DIY car body polishing

Wash the car thoroughly. Twice. First, using a non-contact method, as is done at most car washes, then with a sponge.

Screw a trigger sprayer onto a bottle of white spirit and generously spray around the entire lower part of the body. The whole body is perfect. Wait 3-5 minutes and wipe the body with a clean rag or a special napkin. This will remove all the bitumen, insect remains and linden drops.

After cleaning the body with white spirit, it is advisable to wash it again or rinse it with water.

An already clean body must be polished with polishing clay. Clay will pull out all the dirt and debris from your car's varnish that makes the body rough. Do not try to see this rubbish without naked eyes. You won't see it. Run the back of your hand over the body. Clean the area with polishing clay and rub the back of your hand over again. Then you will understand everything.

To clean the varnish from debris, you need to prepare a 20% solution of baby soap and water. You can use a professional lubricant, but there will be no significant difference, you will just waste money.

Moisten the surface of the body with soapy water, knead the clay in the palm of your hand and wipe the body with it.

Three rules for working with polishing clay:

1. Do not rub dry. There should always be a layer of soap solution or professional lubricant between the clay and the surface of the body.

2. Be careful not to get white spirit and other solvents on the clay. even a small drop of solvent can kill a kilogram piece of clay in a couple of seconds.

3. When the clay becomes dirty, knead it in your hand so that all the dirt is inside. When the clay gets dirty on all sides, wash it in warm water. Possibly with soap.

Clay will not be able to remove some contaminants: old drops of paint, road markings, asphalt-concrete additives... such contaminants can be locally sanded without pressure and using a soap solution using sandpaper with a grain size of 1500-3000, no coarser.

After cleaning with clay, it is advisable to rinse the body again or wipe it with a very damp towel to remove soap stains as much as possible. Then the body needs to be thoroughly dried. If you have a compressor with compressed air, blow out the cracks and rubber seals. A vacuum cleaner with a clean filter in blowing mode will also work. There is nothing - then it’s a rag.

A dry body must be thoroughly degreased. Take a soft cloth or microfiber and soak it in degreaser or anti-silicone. Wipe the entire body and wait until everything evaporates from it.

Masking tape.
Let me clarify right away: you should not use molar tape instead of masking tape. The masking tape comes off at a crucial moment... It’s better to use a special masking tape for polishing. It costs a penny.

Apply tape to all decorative elements of the body that you do not intend to damage by polishing and all rubber bands that are adjacent to the body.

Cover the chrome moldings, unpainted plastic, rubber seals on the central rear and front pillars, washer nozzles, radiator grille, plastic on the mirrors... you get the point.

Light and workspace .
LED and halogen spotlights are indispensable for polishing. LEDs cast a cool, white light. Halogen - warm, yellow. When they are used together, all scratches and risks appear on the body, even those that were not visible in the sun.

Place the spotlights opposite each other so that the light slides along the body and does not “hit perpendicularly”.
It’s hard in words... when you turn it on, look at the light, you’ll understand everything.

Can be polished without a spotlight. In this case, you will only see large risks. If you polish for yourself, this is acceptable. If you are polishing for a client, buy a spotlight.

Music .
The polishing process is not fast. You will spend several hours on your feet listening to the monotonous sounds of a polishing machine. It gets boring. Turn on your favorite music in your headphones - it will act like a dope.

A correctly selected set saves from an hour to an hour and a half for the entire polishing process. We measured this indicator several times. Take my word for it.

Don’t try to immediately purchase all the professional equipment for detailing. Many expensive things are absolutely unnecessary and this is not immediately understood.

Other accessories and goodies from detailers can be easily replaced with household analogues.
For example, a detailer's rolling cart costs from 14,000 rubles, while a similar cart at IKEA costs only 2,500 rubles.

Roughly speaking, car bodies are polished by two types of craftsmen: painters and detailers.

Painters use one Makita polisher, one 3M abrasive polish with green cap, one 3M finishing compound and two buffing pads: orange and black.

For professional detailers, the full list of equipment and materials used will fit into a column, at best, on two rolls of toilet paper.

At first glance, there are many offers of polishing machines on the Internet, but in reality there is nothing to choose from.

All machines are divided into two types: rotary and eccentric.

Rotary polishers look like a regular grinder. There are two differences: the sole where the watering disc is attached and the ability to adjust the speed from 600 to 5000 rpm. There are also grinders with adjustment, but the range of adjustments is from 3000 to 10,000 rpm. Don't get confused.

