Henry Ford was on to something when he said, “Any color you like, so long as it's black.” No color looks as sharp on a vehicle, but keeping it that way is hard work. Black shows dirt and dust, and there's nothing as annoying as swirl marks on a black car. You can purchase auto scratch removers to lessen the appearance of swirls, but the best approach is prevention.
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Clear-Coat Scratches
Modern cars have a layer of “clear coat” over their paint. This protects against scratches and helps keep the paint looking good. However, if you're careless about car washing, grit particles can cut into the clear coat over time. On silver or gold cars those scratches hardly show, but on a bright day, they'll look like white swirls against the black paint.
Removing Swirl Marks
When swirls are very shallow, it's sometimes possible to remove them by polishing. However, if that doesn't do the job, you'll need a black car scratch remover to clean the black scratches on the car. This is a compound that gently removes the clear coat until swirls no longer show. Scratches going into the paint won't get completely removed this way. They'll need touching up with black paint, followed by an application of a clear coat and then buffing. Removing swirls from a black car is hard work, so let's turn our attention to swirl prevention.
Cleaning a Black Car
Owners of black vehicles probably visit the car wash more often, and those flapping soapy strips are the chief cause of swirls. Touch-free washes are better, but they tend to use a lot of aggressive chemicals that are pretty harsh on auto-paint finishes. That leaves only washing by hand!
The 7-Step Washing-By-Hand Process:
- Park in shade and let the paint cool.
- Rinse thoroughly to remove loose dust and dirt.
- Practice two bucket washing: Fill one with a car-wash solution and the other with clean rinse water. Dip a Wash Mitt (mitts hold more water and are kinder to paint than sponges) in the solution and wipe over a small area. Rinse the Wash Mitt in clean water, then reload with a solution and continue. Repeat until you've washed every square inch. (For added protection, use a grit guard at the bottom of each bucket.)
- Don't use the mitt for the wheels. Instead, work a microfiber towel into the corners of your rims.
- Rinse the bucket containing the solution with clean water.
- Use a car-specific towel, such as a synthetic chamois, that won’t harm the paint, or leave swirls or leave scratches on black cars behind after you dry your vehicle. These cloths absorb water on impact and avoid unnecessary rubbing to prevent swirling.
- Finish with a coat of wax. This will be easier with The Glosser. This three-layer microfiber towel is lined with cleaners and waxes for that final showroom shine. Alternatively, save time with The Glosser. This microfiber cloth releases wax when it comes in contact with water to produce a brilliant shine.
Make the Change
Swirl on car paint is annoying. Swirls on a black paint job can show easier than any other color. There are ways to remove swirl marks from black paint or reduce their impact, but it's always better to avoid making them. By taking the proper steps when you wash and dry your car, you are actively preventing swirls on your black paint job.