Lot of people are confused and do not know the difference between a polish, wax or sealant.
For that show car shine, you need to do some hardwork. First is washing the car with a good car shampoo. Sonax, Mothers, Meguiares and many others produce good car shampoos. After thorough washing using a MF wash mitt, you should dry the car with good micro fibre(MF) towels. The steps after this will depend on the condition of your paintwork. If your paint surface feels rough and has lost its slickness, it needs a clay bar application to remove the surface contaminants like brake dust, tree sap, bird drop stains etc., which are embedded in the paint work. You can do a google search and there are many videos on youtube showing how to use a clay bar. Most cars will need claybar treatment at least once a year. If after this, the finish is reasonable, you need only to offer protection, either using a good Carnuba paste or liquid wax or a polymer base paint sealant.Most of the above said companies have good waxes, which can be applied by hand using a good foam applicator and then rubbed off with MF towels.(Watch youtube videos on how to apply wax by hand).
If however, you have lot of swirls on he body, mainly due to poor washing technique, you can apply a mild rubbing compound like Meguiares Ultimate compound to get rid of them and superficial scratches. The best results are always obtained with a DA orbital polisher. Working by hand seldom gets rid of all swirls or scratches. Once this is done, you will need to apply a polish, before application of wax. Alternatively, you can combine the two steps by using a cleaner wax, which has mild polish in it. Carnuba wax gives the protection that your paint needs, which need to be applied once in 3-4 months, depending on the environment the car is exposed to. Sealant is usually a substitute for wax, which is usually synthetic polymer based, easier to apply by hand and last longer than wax. Even then Puritans always prefer good Carnuba wax.
Once you have restored your finish, all you need is good washing technique. Less washing, the less will be swirls. This is where so called waterless washes come, like Optimum no Rinse, which not only gets your car clean, but also imparts a sheen to it. Days, when you do not need to wash or use ONR, use a Jopasu duster to get rid of the dust and then give a wipe down using a Quick detailer spray (Mothers or Meguiares)
if you follow this regime, especially with good washing technique, you can maintain your car in a dazzling condition for a long time. Of course, it involves a lot of care and your time.
I hope this will be of help
P.S : Polishes remove the paint defects below the surface and imparts a wet deep gloss look, which is then "locked in " by Wax or a Polymer sealant. Clay bar removes surface contaminants and will not be able to remove below surface defects. They improve the condition of the paint surface in different ways, before wax or sealant is applied.
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i thought only abrasive products will damage the clear coat :|![[confused]](https://www.theautomotiveindia.com/forums/images/smilies/Confused.gif "Confused [confused]")
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