We’ve all been there or know someone who has been there. A simple car wash and wipe down reveals what looks like lines in your paint in a circular motion — and the car barely looks clean! Clearly, it wasn’t you; you just washed the car! But the culprit is rarely known by many people who perform simple washes and waxes. So, why are there swirls in your paint? We break that down below.

Clear Coat

As you probably know, there is a thin layer of clear coat on top of every car — which is solely designed to protect the paint. The problem with something like that is that it can become damaged over time, which would show imperfections. This gives the illusion that there’s an issue with the paint when it’s mostly just the clear coat. A simple paint correction can be the difference between paneling that looks like glass and paneling that looks scuffed up.

Wrong Cleaning Products

So what causes these issues? It’s usually cleaning habits. Whether you’re not soaking the car properly or using the wrong tools, all can have an impact. Everything from the wrong mats for washing, to the wrong microfiber towels for drying and polishing can play a huge role in how the car actually looks. To combat this, make sure to equip yourself with edgeless microfiber pads and a soft mat for cleaning — after of course, you’ve hosed off as much grime as you can and applied a layer of snow foam.

For cars that have this level of damage, it’s important to treat it properly with a correcting compound and a buffer to evenly spread the coating on top. Make sure the car has been thoroughly cleaned beforehand, and you’re using meticulous efforts in order to do the job correctly the first time. If it’s too big of a project, make sure you bring it to a reputable detail shop and show them everything you’ve noticed so that they can correct the issue.