The disk on a rotary machine rotates smoothly, in a circle, clockwise.

The cost of such machines starts from 3,000 rubles. This is where we need to start. I studied some Chinese. I chose according to the principle - the cheapest with delivery for tomorrow. It still works, although it looks like Frankenstein after a fight.

The second type of polishing machines is eccentric. They are also called orbital. In fact, most professional polishing machines are correctly called eccentric orbital polishers. Because the base of the sole on which the disk is attached is fixed on an offset axis and moves in orbit, and between the base and the sole itself there is a bearing due to which the sole performs an additional circular rotation while moving in orbit... In short, such machines polish more safely and without holograms.

These are the kind of polishing machines you see in photographs of cool detailing studios around the world.

Orbital machines differ from each other in the size of the sole on which the polishing disc is attached and the drive: pneumatic or electric.

Rupes cars are especially popular in Russia. Normal price compared to competitors and there are service centers if something happens...

Cost from 16,000 rubles.

Of course, if you have the opportunity to rent from someone or immediately buy for personal use a Rupes type polishing machine with an eccentric and orbital stroke, this will significantly reduce your internal stress. The first polishing is nerve-wracking, and you’ll immediately get a kick out of it.

It is very difficult to break through the varnish when polishing with such a machine, you have to really try hard. Such machines never leave behind holograms, but there is a minus.

An eccentric machine takes much longer to polish deep scratches. Although at the beginning of the polishing journey this minus will not be noticeable to you.

Never polish with a drill, screwdriver, grinder, or any other kind of torque-powered crap that is not intended for polishing. Never!

There are various attachments adapted for construction tools, which are presented as attachments for polishing hard-to-reach places.

If these attachments are sold in a hardware store, they are intended for polishing acrylic, not car varnish.

Professional attachments and adapters for machines used by detailing gurus are still difficult to buy in our country, even in online stores.

Polishing a Car: A Beginner's Guide

Many car enthusiasts solve this problem with the help of a car service, but we will tell you how to polish a car yourself. After all, once you invest in a polishing tool, you will save on the services of specialists. You will also need this knowledge when preparing your car for painting.

We buy everything you need

To achieve this goal you will need the following materials:

Professional polishing machine. If you don't want to spend money on it, you can use a regular drill, but the result will not live up to your expectations.
Polishing wheels. To remove scratches and dust, hard circles are best suited; to enhance shine and add gloss, soft and medium circles are best.
Special napkins or cotton rags.
Body polishing paste.

Do it yourself kit

Types of car polishing

There are two types of vehicle polishing: restorative and protective. Restorative polishing is designed to eliminate minor scratches on the car body, restore the shine of the paintwork and give the body a rich and even color.

Protective polishing prevents the negative effects of salts, acids, alkalis and sunlight on the vehicle body. To protect the paintwork, ionic polishes are used, which have antistatic properties and prevent dust from settling on the surface of the car.

Manual processing of a car body: where to start?

First of all, you need to clean the surface of the body from dirt. This can be done by regular washing using a special shampoo. So let's get started:

First, rinse the surface of the machine with cool water. Never wash your vehicle under the scorching rays of the sun, because... Rapidly evaporating water droplets can wear away your vehicle's paintwork.
Pour some shampoo into a bucket of warm water.
.When washing your car, start from the top of the car and as you wash off the dirt, work your way down, i.e. from the roof to the wheels. At any auto parts store you can purchase special wipes for car body care that will help you quickly and easily cope with the washing process.
Leave the car for a while to allow the surface to dry on its own.

The vehicle washing stage is over, which means it’s time to move on to manual polishing . Microfiber cloths are best for the job. With their help, you will get a mirror-like shine to the paintwork and will not scratch the body. Squeeze a small amount of polishing paste onto the surface of the car body, rub it with light and smooth movements. As the napkin gets wet, change it for a new one. The process of polishing a car body will take about 2 hours.

We will not recommend you a specific manufacturer of polishes, because... There is already a fairly large range of products in this market segment. If you are pursuing the goal of restoring its former shine and giving your iron friend a feeling of cleanliness, choose restorative cleaners. If small cracks are visible on the paintwork of your car, choose wax polishes.

Sanding the paint surface of a car

If large cracks, scratches have formed on the body of your car, and paint has begun to crumble in some places, you need to prevent the formation of corrosion as soon as possible. To begin with, you will need sanding paper P1200-P1500 or a sanding machine for polishing a car for which you will use abrasive materials.

