Instead of your car presenting with optimal shine, the finishes looks marred with fine swirl marks. Lets face it, small paint swirl paint marks and blemishes will undermine the best finish. So we need to address the issue and restore the luster to your car
What causes Paint Swirls
Paint swirls are light scratches in a circular pattern, these are particularly noticeable on black cars. These swirls can be the result of:
- Cleaning with the wrong cloth
- Using a dirty cloth to shampoo your car or to dry your car
- Cleaning you car with inferior car cleaning products, or harsh chemicals
- Electronic buffing tools
- Amateur detailer using buffer with incorrect or dirty buffing pads
- Not rinsing your car before a wash or wax
These light marks sometimes go unnoticed until there a many there, and all of a sudden it is all you can look at. Of course, the colour of the car will determine how obvious the scratching is.
Expert Tip:
Before you start buffing out the swirls, be sure to asses how deep your scratches are. Very light, surface scratches only require a fine cutting compound to bring the surface to a new condition. If however your swirling is more noticeable and stand out then an adaptive medium cutting compound will be best.
Step by step guide to removing those pesky swirls
This swirl removal guide is to remove the light scratching on your car caused by cleaning. This method is perfect for cars that are more than 1 year old. If you are also looking to remove deeper scratches and oxidisation then we would recommend using a cutting compound such as Sophisticut or Evo +
- Rinse your car
Hose down your car to remove debris
- Wash the surface
Use a PH-balanced car shampoo to clean your car down. If you have tree sap, or excessive fallout you may find that a clay bar will help to remove these particles easier.
- Use a wet cloth
Add a small amount of Evo 1 to a wet cloth and rub into your paintwork. Work left to right, up and down and also in a circular pattern.
- Check the results
Regularly wipe down the surface to see if the swirls have been removed. Add more product or water if needed until you reach the desired effect.
- Clean
Remove the cut and polish compound from the car with a clean cloth
Let us answer the most common swirling questions
A quality microfibre cloth can be fantastic for cleaning a car. However, it is very important to ensure you rinse the cloth regularly to remove any fine particles embedded in the cloth.
Yes, however they are more noticeable on dark colour cars
No, these blemishes needn’t be a permanent feature on your far bonnet. Most light swirls can be removed using a fine cutting compound such as AutoSmart Evo 1, while deeper scratches will require an adaptive medium cutting compound such as Evo +. This will level out the paintwork and swooth out these scratches.
Clay bars are an excellent tool for removing fallout, brake dust and even tree sap off your cars surface. However, it will not be effective in removing fine scratches
No, once you have buffed the swirl marks out they will not be reappearing. It is important to note, that unless you take good care when cleaning your car you can acquire new marks on your paintwork
Yes. A professional detailer will do a magical job at removing swirls and paint blemishes, however there is no reason why you cannot get the same results yourself at home. Use AutoSmart Evo1 and AutoSmart Evo + to remove swirls and blemishes.
To get to the point
Swirls are extremely common on car paintwork and can be easily rectified. To fix, use a cutting compound that is suitable to the level of scratching. For light scratches choose AutoSmart Evo 1. This is a product used by professionals and car enthusiasts.