You just spent several hours hand-washing, waxing and buffing your car, and now you’ve stepped back to admire your handiwork. But as the sunlight reflects off its finish, you notice some unsightly swirl marks on the hood. Moving in closer, you discover more “spider web” patterns on the trunk, door panels and fenders. Suddenly you feel a knot forming in your stomach. Take heart in the fact you’re not alone, as swirl marks can be found on most vehicles, even newer ones, and are more noticeable on darker finishes. And unfortunately, they are not totally preventable. But what causes swirl marks, and is there any way to remove them? The answers to those questions may surprise you.
Causes of Swirl Marks
Swirl marks are actually microscopic scratches in the clear coat of your car’s finish that can form in any pattern; not just a circular one. Believe it or not, the most common source of swirl marks is hand-drying your vehicle with a towel that’s too abrasive. Even using a soft microfiber towel or chamois won’t guarantee that you’ll avoid swirl marks if they contain dust or dirt. Other causes of swirl marks include:
- Car washing. Scratches oftentimes result when you don’t rinse your sponge often enough, go through an automated car wash that uses brushes and cloth wipers, and even when using a dirty wash mitt.
- Buffing. Buffing or polishing your vehicle’s finish with the wrong type of pad can leave swirl marks.
- Waxing. Some commercial waxes, notably the old carnauba pastes, are hard to apply and buff out, and that results in too much pressure on your car’s clear coat finish.
- Dusting. Cheaper car dusters simply drag the dust and dirt around on the surface, leaving scratches. And, using a common bath towel to dust off your car is simply asking for trouble.
- Car covers. These help protect your car from the elements, but if one is applied to a freshly-washed vehicle that’s been driven at all there could be dust and dirt trapped on the paint’s surface. As the cover moves around, like from a brisk wind or human re-positioning, debris can rub against the finish, leaving scratches.
- Paint cleaners and polishes. Some of these products contain harsh compounds that cause scratches when you’re rubbing them on the paint.
- Detailing wipes. Beware of commercially-available cleaning products that tout their “spray-and-wipe” capabilities without using water and soap. In many instances, you are just swirling dirt all over the clear coat, leaving marks behind.
Swirl Mark Prevention
As was mentioned earlier, swirl marks cannot be totally prevented. But the good news is there are some car washing and drying precautions you can take to reduce the likelihood of scratches occurring, such as:
- Use a high-quality, clean wash mitt and mild soap on your car. Fill two buckets prior to washing, with one containing soapy water and the second just water.
- Before washing, gently rinse all surfaces to remove heavier dirt and debris.
- Dip your wash mitt into the soapy water, and then wash an area using a circular motion. Then, rinse off the mitt in the bucket containing only water. Repeat this method on each new area of the car as you move around it.
- Rinse off your soapy car using as little water pressure as possible. This works best by first removing the hose nozzle, and never use a power washer!
- As you’re drying off your car, a good rule-of-thumb is the less force, the better. Only dry it off with a top-quality, clean microfiber cloth. Body shop pros also recommend using a cordless leaf blower to dry off the finish, as that will safely remove most of the water.
Expert Swirl Mark Removal Near You
Even when taking all these precautions, swirl marks can still mar your car’s finish. At that point, the only proven way to remove them is to polish the paint using a non-abrasive buffer pad and polishing compound. Although you can try it yourself, in most cases it probably won’t look professional afterward. If you’re looking for some expert swirl mark removal, take your car to a collision repair shop instead and they’ll get your car’s finish restored like-new again promptly and reliably. Technicians there have the professional products, equipment and experience to remove swirl marks from your vehicle’s exterior, while also restoring your peace-of-mind! Why drive around any longer in a vehicle with unattractive swirl marks? To search your zip code now for a better auto body shop in your area, visit: www.carwise.com.
