Polishing damage?

[Tsquad1024]

I used Meduiar's scratch x 2.0 by hand using a microfiber towel to remove some scratches on my car. Used soap water prior to applying the polish to clean the area. The scratch is gone but ended up with a white cloudy look. See the pic. Is this clear coat damage? I applied Meguiar's ultimate paste wax after polishing but the cloud is still there. Anything I can do? Thank you for the help.

[Mike Phillips]

Hi and welcome to AutogeekOnline!


Hard to see from the picture? Maybe it's just me?





Here's the deal though, you probably didn't damage the clearcoat as ScratchX is very very safe.

The real problem is most people don't possess the skills to work on clearcoats BY HAND. You have to have EVERYTHING working for you. And microfiber is gentle but it's also more aggressive than foam.


I would suggest getting a NEW foam applicator pad. Make sure the area is clean and then re-apply the ScratchX using a foam applicator pad.

[Mike Phillips]

Here's a recent artilce I wrote as my attempt to help people understand the difference between a foam surface and a fiber surface.


Foam vs Fiber - Car Detailing by Hand or Machine





When working on car paint by hand, the safest application method would be a soft foam applicator pad. If you need more bite or more cleaning or abrading ability to remove swirls, scratches, oxidation and years of neglect, then a soft microfiber applicator pad will provide more abrading ability than foam. The thing is, if you start with a fiber pad, the fibers themselves can leave their own defect, (marring/scratching), but that's the trade-off to get more abrading ability. The good news is, in most cases, you can remove the fiber marring or scratching by re-polishing but switching over to a foam applicator.

Here's the difference,


Foam has a UNIFORM surface texture.







Fiber pads have a CHAOTIC surface texture. The surface is made-up of thousands of individual fibers. In context, as you press and rub a fiber pad over the surface each of the tiny fibers "cuts" the paint. This is more aggressive than the uniform surface texture offered by soft foam.







If you're trying to use the least aggressive process possible then start or test with foam. If this isn't cutting it, (pun intended), then test or use a soft microfiber applicator pad.


Make sense?

[Tsquad1024]

Thank you Mike for responding. I will try the foam pad method.

I am attaching another pic.

Hopefully you can see better.

[Mike Phillips]

I am attaching another pic.

Hopefully you can see better.

Apologies, from the first picture I though the area you were trying to show was a reflection or something?

But this area here that is GREY?







That looks like PRIMER.


If that is primer, that means you rubbed through the clearcoat and the basecoat and it's time for new paint.

[Tsquad1024]

Yes thats exactly the area. Oh man thats a bummer. I was really hoping to avoid re painting. Can I use touch up paint?

[2black1s]

How much pressure did you use by hand?

When hand polishing out a scratch you will typically need to start with some pretty firm pressure, but that pressure needed to remove the scratch can leave some "scouring" of the surface behind. That scouring could be the "white cloudy" appearance you describe. That needs to be followed by another polishing cycle were you gradually decrease the pressure applied throughout the cycle, finishing with very light pressure - almost zero.

I know Mike likes foam pads for this type of polishing, but I have never had an issue using microfiber and/or even terry cotton towels. In fact, a folded towel is my first choice. I don't like foam pads as most of them are too thin and will not do a very good job at spreading out your finger pressure. A towel folded to 6-8 layers thick spreads out your finger pressure much better.

EDIT:
The latter pictures that appear to be exposed primer raises another question. I didn't see them until after I wrote this post. How hard and how long did you polish for? Working by hand it would take some serious effort and time to cut through a BC/CC area like that. Could it be single-stage? And atypically thin at that?

[Tsquad1024]

I am not sure if it is a singe stage. It is a 2021 Subaru Forester. I didnt think I was going so hard at it.

[2black1s]

Yes thats exactly the area. Oh man thats a bummer. I was really hoping to avoid re painting. Can I use touch up paint?

Yes... If you set your expectations low enough.

Can you send a photo from farther out to provide some context to the area? Then I can give you a better assessment as to repair methods.

[Tsquad1024]