In addition to what’s under the hood, the resale or trade-in value of your car also factors in the appearance of its exterior. Apart from washing it regularly, you should also try to polish it. Once or twice a year—although because it is abrasive (to varying degrees, depending on the court)not more frequently than that.
So what exactly does polishing do to your car, and how do you get the job done at home? This is what you should know.
The benefits of polishing your car
Before you begin, you may be wondering if polishing your car is worth the time and effort it takes. In short: yes. That’s because polishing your car comes with benefits that include:
- Extend the life of your car’s paint by getting rid of stubborn dirt that may remain after washing.
- Helping to remove rusty paint.
- Helps condition and maintain paint, preventing it from drying, cracking or peeling.
How to polish a car by hand
While some people choose to have their vehicle professionally detailed or have invested in their own orbital shock, today we are going to focus on hand polishing.
Before selecting a polish, find out if your car has hard or soft paint. While tougher paint can handle a more abrasive polish, cars with paint should only be polished with a finer, less gritty product.
Here it is to do:
- Wash and then completely dry your car.
- Put a small amount of rinse aid on a foam applicator pad or on a Clean and dry microfiber cloth.
- Apply the polish in a circulating motion to a small section of your car.
- When that section is done, go over it with a new, clean, dry microfiber cloth to remove any excess polish.
- Repeat this process, section by section, until you have polished the entire vehicle.
