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Basically all I want to know is what is the best things to use to rid my car of the dreaded spirals, and the best techniques for getting them gone. BTW what causes them in the first place? Thanks.

the spirals are small scratchs i think caused by cleaning, thats it i do believe (dino may know more)
the best way to rid the car from them is to use a PC (porter cable) which is like a buffer that cuts away very thin layers of paint to a precise depth therefore eliminating the scratches!

there was a video in the mk4 section i think about the most expensive car wash ever, have a look at that coz the bloke in that uses a PC!

hope this is of some help

Yeah I seen the video cheers. I'm guessing the cheap sponge I use doesn't do me any favours. Its not to bad the car really shines quite nice but when the light hits a certain angle and your up close you notice them big time.

The spirals are known as swirls in the detailing world and as Dan says, you will need the car to be polished with either a Porter Cable or Rotary. Used with an abrasive polish it will cut the clear coat a tiny tiny amount to remove these.

They are caused by car washes, poor wash techniques such as sponges as a sponge will trap dirt/grit on the surface and just scratch the paint as your wash around.

the best thing for washing is a wash mitt as the grit will be drawn into the pile and not left on the surface to scratch.

How often should i change the mitt, mines lookinga wee bit worse for ware, or am i safe just to wash it? Also my applicator pads are a bit dirty. Can they be washed too?

I buy a new washmitt every couple of months as i use mine often lol

i just use the old ones for arches/alloys/engine.

Applicator pads should be washed every time they are used.

dino wrote:I buy a new washmitt every couple of months as i use mine often lol

i just use the old ones for arches/alloys/engine.

Applicator pads should be washed every time they are used.

yeh, think i'll get another mitt.

ooooohhhhh i should wash them everytime......better get that sorted out!

cheers mate.

So if I took it to be valeted because I dont have access to a Porter Cable or rotary and then took more care washing it eg not use crap sponges anymore they (swirls) should stay away?

That's it mate....

You just need to ensure you use the proper kit after it's been de-swirled and also make sure it's got a good coat of decent wax at all times.

Ok cool. BTW what would a decent wax be and where would I get it? And none of that £6000 stuff from that really expensive car wash link

quick Q. when i got my car sprayed, i ended up with a couple of paint runs is there anyway of getting rid of this. Its not noticeable at all unless i am cleaning the car, but still personally annoys!