Swirls

[nishbug]

I seem to always get swirl patterns in my car finishes - I have read about how to get rid of them (which works some times) but I have not found any information about how to avoid them. Any help would be appreciated.

[Marc08EX]

Re: Swirls

Getting swirl marks induced on your paint is inevitable. This is because you're rubbing either your wash mitt, drying towel or microfiber during the detailing process. The only thing you can do is to minimize the process of getting swirl marks. This is achieved by doing the proper washing technique. Please see the quik tip video about washing below:

Meguiar's Quik Tips Video Series - Washing

Also, please use quality microfiber towels like Meguiar's supreme shine towels and always keep them clean.

[Murr1525]

Re: Swirls

And the always exciting:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7598756069207401372#

[billd55]

Re: Swirls

Quote:
but I have not found any information about how to avoid them.

When you use wax. Swirls are part of the program. If you wash your car then swirls
will happen.

[OldSchoolDude]

Re: Swirls

Keeping the swirls away might not be easy buy we can reduce them.

Here is what I do to keep them a way.

Wash my car at least once per week with Megs Car shampoo.
I rinse the car very very well before I even touch the paint.
I use two buckets as many do,one is full of soap, the other clear water,
use a good MF mitt, after you wash a panel rinse well, then put your mitt in the bucket with clear water to remove the dirt from it and then back in the soap bucket.
Wash the entire car this way.
Take the nozzle off of the hose, keeping the water pressure low start on top flooding the paint, some call it pooling, it will only leave behind about 20% of water so you have less drying to do, the less you touch the paint the better off you are.
You can wash your car daily but with bad technique your doing more harm than good.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Swirls

When you use wax. Swirls are part of the program. If you wash your car then swirls
will happen.

There is no way to totally prevent them from happening, no, but you can do a heck of lot to minimize them. Proper washing and drying is key as that is where the vast majority of swirls comes from. But if you're getting swirls from your waxing process then odds are you're doing something horribly wrong.

We say "odds are" because there is something else to consider - and that's the paint itself. Some are so incredibly delicate that just looking at them hard enough seems to inflict fine swirls. Fortunately, though, those cases are pretty rare and just using proper washing/drying technique will dramatically reduce the creation of new swirls.