How to Polish Your Car Yourself
If you want to maintain your car’s paint job for years to come, polishing is a must. The car polishing process helps get rid of things like minor scratches, dirt, and even rust. It does this by heating the clear coat and allowing it to fill in any blemishes. Because of this, you really only need to polish your car once or twice a year or you could risk permanently damaging the clear coat. A polished car makes the perfect surface for a coat of wax, which will help protect your car from dirt and debris.
Having your car polished professionally can be pricey, which means you may put it off, or even avoid doing it at all. Luckily, with a few tools and some time, you can polish your car yourself at home. The following tips will get you started.
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Tools needed
- Materials to wash your car by hand
- Microfiber cloths
- A lightly abrasive car polish (available at automotive stores)
- Foam applicator pad
Wash your car
Before you even think about polishing your car, you need to make sure it’s squeaky clean. Wash your car by hand to ensure you get off any caked-on bird poop or other stubborn marks. You can use any car washing liquid you can find at a car parts or grocery store. Just make sure you rinse the car thoroughly once it’s clean, and either leave it to dry naturally or help the process along with a microfiber cloth. Try to leave your car as dry as possible before you start polishing.
Apply polish with an applicator pad
When applying the polish to the car, make sure you work in small sections. Don’t apply the polish all over; that will just make it dry and be harder to get off once you reach that section. You also don’t want to apply too much to the section you’re working on. Start with a small amount of polish and add more as needed to avoid using too much.
Polish and buff
Once the polish is on one small section, work it in using the applicator pad, moving your hands in a circular motion. Don’t overwork the polish into the car or you could end up damaging the paint. Buff the polish off the car using a clean microfiber cloth. Once you’ve polished the entire car, follow up with a coat of wax to add an extra layer of protection to your car’s exterior. See our complete guide on buffing and waxing your car.
Once you’ve mastered polishing your car at home, you’ll never want to pay a professional to do it again.
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Catherine Hiles (she/her) is a native Brit living and working in Dayton, Ohio. Cat has written about a variety of subjects, including finance, cars, and parenting. She is a frequent contributor to Dayton Mom Collective, The Penny Hoarder, and WDW Magazine.
Cat lives with her husband, their two kids, and their energetic pitbull mix. She counts running, lifting weights, walking, and reading among her hobbies. See more articles by Cat.