Polish's To Use On Your Vehicle

If you want to keep that "New Car Shine" and maintain that show room look of your car, then you will want to read on. There is some confusion between manufactures on the meaning of "car wax" and "car polish" and what each of them will do for your car. There is a difference between car wax and car polish. I've listed some variations below that can help you get the right polish for your car.

Car Wax "vs" Car Polish

Not knowing the difference, a lot of people will buy car polish when they want to put a gloss or a protective coating on their vehicle. This is the wrong choice! Car wax is what you want when you need a protective coating or a nice glossy shine to your car. Car Polish on the other hand is for removing scratches or minor flaws in the paint of the car. You should only need to use car polish once or twice a year, not when you want the paint on your car to look bright, shiny and new looking. Choosing the right product for your car is critical if you want to preserve the life and "New Look" of your car.

Car wax is made to preserve the car's paint, as a "Polish" is made to enhance your car's look. Polish has fillers that will hide scratches and small imperfections on your car. It has mild chemicals and abrasives that will clean your vehicle. But, as the weather has an impact on your cars look, in time it will lose its luster and shine.

Choosing the Right Polish

Make sure you read the label and know what that product will do for your car. There are so many polishes out there today to choose from, it can be confusing on knowing which is the best one for your car. Choosing a product on price alone may not be a better choice for your car's need. Even though there are products that state they clean and polish your car in one application, this doesn't mean that it will work for your car, it is not as good as using both car polish and wax separately. Polishes come in two forms, liquid and solid.


Solid Polish's

A natural "Solid" wax is generally called "Carnauba Wax". This is a polish that can be a little more difficult to apply to your car. Compared to a liquid wax it take more time and effort to apply it correctly. With older cars that may have more blemishes in the paint, the wax will end up giving you a very nice gloss and shine to your vehicle.

Liquid Polish's

A car polish that is liquid will go on faster and easier than a solid wax. Some experts believe that it clings to the paint surface better than a "solid wax", even though there is not much difference in the gloss and shine of your car.

How to use the Polish

Always clean your car with products that are made for cleaning your car. Using household cleaners may be too harsh on your vehicle and can damage the paint on your car. Using a cleaner that is only made for cars will ensure that you will not damage the finish of your vehicle. Going through a car wash is an easy way to make sure your car is free of dirt and grime. Before applying the polish make sure your car is dry completely.

When using the polish, read the instruction on the bottle to see if you need a "wet" or a "dry" cloth to apply the product. Always avoid sunlight when applying the product, park your car in the shade. After you have applied the product in a circular motion, allow it to dry, usually about 15-20 minutes (you will see that a white silky film has developed). You can then use a buffer or microfiber cloth to buff away the film. This may take a couple applications depending on how bad the paint was on your car when you started. After you have finished with the polish on your car, put a coat of wax on to help protect the finish. It is not recommended that you use polish more than twice a year. Most vehicles only need the polish once a year to keep the luster, shine and protection your car needs.