Taking the Swirls Out: A Real-World Guide to Machine Polishing

Give the car a proper two-bucket wash. You need every bit of dirt gone. If you've been doing a bit of off-roading, pay extra attention to the wheel arches and door jambs so dust doesn't fly onto your pad later.

Use an iron fallout remover and then hit it with a clay bar. If the paint feels like sandpaper, you aren't ready to polish. Your pad will just pick up that grit and swirl the paint even worse.

Dry it completely (a leaf blower is a godsend here). Tape off any black plastic trim, rubber seals, or badges. Trust me, getting dried white polish off textured plastic is a nightmare you don't want.

Put 4-5 pea-sized drops of polish on your clean pad. Smear it around with your finger to cover the face of the foam so there are no dry spots.

Only tackle an area about 50cm x 50cm at a time. If you try to do the whole bonnet at once, the polish will dry out and you'll get nowhere.

Before turning the machine on, dab the pad across your work area. Then, on the lowest speed setting, give it a quick pass to spread it evenly.

Turn the speed up (usually 4 or 5 on most DA machines). Move the machine slowly in overlapping horizontal lines, then repeat with vertical lines. Slow and steady wins here.

Don't lean on it like you're trying to push it through the floor. Just enough pressure to keep the pad flat. If the pad stops spinning, you're pushing too hard.

You'll see the polish go from a milky white to a thin, translucent film. That's called 'breaking down'. Usually takes about 4-6 passes.

Use a clean microfibre to wipe the residue. Use your LED light to check the results. If the swirls are gone, move to the next section. If not, go again.

After every couple of sections, use a soft brush or compressed air to blow the spent polish out of the pad. A clogged pad won't cut, it'll just generate heat.