Here are a few guidelines to follow when sanding your car's paintwork:

Start sanding only after thoroughly degreasing the car body.
Use only clean abrasive material and clean water.
Before starting work, soak the sanding paper in water with a little soap for 5-10 minutes.
Use smooth, short strokes with the sanding paper to avoid large scratches.
If you are using an eccentric sander, make sure that its grinding stroke does not exceed 3 mm.
Wash any sanded material off the bodywork before polishing.

We return the car to its lost beauty

The next stage is polishing the car body. A forum dedicated to car body paint care clearly recommends operating the tool at a rotation speed of no higher than 2500 rpm. At a higher frequency, the body surface will become very hot. When buying a polishing machine in a store, pay attention to the smooth adjustment of the rotation speed at 500-2500 rpm.

So how to polish a car using this tool? First of all, you need to apply a small amount of polishing paste (10-20 grams) to a small area of the element. Next, you should put on a light orange polishing wheel, designed for rough polishing. Without turning on the tool, rub the paste over the surface to be treated. To avoid the paste drying out, it is recommended to polish surfaces with an area of 50 by 50 cm.

It's time to turn on the tool! Be careful and operate the polisher at low speeds. If the speed of the rough disc is too high, the paint surface may thin down to the bottom layer.

In order for the paste to be distributed evenly over the surface of the body, move the tool in a cross pattern, i.e. first horizontally, then vertically. Achieving the desired result is possible by repeating the “cross” two or more times with an increased speed of rotation of the circle.

After finishing polishing a specific element, it is necessary to remove excess paste from the surface of the body. The next section of the body is processed according to the same scheme. In general, the process of caring for paintwork takes about 8-10 hours, so you should be patient before the procedure, because polishing with a rough wheel is just the beginning!

As soon as you have carried out the initial polishing of the surface of the machine, you need to switch to a “softer” mode. Apply a small amount of polishing paste to a clean cotton cloth and carefully spread it over the car body. Don't be lazy and do the work carefully so that the polishing result lasts for a long time. After spreading the paste, wait until it begins to dry out. After this, turn on the machine with a circle intended for soft polishing, and repeat the previous recommendations for its implementation.

Finishing touch

Once all of the above steps have been completed, we move on to the last part of this difficult procedure - protecting the paint surface. The process of applying and distributing the protective polish is similar to the previous stage.

In order to maintain the shine, color and safety of the paintwork for a long time, renew the protective layer at least once a month.

To ensure that the work you do yourself does not differ from professional work, you must follow some tips:

The polishing wheel should be clean and slightly damp.
If the paste dries out too quickly, moisten the surface of the body with a small amount of water.
To prevent car parts from overheating, do not polish the same area for too long.
Apply the paste directly to the surface and not to the polishing wheel.
While polishing, keep the tool parallel to the surface. This will allow you to avoid the formation of circular stains.
It is necessary to start work at low rotation speeds, smoothly moving to higher speeds.
When using pastes of different grain sizes, the surface must be thoroughly cleaned before applying.
After each polishing step, thoroughly wash the wheels in warm water.
After finishing polishing, it is recommended to wash the surface with soapy water.

How to properly hold the tool when polishing

What else do you need to know about polishing?

Polishing the plastic of a car must be done with extreme care. The impact of high speeds on this material can cause overheating of its surface and, as a result, further deformation.

The car plastic surface to be polished must be damp , so do not allow the paste to dry on it. Failure to follow this recommendation will result in increased polish consumption and deep scratches.

Vinyl stickers will make even the oldest car live a new life. Read more about this invention in our article.

More fun on the road with music! How to make acoustics in your car, read http://avtopolza.ru/tyuning/podbiraem-akustiku-v-mashinu/ link.

Glass polishing

Car windows are constantly exposed to unfavorable materials, such as ordinary sand. Getting between the rubberized surface of the windshield wipers and the windshield, sand thins its top layer, causing unpleasant scratches. Polishing car glass is a relatively inexpensive procedure. The price for this type of work in a car service varies depending on the complexity of the work. Technologically, this process is no more complicated than conventional abrasive polishing, which means it can also be carried out independently.

In order for the polishing process to apply only to the glass surfaces of the car, it is necessary to cover the remaining elements of the vehicle with a protective film. Before moving on to the process itself, it is recommended to first wash the glass well and then outline the problem areas with a marker on the inside.

