Best Car Polish: Which one to get

The simple answer is both and in equal measure. This is because they both do completely different things.

Polish is an abrasive that you use to get rid of small scratches, swirl marks, and other small defects. Polish does this by removing the top layer of your paintwork.

This makes the depth of the scratches less pronounced in comparison to the rest of the paint. As a result, you will get a cleaner reflection, instead of the hazy reflection you get when there are more defects in your paint.

So, polish is great for removing defects from your paintwork. But it doesn’t protect very well, and this is where wax comes in.

Wax acts to leave a layer of protection on your paint. This serves to protect from contaminants like rain, dust, insects, bird droppings – anything that would otherwise risk your paintwork becoming damages again.

Wax is typically made from carnauba, which is a natural brazil wax, although there are also good synthetic versions out.

The good thing about this type of wax is that it has a very high melting point, which helps it to keep protecting your paint in hot sunny weather. It’s also waterproof, making it great to protect from rain.

While these can be used on separate occasions, it is advised to use both if you want to get the best finish. If your car has no imperfections, e.g. recently polished, then you can just apply the wax.

To get the best results from polishing and waxing your car, you should follow these steps:

Wash

Wash your car with car shampoo to aggravate and soften any stubborn dirt on your paintwork, then rinse thoroughly.

Decontaminate

Use a clay bar and lubricant (water in a spray bottle is usually fine) to get the hard-to-reach contaminants off your paintwork, then dry thoroughly. It’s key to not underestimate the importance of this step.

Without clay barring your car, you will not remove anywhere near enough contaminants to get an excellent finish.

You can usually tell how well the clay bar is working by lightly rubbing your finger along the paintwork and feeling for rough surfaces. The smoother the surface, the cleaner it is – thanks to the clay bar.

Polish

Apply your chosen polish into the paintwork as per the manufacturer’s instructions and buff off. A decent polish should remove small defects and swirl marks and provide a nice finish.

Most polishes yield better results when applied with a polishing machine.

Wax

Apply your favorite wax according to the instructions and buff off. The wax will provide a layer of protection, helping your hard to last at least a couple of months, depending on driving habits.

The wax also fills in any defects that the polish couldn’t remove. This will enhance the glossy finish even more.

The short answer is – it can be. Car polish is an abrasive, which essentially cuts away a layer of clear coat in an attempt to correct defects. This works to level out the paint surface and make it look shiny again.

If your paint is depleted to the point that the clear coat is gone, then it is advised to not use abrasives such as car polish, and certainly not compounds which are there to purely cut away at the paint before treating with wax.

Also, applying polish by hand generally causes less risk to the paint then using a polisher. You should be confident that you know what you are doing before using a machine.

Yes, you can. However, if you are doing a full detail, then by default you should wash, decontaminate and polish before waxing.

Alternatively, you may be confident that your paintwork has no defects because you recently polished it. Or you may just want to fill in a few minor scratches, in which case using wax is a quick way to improve the look of your car.

Either way, using a wax will not damage your paint without polishing – which is key. Just make sure the surface is clean beforehand.

You should polish your car at about twice a year in order to maintain a good paint finish. This should be done as part of a full detail, which should include washing, decontaminating, polishing, and waxing.

Other factors may depend on how often you need to polish your car. For example:

Storage

If your car is stored in a garage then the paint is less likely to be affected by elements like UV rays from the sun, water spots, dust, bird droppings, tree sap, etc.

Climate

If you live in a location that has quite hostile weather or conditions, then your paintwork will be more likely to be affected.

Driving Habits

If you go on long drives regularly, then you are more likely to encounter stone chips, abrasive dust, insects, etc, which will adversely affect your paintwork.

Yes, polish works by removing light scratches and swirl marks.

Compound polishes tend to be more effective at removing paint defects due to the abrasive properties. More often than not a follow-up treatment like wax or a treatment polish is required after applying compound.

All-in-one polishes tend to be less abrasive and therefore more forgiving when mistakes are made. They can also have protective properties that act as a wax would in providing good shine and protection.