How to best maintain finish following a full correctiion?

[Ironman24]

Hi Michael,

I have recently used this kit on 06 Corvette and then also on a friends 05 Corvette with great results. My friend does not have access to a buffer and is wondering which Mequiars product should be used by hand in the future to maintain the shine. Both cars are garaged.

I was wondering for myself, what steps/products to use in the future as well to maintain the great results of this product.

Thanks!

[Michael Stoops]

Re: How to best maintain finish following a full correctiion?

First off, welcome to MOL. Second, you had originally posted this question in another thread that was several pages long and really discussing a different topic. This is an excellent question and something that a lot of people struggle with, so we've given it its own thread for further discussion.

The single most important thing you can do to maintain a fully corrected finish is to frequently, but very gently, clean the surface. By that we mean use a quick detailer and a couple of clean microfiber towels to remove light dust, fingerprints, etc between washes and when washing the car use the two bucket method and quality tools - wash mitt, drying towels, car wash soap, etc. It is through the washing and drying process that the vast majority of swirls and very fine scratches occur. If you're in the habit of using old bath towels, dishwashing detergent, and an old sponge to wash the car - stop it. Now. Do yourself a huge favor and get a good quality microfiber wash mitt and a couple of waffle weave microfiber drying towels. Wash and dry them after use so they're clean and ready to go for the next wash. We're always amazed at how many people never wash their wash mitt and drying towels.

Read through the 5 Step Paint Care Cycle paying close attention to the section on washing, including the Quik Tips Video embedded in that section. We also have links to all the towels, mitts, Grit Guard, etc discussed in the article so they should all be easy to find.

There's also an article here from a few years ago where I outlined how I take care of my daily driver after a full correction. It's coming up on 5 years since that last multi-day full correction and the most aggressive thing I've done since then was a once over with M205 on a finishing pad via rotary at very low speed. Sure, it's been clayed a few times, as needed, but otherwise it's just been very meticulously washed, dried and quick detailed on a regular basis. It can be done, but the key is stay on top of it - frequent car care is easy car, as we like to say. Meaning that it's always easier to do preventive work rather than corrective work.