Compounds & Polishes

A compound has coarser abrasives that cut out swirls, scratches and sanding marks. A polish has finer ones that remove the haze a compound leaves and bring back the gloss. The range runs from CarPro UltraCut and Sonax CutMax to CarPro Reflect and Sonax PROFILINE Perfect Finish, with Menzerna, Koch-Chemie, Rupes and Autobead grades at every stage.

How to choose

• Badly marked paint: Heavy Cut Compounds for deep swirls and sanding marks, Medium Cut Compounds for moderate swirls or as a second stage, then Finishing Polishes for the gloss.
• One pass: One Step Polishes such as CarPro Fixer cut and finish together for light to moderate swirls. All-in-One Polishes clean, polish and protect, for paint that needs a lift more than a correction.
• No machine: Hand Polishes for a light scratch or scuff on a small area.

Good to know

• Match the pad to the liquid: a compound on a cutting pad, a finishing polish on a soft one (see Polishing Pads).
• Polishing oils can hide fine swirls until the first wash, so wipe the test section with a product from Panel Wipe & IPA before deciding whether to step up.

Is car polish better than wax?

They do different jobs, so most cars need both. Polish removes swirls and haze and brings back the gloss, but leaves no protection. Wax, a sealant or a coating goes on after it to protect that finish. An all-in-one polish does a light version of both in one step.

Related: Paint Correction, Polishing Machines & Kits, Preparation & Accessories. Popular brands here: CarPro, Koch-Chemie, Sonax, Rupes.