How to Polish a Subaru Legacy

To get your car to look like this, you will definitely need some polish.

One of the easiest and least expensive ways to keep your car looking shiny and new is to give it a regular wax and polish, a practice that few people follow regularly despite their best intentions. If you want to keep your Subaru Legacy looking clean and sleek, there are a few things you can do that will help to consistently achieve great results with your waxing and polishing.

Things You'll Need

• Car soap
• Bucket
• Sponge
• Car polish
• Chamois or large towel
• Shop rags
• Car wax

Instructions

1. Pour two tablespoons of car soap into a bucket and fill it with warm water. Dip the car sponge in the water and scrub the surface of your Subaru thoroughly. Be sure to remove all dirt and grime as polishing will work best on a completely clean surface.

2. Spray off the soap suds and water using a garden hose or buckets of clean, cold water.

3. Dry your car completely using the chamois or large towel, removing as much moisture as possible to ensure that water does not cause any spotting.

4. Apply a small amount of polish to a shop rag. Focusing on a small section at a time, rub the polish into your Subaru in a circular motion. Change the rags frequently for a clean application.

5. Polish back and forth across scratches to remove them, rather than polishing along the length of the scratch, which can cause damage. Ensure that all the polish is rubbed completely into the car's surface. Wait until the polish has dried completely before waxing.

6. Apply wax to the car using a clean towel and applying with long, even strokes. Work it in until there is a thin layer of wax covering the surface of your Subaru.

7. Allow the wax time to dry. When the wax has dried to a dull film, buff it with a clean shop rag. Use quick strokes and work until the layer of wax is no longer visible.

Tips & Warnings

• Polishing with a machine buffer can speed up this process--just use the same technique as hand polishing and do not buff in a circular motion.

• Be careful not to polish your car in bright sunlight or when the engine is running as excess heat can result in a poor application.

References

• State of Washington Department of Ecology: Car Washing
• Car Care: How to Wax Your Car