloth and wipe off the entire surface of the car. Many people avoid this method because it takes too long, but it is excellent for reaching every area no matter how small it is.
Useful tips:
- Don’t start polishing before reading the manual
- Never use too much mixture
- Always clean up all of the residues from the surface, including areas around badges, panel gaps, and seals
Method 2. Polishing by machine
If you don’t have time and goodwill to spend time polishing your car by hand, you can always do it by using a machine polisher. Take care to do the job carefully to avoid damaging the paint.
Before starting, make sure that a foam pad is attached to the device. Apply car polish onto the surface and turn the device on. Always choose level 3 or 4 as the best option for polishing. Move the machine over each part of the car until reaching the high gloss.
If you purchase a dual-action machine polisher, you can apply car polish and remove smaller scratches at the same time by using three different heads available in the package.
Conclusion
Keeping your car clean and well-polished will extend its lifetime, make the vehicle look more beautiful, and provide more enjoyment to you.
The best of all is that you don’t need a lot of money to get a shiny car. Be patient, make the natural mixture for polishing, and finish the process manually. Well done!