- 1). Wash the dirt off of your vehicle with car wash soap and a sponge. Make sure you clean off everything you can, as this will have a direct impact on how well you can repair the faded paint.
- 2). Dry off your vehicle using a chamois. Do this in the shade to avoid water spots from the sun drying the water too quickly.
- 3). Select either a polish, a polishing compound, or a rubbing compound. A polish is designed to clean up minor details, while a polishing compound removes the first layer of paint, allowing the next, unblemished layer to shine through. A rubbing compound does the same job as a polishing compound, only it is far more abrasive and should only be used a last resort, as it may strip through all paint layers.
- 4). Apply the polish or compound to the vehicle using either a terry cloth or the applicator that comes with the polish. Use straight back-and-forth strokes. Do this in sections, working on a particular area of the vehicle at a time. After polishing that area of the vehicle, remove the polish before starting on another.
- 5). Rinse your vehicle down with warm water to remove any excess polish.
- 6). Dry your vehicle with the chamois. Again, do this in the shade to prevent water spots.
- 7). Apply carnauba wax, and polish it off with a soft cloth. If your car doesn't shine like new, you may need to repaint.
Basic Polishing Technique
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