How to Buff Out a Coat of Wax on a Car

Buff out a coat of wax on your car and make it shine.

There are a few strategies you may follow to bring out a good shine on your car's body with your buffing machine, starting with the products you want to use. Only buy liquid wax expressly manufactured for machine buffing. Preferably, work under a bright sunlight or 300 watts quartz halogen light if you are working inside a garage or building. This makes it easy to reveal marks and flaws left as you buff out the wax.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid wax
• Buffing machine
• Buffing pad or bonnet
• Metal wire
• Spur or pad cleaning tool

Instructions

1. Open the hood of the car. If possible, connect the end of a metal wire to any bare metal surface on the engine, like a bracket or bolt. Connect the other end of the wire to a water pipe or grounded metal bar. This will prevent excessive build up on the buffing pads as you polish your car's body.

2. Apply the liquid wax in continuous 2-feet long lines, 2 to 3 inches apart from each other, in a 2-feet wide square; without turning on the machine, spread the wax evenly with the buffing pad. Start with the roof, front or back of the car.

3. Throw the buffing machine electrical cord over your shoulder to keep it away from the car's surface. Turn on the buffing machine and lower the pad parallel to the surface area you are working on; then tip the pad just slightly in the direction you are buffing to get better control of the buffing pattern. Tilt to the right or left as you move in either direction. Keep the pad in constant motion, moving in short and straight, overlapping passes with a minimum of pressure.

4. Lift the buffer machine off the surface after two passes of the area you are working on and touch the surface with the tip of your finger, if it feels hot, stop and let it cool to keep the wax from burning a white film over the surface. You should be able to finish each area after four passes.

5. Apply an even lower pressure, tilting the pad, as you buff up to a ridge on the surface of the body like the edge of the fender, around headlights or on the hood surface; work carefully around wiper arms, antennas and door handles.

6. Clean the buffer pad every time you notice buildup on it. Turn off the machine and sit down. Lay the buff machine upside down on your lap and hold it firmly. Turn on the buffing machine and let a spur or pad cleaning tool, run over the buildup to remove it from the pad; then continue working on your car until you finish polishing the whole body.