Should I use compound or polish?

Compounding is more aggressive, since it cuts the paint faster. This means it is more capable of removing more of the clear coat in a short space of time. Polishing is less aggressive and a milder approach. It would take much longer to cut away the same amount of clear coat with a polish, than with a compound.
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Do I need compound and polish or just polish?

Rubbing compounds basically targets the uneven car's surfaces caused by scratches while on the other hand; polishing is preferably used for adding smoothness and shine to the car paint. Both will help in improving your car's quality but in a different way.
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Should I use compound or polish first?

It acts like sandpaper to gradually remove surface layers and eliminate scratches. After compounding, polish is used to remove any remaining defects.
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Can I just polish without compound?

So this means you can polish with compound by using a polishing compound, but you can't polish with a polish because there is no polishing polish. Similar to how you can only rub with a rubbing compound, but you can't rub with a polish because there is no rubbing polish.
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Should I compound and polish my car?

Minor paint damage like scratches or swirl marks can be temporarily remedied by applying wax or polishing agents with the use of a buffing or polishing machine. However, compounding a car is what you need for a more permanent solution, especially with scratches that go deep into the paint layers.
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When to Polish vs Compound vs Wetsand



Will polishing compound damage clear coat?

The Quick Answer. Polishing removes a layer of your car's clear coat to flatten the surface and remove minor scratches and damage. Polishing is safe as long as your car has enough clear coat remaining, and you don't do it frequently or aggressively.
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Does compound remove clearcoat?

Conclusion. We do not recommend using paint correction with a cutting compound often. Each compounding will remove a layer of clear coat until eventually, nothing remains. Cutting compounds are abrasive products and may not be suitable for cars with thin or soft coats.
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Does polishing compound remove scratches?

Buffing an area with polishing or rubbing compounds removes scratches and blemishes, but they also remove wax.
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Is Meguiars Ultimate compound permanent?

But before you panic, these scratches and swirls aren't a permanent fixture, and Meguiar's has the perfect solution to permanently remove these from your paintwork allowing you to create crystal clear reflections.
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Do you need to wax after compound?

TIP: You should always follow a polishing compound treatment with car polish or car wax to refine the shine and to protect the paint.
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Does compound remove wax?

Compounding will remove wax.
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How often should I compound my car?

If you're taking good care of your car, polishing your car once or twice a year should be sufficient to fix up any minor scratches or wear. If you frequently find yourself with scrapes or spots, you can take it to be polished more regularly.
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Is cutting compound the same as polish?

Polish is similar to cutting compound but much less abrasive. It removes the top layers of wax and build-up to restore a glossy shine to the paint. It doesn't remove layers of paint. For best results, apply polish to restore shine and then apply a good quality wax to seal in the paintwork and maintain the shine.
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What is the difference between polishing compound and wax?

The difference between car waxing and car polishing is this: Polishing is the tedious buffing done to remove defects from your paint job. Waxing is the protective later put on as the final step. Many drivers look to forego polishing and simply get a wax, but that won't correct a bad paint job!
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How many times can you compound a car?

As a rule of thumb for my own cars – I usually limit any kind of harsh polishing (Medium Cut or Above ) to two times per year maximum. This allows me to keep my paint looking fresh while also staying within the limits of the paintwork.
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What is rubbing compound good for?

A rubbing compound is a pasty substance that has an abrasive quality. It is used for correcting paint scratches during buffing or polishing. It acts like a liquid sandpaper that removes a very thin layer of the top coat. This remedies paint scratches and uneven surfaces, making the paint smooth and shiny.
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When should I use compound on my car?

A compound or polishing compound should only be used on paintwork that's in poor condition. This means the paint shows oxidation, obvious marring, scratches or swirl marks. Compounds should also be used when the paint has stains from bird poop or chemicals. In all other cases, it it best to just use a regular polish.
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Does Meguiars Ultimate Polish remove scratches?

The Ultimate Polish is a finishing polish that removes fine swirls and scratches, when I say light scratches these are scuff marks that you won't feel with your finger nails.
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Will polish remove swirl marks?

Hand polishing can be effective, especially on small areas with fine abrasives, and it is possible to remove light swirling in this way. But, due to the way compounds and polishes work, using a machine polisher will usually be the quickest and most effective method.
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What is Meguiars ultimate compound used for?

Meguiar's Ultimate Compound is the ultimate paint cleaner for removing below surface defects such as light to moderate oxidation, scratches, water spots and stains.
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Does polish ruin car paint?

Polishes are abrasive and for that reason we recommend only polishing your car as needed because each time you polish, you're removing a layer of material. If you over-polish your car, you will eventually thin out the paint and in extreme cases can cut through the clearcoat and the paint right through to the undercoat!
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