Be careful: if the glass has chips, do not start polishing. First, you should repair this area.

Polishing process

Prepare a soft wheel for the polishing machine.
Apply a small amount of polishing paste to the surface of the glass, distribute the entire mixture evenly over an area of 20 by 20 cm.
Without turning on the tool, repeat the procedure to create a more even layer.
Turning on the device at the lowest speed - 500 rpm - distribute the paste with light circular movements. Make sure that the pressure on the glass is not too strong.
When polishing glass in a “cross” pattern, increase the speed gradually: first 1000 rpm, then 1500 rpm, etc. Having reached the 2500 rpm mark, move to the next section of the glass surface.

After a long and laborious polishing process, you need to remove excess paste with a soft cloth and then wash the glass thoroughly. In order not to stain the surface of the body, keep the protective film until the end of work.

The polishing process, of course, takes a lot of time and effort, but if you master the technique of professional car care for your car, you will be able to save money on car service services. Patience and self-confidence are the key to success!

Do-it-yourself body polishing

Car body before and after polishing.

Why do it?

Gives the car a good appearance. The paintwork of a car body after it leaves the assembly line is exposed to active influence of the external environment. These are temperature changes, dirt, precipitation and many other factors. There is no escape from mechanical loads, vibrations, and collisions, which cause defects in the paintwork. Polishing can be performed to restore an already tarnished coating, as a result of which the car will “look younger” and acquire a marketable appearance.
Restorative polishing of the body will get rid of microcracks in the paint and scratches. The fact is that scratches and cracks in the paintwork that appear during operation of the machine can lead to the formation of corrosion. You can avoid this by carrying out a protective polishing of the body.
By applying a special layer of protective polishing, you can extend the life of your car's paintwork. At the same time, the shine of its surface is preserved.

Types of car body polishing

Restorative. It is carried out to eliminate small scratches that have a shallow depth.
If damage to the paint layer occurs before the primer itself, then polish will not help. Restorative polishing can remove various abrasions, streaks and stains. The work involves mechanically removing the thinnest layer of coating using abrasive pastes. During the work, about five microns are removed, but there is a clear dependence on the grain size of the paste. This is not much for the original factory coating, since the thickness of the varnish and paint can be from 100 to 150 microns. Most often, this type of work is used before selling a used car to give it a marketable appearance. Let us add that restorative polishing should not be used too often, since it can be sanded to such an extent that places where the primer can be seen through the paint will be visible.
Protective polishing . Produced to protect the body from adverse environmental influences. This type of polishing work is carried out without the use of abrasive pastes. It is carried out using a non-abrasive polish created on the basis of synthetic substances and various types of waxes. During body work, the paint layer is not removed at all. Protective polishing is ideal for new cars to protect the car body from minor damage.

The period of time during which protection will be effective depends on the composition of the mixture. For example, a protective layer applied with a polymer polish protects the car body for at least six months, and one based on silicone or wax – for several months. But if you apply a polymer polish, it will require more time and appropriate special equipment.

How to polish a car at home

Preparing for body polishing

After washing the car, you need to dry it and cover parts of the car with adhesive tape so that abrasive products do not damage them.

Video: Self-polishing preparation

Carrying out washing
The car is thoroughly washed using detergents;
The body is cleaned of bitumen, primer, anti-corrosion treatment, etc.;
Seal the areas that do not need polishing using special tape (paper). These are plastic, rubber parts, headlights;
What the room should be like
To perform high-quality polishing of a car body, you need to carry out preliminary preparations and create conditions. For this, a suitable closed room is selected, with limited dust ingress and reliable ventilation. One of the significant conditions for selecting a room is the absence of direct sunlight in the room, as this can cause the polishing components to dry out too quickly.
Of course, you should provide excellent lighting in the room in order to see and identify various defects in the car body. If you are unable to find a room, then it is advisable to carry out work outdoors in the shade.

Polishing process

Video: How to quickly and easily polish a car

1. Body cleaner 2. Scratch remover (Anti-scratch) 3. Professional polishing paste (abrasive) Farecla G6 4. Fine polish (finishing) Runway

1) So, the car is washed and free of insects and heavy dirt.

