Top Tips On How To Get The Best Shine Out Of Your Car

We all love that brilliant shine of a new car in the dealership 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 main staple of any car care regimen or treatment. It’s a proven fact that cars that receive routine car washes will last longer (as a recent Popular Mechanics magazine shows). To properly wash your car, first give it a rinse. Get the entire car wet and try spraying off any loose dirt and debris. Next, use a specific car wash soap (usual 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 the suds and soap don’t dry on the paint. When you’re done, dry the car with clean terry 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 splatter, bird droppings, tree sap, etc… still there after washing? You can try and re-wash these areas 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 won’t drip. These contaminant sprays will remove most debris stuck in the road 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. Based on a Consumer Reports study of every wax currently produced, Turtle Wax was found to be the best in 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 cleansing wax in small circular motions and do 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 necessary.

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 to the entire car and dry. Apply 2-3 coats for maximum protection.

After car polishing, 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 better than new shine. Apply 2 coats in a similar manner to the cleaning wax. Wait until you see the resulting shine from the wax on the polish. It is amazing and gives your car the best shine possible and also the highest protection available. This is how they get that extra deep shine on cars at car shows – it works and you’ll be amazed.