These articles are written to assist the average auto enthusiast in maintaining
their pride and joy. With that purpose in mind, I have often stated that power
tools and fine finishes do not mix. The use of a power buffer is a learned skill,
and the mistakes made during this learning curve can make you very unhappy.
In the hands of a skilled, caring professional, a power buffer is amarvelous tool
that will result in an immaculate finish. I am fairly adept at carving the "Thanks-
giving Turkey, but I doubt if there are a gaggle of people who would care to have
yours truly perform open heart surgery on them (I would leave your insides with a
nice coat of wax). So, caress your pride and joy with your hand, and leave the
power tools to the pros.

In Cleaning Your Paint, Part I, we defined some of the major types of cleaners,
but realize that the numberless manufacturers do not all conform to the defined
nomenclature. I personally prefer a glaze over a polish to clean and prepare the
paint for wax. The difference is that a glaze uses a superfine abrasive cleaning
agent, whereas a polish usually uses a chemical cleaner. The glazes tend to
smooth out the paint more effectively than the polishes. If the paint does not
have any imperfections, then a polish may be enough. The first step to your
cleaning/waxing regimen is to wash your car with a quality car wash and dry
thoroughly. The benefits of a clean surface cannot be overemphasized unless
you are a fan of swirl marks and feel that hairline scratches are attractive.
Wash thoroughly before starting.

PREPARE THE SURFACE
Pick a section of the car such as the hood, door, top or whatever. Glaze/polish
this section of your car completely, redoing any section(s) that need additional
help. The glaze/polish should produce the deep gloss that you desire. Once this
section dazzles you with its brilliance, then, and only then, apply a coat of wax to
this section. Realize that the wax is nothing more than a clear protectant and will
not remove or hide scratches or swirl marks. Once this section of your car has
been completed, move onto another section and begin the glaze/polish and wax
process again.

If your paint has swirl marks, acid rain marks or faint scratches, then you may
wish to use a glaze. The definition of a faint scratch is one that you can see but
not feel. If you can feel the scratch with your fingernail, then it is beyond the
scope of this article and should be treated as a paint chip. Rule #l: Use the least
aggressive product/technique to get the job done! It is very easy to repeat an
application of a mild product to achieve a result, but is very expensive to replace
paint when you have gotten too aggressive. If your paint does not have swirl
marks/scratches, but has lost some of its luster, then you may consider using a
polish. I prefer glazes over polishes, but that is somewhat subjective.

All glazes/polishes should be applied to a cool surface and in the shade. Never
wash, clean or wax your car in the hot sun. Rule #2. if you can hold your hand
connfortahly on the surface of the paint, then you can clean and/or wax your car.
Apply with your choice of a soft 100% cotton cloth, applicator pad, or closed cell
foam pad. Squirt a small amount onto your pad/cloth and then apply to the paint
surface. Do not apply any product directly onto the surface, as you will tend to
use too much and may wind up with an uneven result. Work into the surface with
a linear motion, front to back, back to front, the way the air flows over the car.
Do not go around in circles. If a piece of grit lodges under your pad, you have
made sandpaper and a circular motion will produce a 360 degree swirl mark.

All scratches are most visible at a 90 degree viewing angle, so a circular swirl is
visible from any vantage point. A linear type scratch is only noticeable from a very
narrow viewing angle. Work the glaze/polish into the surface using moderate
pressure until all that is left is a slight haze. (Read the directions on the bottle to
determine the manufacturer's recommended method.) Buff out the slight haze with
a soft 100% cotton towel/cloth. Buff out a small section, shake out the towel
(away from the car) to remove any grit and rebuff with a new section of towel.
Keep using new sections of towel and change towels frequently. I use my wife's
old flannel sheets. They are super soft and produce a brilliant shine. (Try not
"borrowing" the sheets from the marital bed as this may lead to some spousal
discontent.) When the chosen section of the car has been completed, rebuff
with another clean towel. If you are happy with the shine and deep gloss of the
section, apply a coat of your favorite wax.

APPLY THE WAX
One of the keys to applying wax is to apply it sparingly. Apply the wax with a small
piece of 100% cotton terry cloth, closed cell foam applicator pad or a terry cloth
covered sponge applicator pad. An even better method of application is to use
your fingers. Hold your fingers together to form an "applicator".Rub the wax
thoroughly into the surface. Your fingers will give you the tactile feedback to let
you know when the wax has been worked into the surface. Your body heat will
also help "melt" the wax, making it flow onto the surface. This is NOT a situation
where a little is good, so a lot must be better. Your paint will only accept X amount
of wax. If you apply 100 times X then you will have to remove 99X in the form of
dried powder. It will make waxing more difficult, require more buffing and create
clouds of white dust.

Work the small amount of wax into the surface until all that remains is a slight
haze. Use of your fingers will also tell you when the wax has been thoroughly
worked into the paint and will help prevent you from using too much wax. Most
waxes work best when this slight haze is allowed to dry. There are some waxes
that require you to buff immediately after applying. Zymol or P21S Concours are
classic examples of this type of wax. If you allow Zymol/P21S to dry before buffing,
you will need a belt sander to remove them. Read the directions on the can to
determine the proper method. Buff out the slight haze with a soft 100% cotton
towel, using the same techniques as used with the glaze/polish. Once the wax has
had time to harden off, give it an extra buffing to bring out a deep shine. If there
are areas that are hazy or cloudy, and you are using a camau- ba-based wax, the
wax has become hydroscopic and has absorbed a little water. Mist the cloudy
areas with a small amount of water (a plant mister works well) and rebuff. This
should remove the clouding.
Click here for part III of Cleaning Your Paint!