It is necessary or desirable to carry out an operation to degrease the body using a degreaser, for example, W900 APP, or white alcohol. With these products, dirty film is removed from the body, small stains are cleaned, and the car body is prepared for work.
To carry out protective polishing, the paste is applied to a piece of clean rag and rubbed in a circular motion over the body. However, do not get carried away with applying an excessively thick layer. This will cause the surface to become cloudy, which is difficult to correct. It is better to carry out polishing in small parts, since the paste dries quickly and while you are busy polishing the hood, it may already dry out and become rough in another place. The body must be protected from exposure to direct sunlight.
After applying the polishing compound, do not rush, you need to wait a while for a white film to form, after which the area is sanded with a soft and dry cloth. In this case, do not use any towels, but use a special microfiber car cloth. There is a very expensive branded option on sale, but if you want a less expensive one, then use Taiwanese-made napkins. The Chinese produce such napkins with synthetic thread, which, with prolonged use, can cause minor scratches.
Sanding a body by hand is a very labor-intensive process, and therefore a special polishing machine is often used, or a drill is used.

Video: Car polishing (tools)

You will need an attachment for the grinding drill so that you can attach the necessary wheels. Usually a standard circle with a diameter of 18 cm is used. You will also need a backing for the circle; usually, for simple polishing on your own, Velcro-type fasteners are used. All this can be bought.

This is what a drill attachment with Velcro looks like:

2) Independent restorative polishing of a car body with an abrasive polish will require 2 - 3 times more time and effort than protective polishing. Therefore, it is definitely advisable to use equipment, that is, either a polishing machine or a drill.

At the first stage, a coarse-grained abrasive polishing paste is applied to a small surface of the body and rubbed evenly with foam rubber or simply with your hands.
Then a nozzle is put on the drill, preferably with a hard felt circle, the speed is set to 1200 - 1600 and we begin to carefully rub the paste with horizontal movements of the drill. Do not press the disk very hard against the surface, but let it slide along it. The disc must be held without distortion, otherwise stains may form on the surface. You need to work with abrasive polish carefully. If you show excessive zeal, you can literally “wipe out a hole.”
It is recommended to polish manually in places of any sharp transitions in the body surface, moddings, bumpers, and various corner transitions. These weak spots can be stripped down to paint. Therefore, large flat areas are sanded with a drill, and polishing of other areas is carried out manually using a special cloth.
After polishing, the car is washed and the body is degreased again and a composition with a fine abrasive is applied exactly as in the previous method. This is done to remove a cloudy tint, hide small scratches and microcracks. At this stage, it is practiced to use a softer foam polishing disc at increased drill speeds to speed up the process.
Having completed this procedure, the surface is washed again, wiped, after which a protective polish is applied.

In order to check the quality of the work, you can pour water over the polished body. If the quality is good, the water should collect in large drops and drain from the body. This is called the “drip effect” and is considered the main indicator of good performance.

Protective polishing at home is performed 2 times a year. Usually before winter and after it ends. This way you can protect the body of your own car from rapid aging caused by the influence of poor ecology. In addition, the appearance of your car will be respectable and sparkling, pleasing to the eyes of strangers and your own pleasure.

Advice:
Ideally, if you have no experience, then conduct training on an unnecessary part from any car (fender, hood...).
Practice in this matter will be very useful. As experts in this field say, you need to feel the paintwork...

Do-it-yourself car body polishing

An important step in protecting your body from aging is polishing. It will hide pores and microcracks in which fine dust accumulates, and protect the paintwork from the aggressive effects of external factors. Plus, polishing will help your car literally shine!

There are two types of polishing:

Abrasive polishing – carried out when there are visible scratches on the body surface.

Protective polishing helps prevent the coating from being affected by external factors for some time. The most important thing in this matter is not to overdo it with polish, so as not to cause more harm to your car than good. We will tell you how to do this below.

What will help maintain the shine of the body:

Rubbing Compound is a polish with an abrasive for car bodywork. This polish perfectly copes with problems such as scratches and minor damage to the body, and also easily cleans the car body from traces of rain or snow, removes tar residues and other persistent contaminants. Polish with Rubbing Compound abrasive will restore the lost shine to the body surface and help prepare the body for painting.
Higlo Wax is an express polish for car bodies. An effective and easy-to-use polish suitable for cars with any body color. The product has an excellent water-repellent effect, prevents rapid contamination and damage to the paintwork and adds shine to the body.
Cosmic – body polish. This durable protector contains carnauba wax. Thanks to this, the polish not only forms a durable water-repellent shell that protects the paintwork from harmful influences, but also gives the body a beautiful shine. The product is easy to apply and suitable for cars of all colors. Does not contain abrasive substances.
Easy Tex Multi-Polishing Glove – microfiber mitten. The microfiber polishing mitt makes polishing your car or dashboard an easy and enjoyable task. Due to their structure, microfiber fibers have a large surface area, which allows EasyTexMulti-PolishingGlove to effectively absorb water, small dirt, and excess polish.
Portable car wash or bucket with clean water.
Rubber gloves – it’s better to stock up on 2-3 pairs
A drill or screwdriver is not necessary, but it will make polishing much easier and faster.
Polishing attachments (polishing wheels) - sold in car dealerships. For the drill, you can buy a special polishing attachment with Velcro - it will be convenient to attach and change it.

