If done right polishing a vehicle can produce a great finish and shine, but if done incorrectly it can damage the paint on your vehicle. This article will look to provide insight on several polishing tips and tricks to help you do the best possible job next time you polish your vehicle. Hansma Automotive offers vehicle detailing services, as well as vehicle maintenance and repair. Click here to contact us today.
Before You Polish Your Car
The two things that need to be done before polishing your car are cleaning and decontaminating it. Cleaning the car needs to be done for obvious reasons: if grit is on the car, it will rub into the paint when you polish your vehicle, damaging the paint job.
Decontaminating the car is something that is often missed, but is also extremely important to achieving a good finish. Over time contaminates, such as dissolved road salt, will build up on the paint of your vehicle. These contaminates will be invisible to the naked eye, but if you polish your vehicle without removing them first, the contaminates will both damage the paint and create "swirl marks" on your finish.
Polishing Outdoors vs Indoors
Polishing outdoors is something that should be avoided if at all possible. Natural elements such as wind, dust, and vapours can begin to coat your car immediately upon cleaning it. In certain conditions this can happen so fast that there may be a new layer of contaminates before you have a chance to polish. To prevent this problem, polish indoors if at all possible. That said, the next point will discuss how to polish in the wind if need be.
How to Polish in the Wind:
- Bring the car into the garage once it has been thoroughly washed.
- Hang tarps, or a large tent with side drapes, around where the vehicle will be to stifle the wind. Once your wind blockers are up, bring out the car.
- Only work on small portions of the car. Don't try to decontaminate and polish the entire car in one go. Work with only small portions that are sheltered from the wind.
Other Weather Elements to Watch For
- Sunlight or Heat: This will cause your polish to dry much faster, and will effect your polishes behaviour. Adjust the amount of polish you are using and your polishing radius and speed accordingly.
- Cold: Low temperatures can affect your polishing job just as much as the heat. Cold will slow the drying of polish and will cause it to react differently with your vehicle's paint. Again, adjust the amount of polish used and your polishing radius and speed accordingly.
Hansma Automotive: Vehicle Detailing Specialists
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If you would like your vehicle to be cleaned, decontaminated and polished by a certified professional, contact Hansma Automotive today. Our team of specialists are able to provide the highest quality finishes and cleans for your vehicle every time.