Cleaning Sequence Advice Needed

NavySeabee

NavySeabee

New England Marauder Member
I want to get rid of light swirl marks and clean the exterior of my MM this weekend.

I plan to use "Turtle Wax Polishing Compound for Light Swirl Marks" with a random orbital polisher to start off with. I need some opinions for the next steps...would it make sense to claybar after polishing? or does the slightly abrasive polishing compound also clean the same way the claybar would? After that, should I apply a coat of glaze or start on the waxing?

Any tips would be appreciated. Polishing newbie here!

Thanks.
 
1) Wash
2) Claybar
Always clay before polishing or even just waxing, you remove solid particles that don't wash off, they can come off while polishing or waxing causing abrasion.
3) Polish
ALways start with your mildest polish pad and polish, you can give yourself a lot of headaches starting too aggressive.
I have no experience with Turtle Wax products.
4) Prewax cleaner
Something like Klasse All in One, Zaino AIO or similar.
5) Sealant/wax
Glaze is a band aid.
The prep work is where your shine is, glaze although filling some swirls also clouds.
 
Last edited:
boatmangc said:
1) Wash
2) Claybar
Always clay before polishing or even just waxing, you remove solid particles that don't wash off, they can come off while polishing or waxing causing abrasion.
3) Polish
ALways start with your mildest polish pad and polish, you can give yourself a lot of headaches starting too aggressive.
I have no experience with Turtle Wax products.
4) Prewax cleaner
Something like Klasse All in One, Zaino AIO or similar.
5) Sealant/wax
Glaze is a band aid.
The prep work is where your shine is, glaze although filling some swirls also clouds.
Click to expand...

Looks like my questions have been answered. Thanks!!!
 
boatmangc said:
1) Wash
2) Claybar
Always clay before polishing or even just waxing, you remove solid particles that don't wash off, they can come off while polishing or waxing causing abrasion.
3) Polish
ALways start with your mildest polish pad and polish, you can give yourself a lot of headaches starting too aggressive.
I have no experience with Turtle Wax products.
4) Prewax cleaner
Something like Klasse All in One, Zaino AIO or similar.
5) Sealant/wax
Glaze is a band aid.
The prep work is where your shine is, glaze although filling some swirls also clouds.
Click to expand...

^^^+ 1 ^^^ I used this product to remove swirl marks and scratches with excellent results.

autogeek_2203_17948831


OZ
 
boatmangc said:
1) Wash
2) Claybar
Always clay before polishing or even just waxing, you remove solid particles that don't wash off, they can come off while polishing or waxing causing abrasion.
3) Polish
ALways start with your mildest polish pad and polish, you can give yourself a lot of headaches starting too aggressive.
I have no experience with Turtle Wax products.
4) Prewax cleaner
Something like Klasse All in One, Zaino AIO or similar.
5) Sealant/wax
Glaze is a band aid.
The prep work is where your shine is, glaze although filling some swirls also clouds.
Click to expand...

For step 5) I would use a glaze then put a polimer over it. Wax is mostly garbage IMO.
 
Menzerna polish.
Sonus Polish.
Both make sealants, both sealants are polymers.
I only use waxes when I am showing I will top off my sealant with a topcoat of something in the carnauba or carnauba/polymer fusion area.
Because lets face it polymers rock for protection but it's very hard to beat a carnauba shine. It just doesn't last longer than a few days in sun/heat.

My go to sealant is Zaino. Bar none.

Topcoating for shows I will use Dodo Purple Haze or Wolfgang Fuzion, it depends on my mood and what kind of day it will be, (cloudy or sunny)

Keep in mind, glaze is FILLER, it covers your finish and affects your final outcome.
 
If this is your first time buffing a car I would suggest you keep the buffer moving constantly and take your time. Do a small area at a time and see how it is working for you.

I know guys that will take some blue painters tape and run it over the body edges. This is to keep them away from the edges and not allow them to burn through the clearcoat/paint on the edges.

Good Luck and have fun.
 
+1 on the tape.
Also tape off seams so you are not cleaning polish out of the cracks.
tape off a 2X2 area (or 1/4 of your hood) start with a light polish and a light pad.
Do a section and then wipe it down with an isopropyl/water mixture or clean mineral spirits. Polishes have oils in them and you won't see your finished surface until you get it clean.
Experiment with different pads, products until you find what is going to suit your needs.
Not knowing what kind of polisher you have I wiil suggest touching your paint by hand and make sure it's not getting hot.
If it is change your technique.
 
Thread full of win already. What you guys use for this task? Porter Cable somethin' somethin'? Or all by hand? Obviously the clay bar is by hand, but the other parts?
 
I have a porter cable 7424xp,the dual action buffer. Its my first buffer so I wanted something more forgiving, although it won't cut like a rotary buffer.
 
I have a Porter Cable 7424 and a Flex 3403 monster polisher.
I only break out the Flex when I have to.
 
Highly recommend you clay bar with dish soap before any application of compound or polish. It is important to remove all previous car care products. If you develop a cloudy finish after all of the noted steps above, you have a build up of too much product. It really shows on black.
 
boatmangc said:
1) Wash
2) Claybar
Always clay before polishing or even just waxing, you remove solid particles that don't wash off, they can come off while polishing or waxing causing abrasion.
3) Polish
ALways start with your mildest polish pad and polish, you can give yourself a lot of headaches starting too aggressive.
I have no experience with Turtle Wax products.
4) Prewax cleaner
Something like Klasse All in One, Zaino AIO or similar.
5) Sealant/wax
Glaze is a band aid.
The prep work is where your shine is, glaze although filling some swirls also clouds.
Click to expand...

What he said but use menzerna polish, intensive polish maybe. Wolfgang sealant and dodo juice wax with sealant afterwards. Boatmangc is the MR Miagi of this detail stuff. I'm the karate kid.
 
1 Bad Merc said:
If this is your first time buffing a car I would suggest you keep the buffer moving constantly and take your time. Do a small area at a time and see how it is working for you.

I know guys that will take some blue painters tape and run it over the body edges. This is to keep them away from the edges and not allow them to burn through the clearcoat/paint on the edges.

Good Luck and have fun.
Click to expand...

Yes, yes...body shop my dad took his Ann. Cougar to destroyed the really nice original paint that was on the car...
 
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