A couple of tips, or what NOT to do when polishing:

— Do not polish in dusty or windy places! The newly applied polish will be of no use, because it will immediately collect all the fine dust brought by the weather.

— The machine should not be in direct sunlight and the body should not be heated, since the polish should not be used on heated surfaces to avoid streaks and stains.

— The body should not be heated, since polishes cannot be used at high temperatures, humidity, in cold weather and in bright sunshine!

— There is no need to apply polish after each wash; usually the protective layer lasts on the car for more than a month.

— Each of the presented polishes can be used as an independent product.

Removing scratches using Rubbing Compound abrasive polish

So, first of all, we remove scratches and deal with the cloudy body. To do this, we use RubbingCompound - this is an abrasive polish. It is used when you have superficial scratches in the varnish rather than deep scratches in the paint. This is a polish that restores the entire body coating.

How we apply Compound:

— To protect the decorative elements of the body, before polishing it is necessary to cover all plastic and rubber parts, as well as cracks on the car body, with masking tape. Since after complete drying, the polish in these areas may appear in the form of matte deposits, which will not be so easy to remove. To make it easier to clean the polish, we will also seal the edges of the glass.

— Visually divide the car into main sections - roof, doors, hood, and divide each of these parts into several more sections - this will make it much easier to process the surface. You should not try to process the entire body at once, as the polishing agents will have time to dry and will be difficult to remove.

- Apply a small amount of RubbingCompound polish to a sponge or cloth (do not put a lot of polish on the sponge, otherwise it will be difficult to clean the surface) and lightly rub it over the car in the selected area until the polish is barely noticeable and the sponge begins to move easily over surfaces.

— Try to polish so that the next row minimally overlaps the previous one; ideally, they should run parallel.

— Polish the surface in the longitudinal and transverse directions. Do not use circular movements - this may result in uneven polishing!

— Next, using a special microfiber polishing mitt EasyTexPolishingGlove, carefully remove all remnants of the product from the body until it disappears completely. It is important to work with a dry mitten (napkin or rag). Do not leave the product on the surface for a long time - it will be difficult to get rid of it later.

- Hold the treated area up to the light. If there are no scratches left, move on to the next part; if roughness is visible, repeat polishing.

- Remember that if you overdo it, you can damage the body coating. Therefore, use an abrasive polish without fanaticism.

— Thus, a complete restorative polishing of the entire body will take from three hours, depending on the condition and dimensions of your car

— Just one can of polish is enough for 2-3 applications.

If you have a drill:

- Use it to speed up the process. To do this, use special attachments that are sold in construction or auto stores.

— The principle of operation is the same as when polishing by hand.

— A nuance: always press the polishing disc evenly and with the same force onto the surface being treated, since if the disc is placed at an angle, this can cause the formation of stains and abrasions, visible transitions from one area to another.

— Using a drill will significantly save your time.

The most difficult and lengthy stage of polishing the car body has been completed. The result of working with abrasive polish: roughness and scratches have been removed from the coating. As a bonus: this product will remove stubborn tar, foreign paint, markers and other contaminants.

If your car has deep chips, they can be removed using TouchupPaint pencil product .

This product hides more obvious defects that have damaged the paint. But, naturally, if the scratch is half a nail deep, then this remedy, alas, will not help you.

See how to use the product here>>

We perform protective polishing of the body using Cosmic

After restorative polishing, the body will look like new. However, if the car is constantly used, this will not last long (a few weeks). In order for restorative polishing to make sense and the result to last for a long time, protective polishing must be carried out immediately after it. Then the effect will last for about 6 months.

