Car Polishing: The Know-How for Beginner Drivers
8 March, 2021
Dirt and water splashes that stick to the body of a vehicle are the main enemies of car paint. The pile will make the paint fade due to chemical processes. If this occurs, it doesn’t hurt to spend a little time conducting simple maintenance by washing and polishing your car, so that it always looks great.
To do this, of course, you need to educate yourself on who to polish your car correctly with chemicals that won’t do more harm than good. Some people use compounds when removing fine stretches and stans from cars, which is wrong as it will erode the protective layer of paint.
Here we provide some information on car polishing that you can easily apply at home.
What Is A Car Polishing
Car polishing is one of the techniques in maintaining car paint. The goal is none other than to have car paint that remains clean, well-maintained, and is always free from defects and scratches. Car polishing cannot be done carelessly. It takes several steps and special techniques so that the results can be maximized. To increase your understanding of this topic, here are 4 main benefits of car polishing that you need to know.
- An Easier Maintenance. Cars that have gone through the polishing stage will be easier to clean. You just need to water your car and all the dirt and stains will disappear by itself.
- More Protection For The Paint. The correct car polishing process will coat the paint with a protective liquid that works just like taro leaves. Water splashes and stains won’t penetrate the paint easily.
- Slows Down Aging. Ultraviolet (UV) rays have a bad impact on cars, especially as Indonesia has a tropical climate with quite unpredicted weather. With comprehensive protection of the exterior part, car paint will last longer from the effects of aging.
Also read: Car Coating, Why Your Car Needs It
Types of Car Polishing
To have the car’s appearance at its best, there are 3 types of polishing treatments at car salons that can be applied to the exterior of your car. Each type of treatment has different steps that depend on its purpose.
Cleaning
This treatment covers the entire car, not only the exterior but also on the interior and engine. The techniques used are from regular washing, dry wash, snow wash, to engine cleaning. The aim is to perform a thorough cleaning to remove various dirt and stains in the car.
Detailing
This treatment is conducted only on the surface of the car to enhance its appearance. The techniques include polishing to remove dullness on the car and waxing to provide protection and care for the car to make it brighter and shinier.
Coating
As is explained, cleaning aims to thoroughly clean all dirt and stains in the car, and detailing aims to enhance the car’s appearance. On the other hand, coating, a process that is applied to the entire car body aims to provide more comprehensive protection.
Car Polishing Period
Although car polishing is a must for every car owner to make the car look more attractive, in reality, this should not be done that often.
This is because, in every process, car polishing uses an abrasive material that can erode the clear coat or varnish. Ideally, a car is allowed to undergo polishing only three times.
However, for cars that have been coated with nano-ceramic through a coating process, scratches or dullness will only occur in the nanolayer. Therefore, when the car polishing process is done repeatedly, only that layer is eroded, while the clear coat on the car is maintained. To keep this optimal condition, it is better to do nano ceramic treatment every six months.
Also read: Car Carpets: How To Choose, Care, and Its Price Range
Procedure
During a pandemic like now, of course, performing car polishing in a car salon would be risky. But worry not, you can do your car polishing at home easily. However, before doing so, there are some preparations that you need to pay attention to.
- Car Washing. Before doing the polishing step, the car must be washed so that it is clean from dirt. If you start polishing your car when the car is dirty, the fine dirt is still stuck on the car body and will become scratches during the polishing process.
- Drying The Car. Dry your car after washing it. You should use a microfiber cloth to clean it as the soft material won’t damage the paint. Also, the water absorption rate in microfiber cloth is higher than that of ordinary clothes.
- Prepare Car Polishing Equipment. After the car is clean and dry, all you have to do is prepare car polishing kits that fit your car. To get maximum results, you can use a soft or medium compound and ensure there is no dust attached.
How To Polish A Car Without Tools
Ideally, to get the best results, polishing requires a specific tool. However, if you don’t have those, you can still do it manually using a microfiber cloth. You can start from the left or right front side panel and the hood, then alternate to each roof door to the rear panel.
Rub the car polish liquid a little at a time until it is evenly distributed, then use a microfiber cloth to polish it. Do this in repeating circling motions to get maximum benefits. After you feel satisfied with the result, you can continue to other areas slowly.
How To Polish A Car With A Tool
If you have a polishing tool, the process can be even faster and shorter than the manual method. First, rub the car polish liquid a little at a time until it’s evenly distributed, then use a car polishing tool to do the rest of the process.
Use the slowest speed the first time you polish then slowly increase it. What needs to be considered when doing this process is that the position of the polishing tool must be completely perpendicular and not tilting, as otherwise, it will erode the surface.
How To Choose A Car Polishing Liquid
Choosing a special polish according to car paint will prevent any risk to your car. The polisher types that are commonly used are called, among others, Paint Cleaner, Cleaner Wax, Cleans and Shines, and Scratch Remover. A polishing compound like those can remove dirt optimally and still be friendly to the clear coat layer.
Also read: Auto Body Repairs: Benefits, Cost, and Selection of A Workshop
Price Range
Several brands offer car polishes that you can use. A moderate quality polishing liquid can be purchased at around IDR 100,000-250,000 per bottle. The high-quality polishing that promises much better results, can cost between IDR 200,000-500,000 per bottle.
Wuling Family, hopefully after reading this article, you are now fully informed on all about car polishing. Remember to always carry out thorough car caring so that your Wuling car is always maintained and looks elegant.
If you want to do your car polishing at home, please follow the steps above so that you get maximum results. Easy, right?
