 So, you've decided you want to detail the paint on your car, but what exactly does that mean? It can be a little confusing because this can mean different things to different people. In addition, there are a lot of opinions and products to sort through when talking to people and researching online. Before you go out and buy a bunch of products, we suggest asking yourself a few questions first. How much time do you have? What is it that you want to accomplish? And what does the surface you're working on actually need? When looking at the surface, you want to carefully evaluate it so you can get the best results with maximum gloss and depth of shine. So how do you fully evaluate above surface contaminants and below surface defects? Always start off by washing and drying your car with a premium wash, like Maguire's Ultimate Wash & Wax, to remove any loose dust, grime and debris from the paint. Also, be sure to use clean, premium microfiber accessories so you don't accidentally put more swirl marks into your paint. After washing and drying, it's time to start evaluating the paint. Run your clean, dry fingertips over the paint. If it feels rough to the touch, this tells you there are contaminants that have bonded on top of the paint. For best results, these need to be removed before any additional steps. Note that if your paint feels completely smooth to the touch, you can skip this step and inspect the paint for below surface defects. Below surface bonnet contaminants are things that land on and stick to your paint like rail dust, tree sap mist, industrial fallout, paint overspray, bug droppings, brake dust and other pollutants from the environment. If you don't remove these, they can inhibit depth of shine, diminish the lifespan of your wax and stain the paint, which then turns into a below surface defect. Worst case, if contaminants aren't removed over extended periods of time, they can actually start to damage and degrade your clear coat. Maguire currently offers two consumer clay bar kits, Maguire's Hybrid Ceramic Clay Kit and Maguire's Smooth Surface Clay Kit. Both kits quickly remove above surface bonnet contaminants without swirling or scratching, make the paint as smooth as glass and allow for the next steps to work quicker and better. The Hybrid Ceramic Quick Clay Kit also provides a pop of hybrid ceramic protection if you don't need to remove any below surface defects. For this step, it's essential to do a thorough visual inspection of the paint for the below surface defects. These include swirls, sometimes called holograms, scratches, oxidation, etchings, water spots and stains. These types of defects are in the paint, below the surface and something you can typically see but can't feel. Ultimately, if these paint defects aren't removed, they can prevent you from getting the maximum shine and depth of gloss. If you come across a scratch that you can feel with your fingernail, this is typically something that has removed too much paint and will require either touch up or repainting. Examine the paint from different angles, from different distances and with multiple types of light sources since different light sources and different paint colors will show defects differently. You can use an LED flashlight, garage lighting, natural sunlight or specialty paint inspection light. The key is to take your time and be thorough so you can get an accurate representation of the paint. In the end, this will ensure you get the most gloss, clarity and reflectivity from your paint. If it's in your budget, one of the best ways to find below surface defects is to invest in a paint inspection light, like Maguire's MT103 Sunlight 3 Plus. This is an ideal tool that can help you quickly find swirls and defects you may not otherwise be able to see. Different paint colors react differently to different types of lighting and different light temperatures. The MT103 allows you to fully customize the intensity of the color temperature so you can adjust to the paint color you are working with and take the guesswork out of locating defects. If you do come across any swirls, scratches, oxidations, etching, water spots or stains, a Maguire's compound will be needed to remove these defects without hazing or marring the surface. Most of our compounds can be applied by hand with a soft foam applicator or with a DA polisher like Maguire's MT300 Dual Action Polisher and a foam cutting disc. Once you're done with clean and or compounding is needed, you're ready to apply your favorite Maguire's polish for maximum shine and or wax or sealant to ensure you have plenty of protection on the paint. Note that polish is an optional step that produces deep, wet look reflections. Typically darker paints along with reds and yellows benefit from polishing before waxing. The next time you go to detail your car, you now know exactly how to evaluate for above surface contamination and below surface defects. This will help you to identify the type of defect you have and the type of products you'll need to correct the paint and ultimately get the best results. For additional detailing tips and techniques, visit Maguire's.com