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How to prepare paint before polishing or coating

Most of a good DIY finish comes from preparation. These products take paint from "washed" to truly clean, in the order a detailer would use them.

1. Wash with a pH-neutral shampoo such as Graphene Shampoo to remove loose dirt and road salt.
2. Remove iron fallout with Iron Remover. It dissolves brake dust and rail dust embedded in paint and wheels that washing leaves behind.
3. Clay with the Clay Bar Kit to lift bonded contaminants, so the paint feels smooth as glass.
4. Polish with One-Step Polish if you want to reduce swirls, light scratches or dullness.
5. Panel wipe with Prep Spray to remove polish oils and old wax, so a coating can bond.

Preparation kits: common questions

Iron remover or clay bar — do I need both?

They do different jobs. Iron remover dissolves iron particles chemically; a clay bar physically lifts other bonded grime. Using iron remover first means the clay picks up less and is less likely to mar the paint. More detail: Iron remover vs clay bar.

How often should I decontaminate?

Before any polish or coating, and whenever the paint feels rough after a wash — for many Canadian drivers that is after winter, when salt and brake dust build up.

Do I need prep spray if I'm only waxing?

It's most important before a ceramic or graphene coating, which needs bare, oil-free paint to bond. Ready to protect the paint afterwards? See our Ceramic Coating Kits.