For a protective polish, use Cosmic. This is a polish that not only cleans and adds shine, but also protects the body of your car from rain, sunlight and exhaust fumes. At the same time, it is very easy to use. All thanks to the unique composition, namely natural carnauba wax and mineral additives. They form a dense protective shell on the surface of the body, which covers the car body with a film that protects your car from various environmental influences - from ultraviolet radiation, preventing the paint from fading, to road service agents, preventing the paint from corroding.

Proceed with protective polishing of the body:

— Application of this polish should be very quick.

— Apply the polish completely to the entire body using a sponge.

— Spread the polish evenly and vigorously over the surface in a thin and uniform layer, avoiding open areas.

— Wait until the product dries (10–15 minutes) and forms a uniform protective coating.

— Wipe the car body clean using a dry EasyTexMulti-PolishingGlove microfiber mitt, removing any remaining product.

— Attention: do not leave the polish on the surface for a long time to avoid stains!

— Apply very carefully when polishing the joints of parts and places of contact between plastic and metal, since after drying the polish will be quite difficult to remove from the cracks and plastic.

— The entire process of applying protective polish takes on average 30-40 minutes.

— One jar of this product is enough for a large number of polishes.

Add shine to the body using liquid Higlo wax

At the final stage, use liquid wax Higlo wax from Kangaroo - an “express” polish in the form of a spray that will give your car extra shine after a protective polish. It can be compared to wax that is applied to the body in car repair shops. The effect lasts until the first wash, but the product is applied very quickly.

Higlo wax polish can be applied to both wet and dry bodywork:

— Shake the bottle of polish and spray the product on the surface of the body.

- And rub it with a microfiber cloth until it shines in a circular motion.

— It only takes 20 minutes to process the entire car.

We removed scratches, minor roughness, chips, added shine and preserved the effect. Now your car should shine like a mirror!

The simplest test of your work can be an ordinary bucket of water.

Pour over the polished part of the body; you should see that the water collects in large drops and rolls freely off the car.

If you decide to do the polishing yourself, choose a weekend, as polishing takes a lot of time, but it's worth it!

Watch the video “How to polish a car body with your own hands”

We polish the car with our own hands

An article about how to properly polish a car yourself, what to look for when polishing, tools and materials. At the end of the article there is a visual video about polishing a car body!

The content of the article:

Basic polishing rules
Simple polishing steps
Carrying out deep polishing
Tools and materials
Selecting a polish
Video about polishing a car body

Over time, under the influence of external factors, the car loses its gloss and shine, the paint and varnish coating loses its brightness and richness - this is the first signal that it is time to polish the car. But first you need to figure out what is the reason for the loss of the appearance of the “iron friend”.

The paintwork of a car consists of several layers: a phosphate protective film, primer and several paint layers. In a new car, this multi-layer cake has “pores” and breathes through them.

As a result of use, exposure to ultraviolet rays and temperature changes, the surface of the body paint becomes covered with small cracks, small chips, mostly invisible to the naked eye. Dust and pieces of dirt that accumulate over time in microdamages impair the reflective ability of the coating, and the car loses its original shine. The formation of deeper damage on the paint surface leads to exposure of the metal. And this can cause the formation of rust - the worst ailment of a car.

During the operation of the car, it is recommended to periodically polish it to restore its beautiful exterior. Car dealerships require a decent amount of money for such a service. A decent solution is to polish the car yourself.

Rules for polishing

Steps for performing simple polishing

If there are no pronounced or rough defects on the surface, then simple polishing can be used. To perform the procedure yourself, apply a special polish to a microfiber cloth, then carefully and evenly distribute it over the entire surface to be treated. When a white coating becomes noticeable, the polish has dried, which means the time has come for final polishing to a shine.

As practice shows, a perfectly smooth and shiny surface can be obtained by making 10-20 movements within a small area. In the instructions for any polish, the manufacturer recommends simple polishing every 4-6 weeks.

Stages of deep polishing

Using deep polishing of the car body, you can rid the surface of the car from scratches. To carry out the operation, special tools and materials will be required:

Fine (p2000) and very fine (p2500) sandpaper;
Pure water;
Rubber block.

Using the listed materials and tools, all large scratches are polished. Large scratches include those that can be detected by fingertips. As soon as the scratch is no longer perceived by the fingertip, it and the area around it are sanded with fine sandpaper.

As a result of the manipulations, the entire treated area should become homogeneous. To obtain a more pronounced effect, sand using cross-shaped movements. It happens that there is a large area with a lot of damage - it is recommended to break it up into smaller sections and sand them one after another. The roof can be divided into 4 parts, and the hood into two.

