Can car polish damage my paint?
Is it advisable to use car polish? I seem to recall reading somewhere that it is best to not use polish as it removes the paint and just use a good quality wax instead.
Asked on 4 November 2025 by David Brotherton
Answered by
David Ross
It may depend on the type of polish you are using, but polishing can remove a microscopic layer of paint which is how it achieves a high shine - small imperfections are removed to reveal unblemished paint underneath. However, use this too often or too aggressively and you can damage the paint. Wax is a protectant, so we would recommend using this more often than polishing.
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