Top tips on how to get the best shine on your car

We all love that brilliant shine of a new car in the dealer showroom or at a car show. There are hundreds of car care products and treatments available. The question is what works best and how do you do it.

First of all, you need to properly clean and wash your car. Polishing and waxing a dirty car is sure to leave fine scratches of dirt and debris on the car. Proper car washing and cleaning should be a major staple of any car care regimen or treatment. It’s a proven fact that cars that get routine car washes will last longer (as a recent Popular Mechanics magazine shows). To properly wash your car, rinse it first. Get the entire car wet and try to spray off any loose dirt and debris. Next, use a specific car wash soap (common household items and chemicals are often too strong and can remove wax or sealant immediately) and a soft sponge or towel. Wash one panel or area at a time and rinse when finished so suds and soap don’t dry on the paint. When you’re done, dry the car with clean terry cloth towels or microfiber towels (a chamois works great too).

Next, examine your car. Look at the bumpers, behind the tires, the roof, etc… Are there any contaminants like bug spray, bird droppings, tree sap, etc… still there after washing? You can try and wash these areas again with a little more pressure to try to loosen them up. If they still won’t come off, you’ll need a contaminant remover. This is a spray and each one has its own unique formula and set of instructions. Some are similar to foam glass cleaners and others are a thick emulsion that sits right on the problem area and doesn’t drip. These polluting sprays will remove most stuck road debris and there are specific formulas for road tar and tree sap as they can be more difficult. Follow the instructions and then rinse and dry.

To smooth out any imperfections in the paint, we recommend a cleaning wax. According to a Consumer Reports study of every wax currently produced, Turtle Wax was found to be the best for value, durability, and shine. So there’s no need to waste your money on expensive treatments that won’t provide as good a finish as a $2 bottle of Turtle Wax. Apply the wax cleaner in small circular motions, doing one panel at a time, just like you did. with the car wash. Allow the cleaning wax to dry to a white haze, then buff with a clean towel. Repeat as needed.

Next, what we recommend is that you use a polymer car polish (again, no need for expensive treatments, you’re just wasting your money). A good polymer car polish can be had at Walmart for between $2 and $5. They always come in liquid form and are very easy to apply and actually last longer than any car wax (up to 1 year and 50 car washes, as some labels say). Apply all over the car and dry. Apply 2-3 coats for maximum protection.

After polishing the car, we recommend a high-quality carnauba wax (again, no need for expensive treatments). Turtle Wax platinum car wax is around $5-$7, as are some top waxes from Meguiars and Mothers. This will give it a deep, wet shine better than new. Apply 2 coats similar to cleaning wax. Wait until you see the resulting shine of the wax on the polish. It’s amazing and gives your car the best possible shine and also the most protection available. This is how they get that extra deep shine on cars at car shows – it works and you’ll be amazed.

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