SwirlX or ScratchX

[iAUM09]

Hey guys, new to detailing and I have a lot of swirls on my black car. A lot of them are from dealership washing and me drying it without microfiber.

Should I use SwirlX or ScratchX? Common sense tells me to use SwirlX but there's a thread on How to Remove Swirls by Hand http://www.meguiarsonline.com/forums...ead.php?t=7011 in which they use ScratchX. I'm thinking maybe SwirlX hadn't been released at the time?

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[greg0303]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Welcome to Meguiar's Online.


To remove paint defect by hand (swirls, scratches, water spots) you need to remove paint surrounding those defects. Another words you need to flatten those surrounding areas.

The key is to work by hand on a really small area, like 16" x 16" or even smaller.

SwirlX would be a choice No.1 as ScratchX comes in small tubes which are more suitable for small corrections. You need to apply modern pressure to your product applicator in order to remove some paint. If first application is not enough, but you improve the look suddenly, you may repeat it. If there are no sagnificant results you may step up to Ultimate Compound or Rubbing Compound.

[Murr1525]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Yeah, that thead was older.

You can just worry about SwirlX and UC on your shelf, they will cover most everything by hand or machine.

The ideas in that thread will still apply for removing defects though. The products still need worked in with some passion.

[iAUM09]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Thanks guys. My plan is to pressure wash, dry, clay, (Maybe SwirlX) and wax. I've heard the clay may be enough itself to get rid of the swirls but we'll see.

[greg0303]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Thanks guys. My plan is to pressure wash, dry, clay, (Maybe SwirlX) and wax. I've heard the clay may be enough itself to get rid of the swirls but we'll see.

The clay won't do it. It only removes above surface defects, like bonded contaminants, over spray, industrial fallout, tree sap mist, which your car wash is not strong enough to successfully deal with.

Swirls, scratches, oxidation, water spots are below surface defects and that's a job for paint cleaners.

Clay will help your coat of wax to bond better to the paint surface. Definitely worth to do it.

[davey g-force]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Do a test spot with SwirlX first and see if that gives the results you're after.

If that doesn't work, step it up to ScratchX / UC.

Remember, use the least aggressive product that will do the job and ALWAYS start with a test spot!

[Shawn T.]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Welcome to Meguiar's Online.


To remove paint defect by hand (swirls, scratches, water spots) you need to remove paint surrounding those defects. Another words you need to flatten those surrounding areas.

The key is to work by hand on a really small area, like 16" x 16" or even smaller.

SwirlX would be a choice No.1 as ScratchX comes in small tubes which are more suitable for small corrections. You need to apply modern pressure to your product applicator in order to remove some paint. If first application is not enough, but you improve the look suddenly, you may repeat it. If there are no sagnificant results you may step up to Ultimate Compound or Rubbing Compound.

Yeah, that thead was older.

You can just worry about SwirlX and UC on your shelf, they will cover most everything by hand or machine.

The ideas in that thread will still apply for removing defects though. The products still need worked in with some passion.

The clay won't do it. It only removes above surface defects, like bonded contaminants, over spray, industrial fallout, tree sap mist, which your car wash is not strong enough to successfully deal with.

Swirls, scratches, oxidation, water spots are below surface defects and that's a job for paint cleaners.

Clay will help your coat of wax to bond better to the paint surface. Definitely worth to do it.

Do a test spot with SwirlX first and see if that gives the results you're after.

If that doesn't work, step it up to ScratchX / UC.

Remember, use the least aggressive product that will do the job and ALWAYS start with a test spot!

+1 to all of this advice.

[iAUM09]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Believe it or not, a lot of the swirls are gone. I guess they were either very light or I'm imagining that they're gone.

I have some waxing questions

Do I always have to clean before I wax?
Do I wax without cleaning regularly using Quick Detailer?
How often should I wax?

[Murr1525]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Never know at first... maybe a few got hidden with the polishing oils/wax, but hopefully mostly gone.

1. Ehhh, kind of depends. Some people wax often, say wash every week, and apply a fresh coat of wax every other week, and dont mind. My car is a daily driver, left outside, and I wash when I can, and UQW after. I will at least ColorX before using a regular wax.

2. Not sure what you mean?

3. Hard to say for sure... most would say at least 4 times a year. If you get a coat of wax on, and wash regularly with UQW after, you will be ahead of the game.

[iAUM09]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Sorry, I mean:

2. Can I just use quick detailer as sub for washing? So instead of washing then wax, I'd quick detail then wax.

MUrr big help. Appreciate it

[Murr1525]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

2. QD, or similar products, are only going to be for light dirt/dust. For a daily driver, that is one day, maybe two tops.

If you are in an area with water trouble, you can look into something like ONR, can find many threads on it.

Now if light dust were the case, then yes, you could QD then wax. But QD will be more like the washing step, not the claying or cleaning step.

[iAUM09]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Awesome. Thanks. Wasn't much sunlight yesterday but like I said from what I could see, no swirls. Gonna inspect under the sun and then if there are swirls gonna try swirlX after next wash.

[iAUM09]

Re: SwirlX or ScratchX

Okay, turns out you guys were right of course. I still have swirls but I don't have circular streaks anymore thanks to using legit microfiber cloths. I guess I was getting confused between streaks that had been swirled around




and actual swirls