Good rule of thumb when using an AIO - stick with foam polishing pads by Mike Phillips


I typed the below answer out to a question in another thread but thought it would make a good article too...



Here's the rule-of-thumb you want to follow when using any one-step cleaner/wax on clearcoat paints and that is to TRY to stick with foam polishing pads.

Not foam cutting as this can leave pad haze in the paint.

Not foam finishing as this usually is not aggressive enough to work out below surface defects like swirls and scratches.

You want to be right in the middle, right in that sweet spot that enables you to actually do ONE STEP as it relates to the steps you do to the paint.

Most pad companies offer the below general categories, for example Meguiar's only offers 3 types or categories of foam pads and Meguiar's is a HUGE name in this industry.

Other companies offer a wider selection with pads that fall inside and outside these three primary groups.

From the most to the least aggressive,


  1. Foam Cutting Pads
  2. Foam Polishing Pads
  3. Foam Finishing Pads




Important stuff
If you use a cutting pad, in many cases the pad itself will leave marring, especially when you're using a fresh pad. Of course foam softens up as it becomes WET WITH PRODUCT - so there is some wiggle room in pad choice BUT here's the deal...

If you're leaving pad marring in the paint you will have to re-do the car to remove the marring and now you're back to 2-steps.

Kind of defeats the purpose to plan for or charge for $$ a one-step and then have to do 2 steps.





For those of you that detail for money, 2 points.


1: First when doing a one-step process for a customer DO NOT brag or claim you're going to remove ALL the swirls and scratches. That's not real-world. If a customer wants all the swirls, scratches and water spots removed that's normally a 2 or 3 step process and you should upgrade them to a higher priced package to pay for your time, labor and materials.

Under promise and over deliver but focus on NOT over promising when selling a one-step process but then do your best and you'll both be happy.



Here's point 2




2: When you use a foam cutting pad or even a microfiber cutting pad you are likely going to leave pad haze i.e. micro-marring in the paint.

Now on lighter colors you might not see it but you can usually see it on black and dark colors and here's the deal... if it's happening on dark colors it's happening on light colors.



It's not professional to do a one-step process to a car and leave pad haze in the paint. This circles back to point number #1 above.


So as a rule-of-thumb... when doing one-step procedures or what I always call "Production Detailing", stick with foam "polishing" pads.


Make sense?


Test Spot
The exception to the rule would be some cutting pads are not very sharp or aggressive. And I've even seen some finishing pads that are as aggressive as some polishing pads. So remember,

Always do a Test Spot

Foam pads can vary in how aggressive they are or how soft they are so do a Test Spot with the pads you are using and use the results from your Test Spot to guide your process.


What I wrote here is just a general rule of thumb - not a hard or rigid practice.