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Maguiar's Frequently Asked Questions

At Meguiar's we get asked many of the same questions regularly, so we've listed some of them below in the hope that you'll find the answer that you've been looking for.

"What's the difference between a Polish and a Wax?"

Pure Polish is formulated to give paint a deep brilliant shine. It can be likened to a skin moisturiser. Paint like skin can dry out and a combination of oils are used to condition the paint and produce a deep rich gloss. A pure polish contains no abrasive and provides no protection from the elements

"What's the difference between our consumer and professional product?"

Our professional products have been formulated for use by paint and bodyshop professionals, typically with a high speed rotary buffer. Untrained use could lead to more damage than improvement. Our consumer line has been developed for simple straightforward use by hand or with an orbital buffer and application is completely safe in all situations.

"How long should I leave it before wiping off?"

Wax Product

All of our wax products need to dry before removal. When you can make a clean swipe with your finger (typically up to 10 minutes depending on weatherambient temperature) the product is ready for the final wipe down. There is no maximum time that the wax can should be left on the paintwork, so it is usually good practice to apply wax to the whole vehicle before starting to wipe off.

Polish and Paint Cleaners

These products all need to before removed before they fully dry. They should be applied to relatively small areas e.g. a door or half a bonnet, and removed before moving on to the next panel to be treated.

"How long will my wax protection last?"

This will be different for each user and will be determined by numerous factors. Such as, the age of the car, the weather, mileage covered, how often the car is washed and whether it is kept under cover, are just a few of these factors. For more help on this subject why not produce your own personalised paint care prescription? Click here.

"What should I use to apply and remove Meguiar's products?"

Ideally we would recommend applying our products with a foam applicator pad and removal with a 100% cotton terry towel. Product can also be applied with a terry towel and removed with our micro-fibre "Ultimate Wipe".

"What's the difference between Quik Detailer and Final Inspection?"

Final Inspection is paintable. This is of no direct benefit to most consumer enthusiasts.

"How can I remove white stains from my vinyl trim?"

Spray some "Extra All Surface Cleaner G9332" onto a clean terry towel rag and wipe the residue. Follow with the application of some "Trim Detailer G10810" or "Natural Shine Vinyl Protectant "

"What should I use to clean my wheels?"

Our "Hot Rims" wheel cleaner is safe to use on all wheel types. This includes polished alloys, split rims and chrome finishes (i.e. all the types that other wheel cleaners tell you to avoid) Remember that wheels should be cool during application and rinsed thoroughly. The product may need to be agitated with a brush to remove stubborn stains and ground in brake dust.

"What's this Quik Clay used for?"

After you've washed and dried your paintwork run your fingertips over the surface. It is likely that you will feel small imperfections. These are contaminants bonded to the paint that cannot be removed with washing alone. Typically these would be tree sap, remnants of bird lime, industrial fallout or even paint overspray. Quik Clay has been designed as the perfect method of safely removing these imperfections. Break off a third or half of the clay bar and mould into a flat patty. Spray the Quik Detailer supplied onto the contaminated surface and rub the clay patty over through the lubricant. The contaminants will stick to the non-abrasive clay bar leaving the paint surface as smooth as glass.

"What's the difference between Scratch X and Clear Coat Body Scrub?"

Scratch X has been specifically formulated for the removal of swirls and fine scratches. Although Body Scrub will also help remove fine scratches it's real strength is in the removal of paintwork stains and oxidation.

"How do I reduce swirls and fine scratches in my paintwork?"

It’s the washing process that inflicts most "swirls" or light circular scratches in paintwork. This is because tiny particles are trapped between the face of the sponge and the paint surface. By using a deep pile wash mitt these particles will be absorbed into the pile where they will do a lot less damage.

"Should I re-wax after every wash?"

Not if you use a good quality car wash shampoo. All Meguiar’s shampoos will safely remove traffic film and contaminants without damaging the protective wax coating.Harsher detergents will strip polish and wax from the paint and significantly redice the life of the wax protection.

"Can Meguiar’s products be used over the top of long-term paint protection systems?"

Our products are compatible with all dealer applied paint protection systems.