Have you ever noticed that even when some vehicles look clean, you can still notice little webs of scratches on its painted surface when the sun hits it? These scratches are known in the auto detailing world as swirl marks, and they can be a serious inconvenience for anyone trying to achieve the perfect shine on their vehicle. If you’re seeking a career as a professional automotive detailer, you’ll be using your skills to aid customers by removing swirl marks from their vehicle.
While this can be a tricky process, the removal of swirl marks goes a long way in restoring a vehicle’s appearance, and is an important component of any quality auto detailing job. Below, discover more about what causes swirl marks, and how to remove them from the exterior of a vehicle.
Cause of Swirl Marks Explained for Those Seeking an Auto Detailing Career
As many professionals with auto detailing training are aware, swirl marks are a common phenomenon in the automotive world. When many different micro-scratches are present on the exterior paint, this results in a swirling pattern, which can grow over time and reduce the paint to a dull finish. The micro-scratches that swirl marks are composed of can be caused by a few different things, but typically, they accumulate on the clear coat layer of a vehicle’s paint, especially when it isn’t washed correctly. For one, the consistent use of automatic car washes can lead to the accelerated development of swirl marks, as the brushes used are often too abrasive, causing surface friction which may harm the paint. This can also happen when a vehicle is washed by hand with the wrong materials or processes. As common examples, the use of a dirty towel or car duster, or failing to rinse a vehicle completely before drying can all play a significant role in contributing to swirl marks.
Removing Mild Swirl Marks
It’s not unusual for a vehicle’s surface to feature some mild swirl marks, and throughout your auto detailing career, there are a few things you can do to remove these relatively harmless blemishes. The first step is to wash the surface of a vehicle thoroughly, using microfiber towels to dry the surface and avoid further blemishes. Next, an electric, dual-action polishing tool can be used to remove the swirl marks and restore the paint’s former gloss. When polishing the surface of the vehicle, it’s important to ensure that all contaminants are completely removed from the surface before using the polisher. Polishing a vehicle’s surface when it isn’t completely clean can lead to the spread of dirt and debris, resulting in even worse scratches. Once the vehicle has been completely polished, mild swirl marks should no longer be visible on the surface.
Removing Tougher Swirl Marks After Auto Detailing Training
While removing mild swirl marks is typically a simple, two-step process, deeper swirl marks can be more difficult to get rid of. The process begins the same way as the mild swirl removal process, with a complete wash and dry. Next, a clay bar is used to remove any embedded contamination which may be clouding the vehicle’s surface. Apply a clay lubricant to both the vehicle’s surface and the clay bar, and working in small sections, you can scrub the surface of the vehicle with the bar until the entire surface has been scrubbed. Next, the electric, dual-action polisher can be used to finish the job. Depending on how deep the swirl marks are, a heavier-cut polishing pad might be needed to fully erase the marks. Once the surface of the vehicle is completely polished, you can assess the condition of the paint to determine whether more polish is necessary.
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