Does Polishing Damage the Paint?
3 Answers
Car polishing does not harm the vehicle; on the contrary, it can better protect the paint. Advantages of car polishing: It can remove stains and scratches from the car surface and also provides some protection to the paint. After polishing, the car's paint can be restored to its original condition through mirror finishing, and it can also remove oxides and corrosive substances attached to the car body. Precautions for polishing: Clean the area to be polished thoroughly, use clay bars to remove asphalt and hard contaminants from the paint surface. If there are plastic parts around the scratches on the paint surface, protect them with masking tape to prevent the plastic from being rubbed during polishing.
I've polished my beloved car myself before, and it feels like giving the car a beauty treatment. Polishing is mainly to remove the oxidized layer and minor scratches on the paint surface, making the car look shiny and new. But honestly, if not done properly, it can indeed damage the paint. For example, using too coarse a polishing compound or running the machine too fast can easily remove a layer of clear coat, thinning the paint and accelerating aging. I've used car wax and a polishing machine myself, and each time I choose a sunny day to take it slow, applying light pressure and gentle strokes, avoiding doing it in high temperatures. I recommend fellow car enthusiasts to first test a small area with a soft cloth to confirm there are no issues before working on the entire car. Frequent polishing isn't good either; once or twice a year is enough. Proper care can extend the paint's lifespan by over five years, otherwise, a repaint can be expensive. Don't rush; patience is key.
From my observation, polishing indeed has a double-edged effect. The benefit is that it can restore the gloss of the car paint, but the downside is that improper operation may cause damage. Polishing essentially involves using abrasives to rub the surface, removing dirt and shallow defects; however, if the tools are too sharp or the pressure is too high, it can thin the protective layer, even causing swirl marks or fading. I recommend choosing mild polishing products, such as water-based agents, which are safer than oil-based ones. Additionally, always clean the paint surface before polishing, otherwise sand particles can scratch it. Beginners should avoid high-temperature environments and control the machine's speed below 1500 RPM when polishing. Regular polishing can prevent major repairs, with an average cost of a few hundred dollars, much cheaper than repainting. In summary, with proper technique, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.
