How to Restore Auto Paint
- 1). Wash the car with soap and water very thoroughly. Dry it with a clean terrycloth towel. Buff off the old paint with rubbing compound and a high-speed buffer if the paint is severely faded and oxidized. Apply a small amount of compound to a clean polishing pad mounted on the buffer. Slide the buffer around to spread out the compound.
- 2). Turn on the buffer and begin polishing the paint. Do not press too hard on the surface when using a high speed buffer to avoid burning through the paint. Buff up to any edges on the bodywork but do not buff the edges themselves. Paint is thinner on the edges and will burn off easily. Instead, buff these areas by hand with a towel. Move over the car one panel at a time.
- 3). Polish the paint with a polishing compound (also known as machine glaze) in the same manner as the rubbing compound. Carefully polish one area at a time until the entire car is polished.
- 4). Remove any swirl marks with a swirl removing wax. Apply this in the same manner as the first two steps. Finish restoring the paint by waxing the entire car by hand with a high quality wax. Use clean, lint-free terrycloth towels for this phase.
- 5). Touch up small scratches and chips with a touch up paint and a small detailing brush. You can match the color of the paint by either going to the dealer that sells your make and model or comparing the color to touch up paint available at the local auto parts stores. Maintain your restored paint by regularly cleaning and waxing the car.
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