Paste or liquid? By hand or with a machine? Premium brands or low-priced products? It turns out that there is so much more to waxing and polishing your car than simply deciding to choose one product over another. A recently concluded consumer test reported that not all pricey surface care products hold up any better than low-priced products, and that some abrasive waxes can evidently damage paint finishes on dark coloured cars. So if you’re looking to give your car a glossy, smooth perfection without damaging your ride, pay attention to the following tips.

Put some elbow grease into it

A few things to consider before you purchase your car wax and polish: Do note that the two surface care products are different and although some manufacturers use them interchangeably, each one provides distinct purposes. Waxes act as protective layers while polishes, which feature corrective properties, take off grime, grease, and scrapes.

The age of your car as well as the proportion of plastic will have a lot to do with your chosen wax and polish. If your car is a bit new, car experts recommend going with a spray wax and to use it as a weekly application. A weekly application will prevent the spray wax from wearing out, because compared to pastes, spray waxes aren’t as durable. If you intend to keep your new car for a very long time (before selling it off), liquid waxes work best for cleaning and durability.

I’ll have one of each polish

A not-so aggressive car polish with an ordinary pad or rag will mean an hour or so of perfecting your car — perhaps even more if you happen to drive a stretch limo. To avoid spending too much time on your car, consider getting one of each polish type: compound (for seriously neglected cars), cutting polish (to increase depth and gloss after a paint job), and a finishing polish (to get rid of holograms, micro-marring, and other imperfections).

Let the machine polish it

Machine polishing is not only safe but also allows for even work over your car. Car experts recommend the variable six-speed, dual-action polisher, as it can be very effective in removing scratches, oxidation, and water spots.

Test it out

When buying waxes and polishes, always test them out first. Test the wax and the polish on unnoticeable areas before using it all over your car.

Clean and protect with shampoos

If you really want to cut your car detailing in half the time, find a car shampoo that can protect the paint job as well as give your car that attractive shine. Car shampoos with surface active ingredients can clean while giving your car a film-like barrier.

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