Car waxes and polish can build up over time and require removal to maintain the paint finish or prevent oxidation. A solvent can strip the pol but may also damage the paint, so a low-abrasive wax remover must be used. The average backyard detailer can strip waxes and polish from most vehicles in about an hour.
Rub in a generous amount of rubbing compound to a limited area of the paint. Rubbing compound will remove polish, waxes and oxidation from the paint when worked in. Electric polishers can be used but the aggressive action of rubbing it in by hand will remove more polish. More compound can be applied to fully work off any polishes.
Remove the rubbing compound from the active area. Work on one area at a time, allowing the compound to dry slightly before rubbing it off with a soft towel. After the compound has been removed a dramatic contrast should be noticeable between the worked area and the unfinished panels.
Continue to rub compound into all painted sections of the vehicle and finish them individually. A second session can remove any latent polish but rubbing compound can also remove paint if used too liberally.
