How to Restore the Clear Coat on My Car

For older cars with severely damaged exteriors, restoring the clear coat is nearly impossible. Your best option would be to get an entirely new coat of paint. However, if your clear coat is only mildly damaged or dull, you can restore the shine yourself and save a lot of money doing so. With a few inexpensive items and a few hours of time, the clear coat on your car can be shining once more.

Things You'll Need

• 3 clean cloths or towels
• Buffing pad
• Waxing pad
• Car wax
• Dish detergent
• Bucket
• Water
• Clay bar cleaner

Instructions

1. Place a couple of tablespoons of dish detergent in a bucket and fill the bucket with warm water. Clean any dirt and debris off the car using the detergent mixture with a soft cloth.

2. Rinse the suds off using a water hose and allow the surface to air dry, or gently dry the surface using a clean, dry towel.

3. Using a clay bar cleaner, which can be purchased at any auto-parts store, clean any areas of the exterior that may have rust damage. Clay bar cleaners are particularly effective in removing rust contamination.

4. Apply car wax to the surface using a soft cloth or special car-waxing pad. Rub the wax on the car using soft circular motions.

5. Allow the wax to stay on the car for around 15 minutes. Then, using a new soft cloth or buffing pad, rub the wax off to reveal the clear coat shine.

References

• Cleaning and Maintaining Your Car