I have been trying to get rid of some swirls and scratches by hand on my metallic black golf. I on DW i noticed that AG SRP is supposed to be one of the best polishes for removing marks and swirls by hand! However, I am not sure that I am using it right!

I am just using a cloth with the polish rubbing in circular motions for a couple of mins per panel and then leaving for about 5mins to dry to a haze and then removing with a microfibre cloth. Is this method completely useless? Should I invest in some applicator pads? If so, which ones? How long should I be working each body panel? How many times should I reapply the polish? Which direction (circular or up and down) should I be applying/removing it in? How hard should I be rubbing?

I really have no idea, as i'm sure you can all tell! Any advice would be appreciated?

Edited 4 March, 201016 yr by SCVRS

I have been trying to get rid of some swirls and scratches by hand on my metallic black golf. I on DW i noticed that AG SRP is supposed to be one of the best polishes for removing marks and swirls by hand! However, I am not sure that I am using it right!

I am just using a cloth with the polish rubbing in circular motions for a couple of mins per panel and then leaving for about 5mins to dry to a haze and then removing with a microfibre cloth. Is this method completely useless? Should I invest in some applicator pads? If so, which ones? How long should I be working each body panel? How many times should I reapply the polish? Which direction (circular or up and down) should I be applying/removing it in? How hard should I be rubbing?

I really have no idea, as i'm sure you can all tell! Any advice would be appreciated?

Don't worry everyone, I have just remembered that there is a sticky at the top of the section on how to polish the car properly!! Thanks anyway!

Yeah - using a machine is the only way to properly remove them. I dread to think what the equivalent amount of "man hours" my polisher puts down, both in cutting strength and sheer speed.

Try using a foam applicator pad, keep the area you are polishing small & work the area for longer. The thing Is German clearcoat Is very hard, so removing swirls by hand Is going to be harder. It would be alot easier with a m/c polisher.

Small areas, like the palm of your hand. SRP will mostly hide them, scratchx might be better on a german applicator. TBH, I'd go with a DA, some Sonus pads and some Menz polish.