On the surface, polishing your vehicle might seem straightforward. However, if you expect to get the most out of your hard work, there are a few pitfalls you need to avoid. Take a moment to explore some of these common oversights and take notes. Doing so will ensure that you don’t make these mistakes when polishing your car.

Not Washing Beforehand

One of the worst mistakes you can make is failing to wash your car before polishing it. You must take the time to carefully wash your vehicle with soap and water before you hit your paint with any car polishing tool. If you don’t wash beforehand, you can easily ruin your paint by grinding sand and dirt into the paint, leaving it far worse than when you started!

This is because dirt and other residues on your exterior will contaminate the polish or become pushed into your paint job. Moreover, these particles can cause scratches when you start buffing. For these reasons, it’s imperative to prepare your car before you polish it by washing, rinsing, and thoroughly drying it off. It is also important to decontaminate the vehicle for best practice. This includes the use of clay and lubricant or products like CARPRO IronX.

Trying To Polish Too Large of an Area at Once

Experts and car enthusiasts alike will tell you that the simplest way to ensure a beautiful, even buff is to focus on polishing one small “section” at a time. Then, once you feel confident that you’ve adequately polished a confined area, you can move on and repeat until the entire surface of your car shimmers. It’s best practice to do a 2 Sq. Ft. area a time.

People tend to make the mistake of starting by polishing a significantly large portion of their exterior. In doing so, they usually miss spots, and do not allow the abrasive polish to level the clear coat as is needed in order to remove the defects. So take your time and focus on buffing one small section at a time. Trust us. You’ll be glad you did.

When it comes to waxing or applying a sealant, you can often take on an area a bit larger than the previous step of polishing. However, be sure to apply very thin and do not over-use the wax or apply it thick.

Not Wiping Between Polishing aka Buffing, and Waxing

If you want your protection to last, it is crucial to ensure an oil free surface! So, before you apply any protectant like wax or sealant to your vehicles surface you want to remove any residual polishing oils from the paint. This can be done utilizing products like CARPRO Eraser or OBSSSSD Paint Prep. These products are designed to target oils and deliver a surgically clean surface so your wax or sealant can bond.

Once your wax or sealant is applied your vehicle is ready for the road! It is however best to allow it to cure in the garage before introducing it to hard weather or bugs. Make sure to maintenance wash it bi-weekly to encourage a long life for your protectants!

We hope this delivered insight on the things to look out for when buffing your vehicle. If you are new to car care, make sure to print this out and follow these tips when buffing to ensure you don’t make these mistakes when polishing your car.