One more thing. It is better to leave a shallow scratch that will not be noticeable on the updated mirror surface. If you overdo it and rub the varnish down to the paint, this can only be corrected by a complete repainting.

You can improve the adhesion of polish and paintwork by degreasing the surface with special deep cleaning products. The surface prepared in this way is moistened and polishing paste is applied. The paste is distributed using a special machine for polishing surfaces at low speeds.

Gradually the speed of the machine can be increased. The tool in your hands should make smooth, unhurried movements, lingering a little longer in problem areas to obtain a better, uniform result. Do not overdo it, the machine may overheat, so do not work on one area for a long time.

The polishing wheel should not dry out completely - moisten it periodically. But in moderation, the paste should not fly in all directions.

We remove cracks and scratches under the handles by hand. First, using sandpaper R2000, and then using a felt wheel with a coarse paste, we treat the surface under the handles. Additional measures are usually not required.

Restorative polishing removes minor surface scratches and returns the original appearance of the paintwork. The process of removing the top layer of enamel and varnish begins. The refreshed surface is polished. It is permissible to carry out no more than 20 such operations, since further the paintwork is damaged.

To protect the car body from the effects of precipitation and other weather factors, as well as in preparation for sale, protective polishing is used. In this case, the entire body is subjected to processing. Protect from weather factors with silicone-containing preparations. To protect the intact paintwork of old cars, a soft protective polish is used.

High-quality protective polishes remain on the surface for up to 5-6 months, depending on the characteristics of use and storage, and the frequency of washing. The recommended frequency is 2 times a year. They carry out procedures in a complex of works to prepare the car for the summer and winter seasons.

With high-quality polishing, the car owner postpones the time of complex painting. In addition, a job well done will give the car's coating a new, vibrant life. You can be proud that you yourself got an excellent result and saved your budget.

Polishing materials, tools and equipment

To carry out high-quality polishing and grinding, it is necessary to have materials of the appropriate level:

Preferably a professional polishing machine;
A set of polishing wheels of different hardness (it is better not to use orange ones);
Microfiber cloths or cotton rags;
High-quality polish;
White Spirit.

The most important thing is to choose the right sander. The speed of movement of empty hands is not high enough, so we choose a machine with a speed of 1 to 3 thousand revolutions per minute. Preference should be given to a wired model, since battery options have a short operating cycle and require recharging. The machine can be equipped with polishing and grinding wheels. You can try to get by with an electric drill - in this case you will need to purchase wheels for grinding and polishing, as well as adapters for them.

Of the entire set of tools, the polishing wheel is the simplest. They come in two types: felt and foam. Both types differ in the level of hardness - it must correspond to the hardness of the paste used. The hardness of a circle is most easily determined by color:

The hardest ones are white (hard paste);
The softest are black (soft paste);
Orange circles are suitable for all types of pastes.

There is no clear correspondence between paste and circles; everything is determined by the condition of the car’s paintwork, the depth and severity of scratches and damage.

Choosing a polish

Before purchasing the product, you should determine the degree and depth of damage to the paintwork. This is a very important point, and you need to treat it with the utmost care.

Based on their chemical composition, polishes are divided into wax (animal and vegetable origin) and polymer (synthetic). Silicone and wax compounds can withstand a maximum of 2 washes. Their use gives a wonderful, deep, but short-lived effect.

Polymer coatings have a margin in terms of durability, but they are more expensive and more difficult to work with. We recommend using only high-quality, proven polishes, degreasers and wipes.

There are a large number of different polishes on the market. All diversity can be divided into two groups:

Powder, the effect of which is due to the abrasive substances contained in the composition. This group of polishes works well on minor scratches.
Gel-like – filling cracks and forming a protective layer on the surface. Manufacturers usually recommend their use for polishing freshly painted and new cars.

In Russia, paste polishes have become most popular. Thanks to their consistency, they are held on vertical surfaces; the car body can be easily processed from all sides. Despite their slightly higher cost, they are also preferred for their additional color saturation properties.

Liquid polishes, unlike paste ones, quickly drain even from surfaces inclined at a small angle. It is most convenient to polish the roof, trunk and hood lids with them.

The obvious advantage of liquid polish is the inability to erase the varnish down to the ground, so you can use them as often as you like.

Aerosol polishes are convenient to use, but the substances that make them volatile reduce the content of the polishing agent.

Video about polishing a car body: