Paint Maintenance To Protect Your Paint Without Breaking the Bank: Adam’s Polishes Scratch & Swirl Remover + Buttery Wax Application
Whether it’s your daily driver, weekend rig, or bonified wheeling machine, cleaning and protecting your 4Runner is essential. For all the fun that we get out of these vehicles, it comes at a cost. As much as we pay attention to axles, joints, and all the other parts taking the brunt of the force, it is just as important to protect the car’s paint.
This is where Adam’s Polishes Scratch & Swirl Remover and Buttery Wax enter.
As a massive provider of paint maintenance products, Adam’s Polishes offers a wide variety of items to keep your car looking clean. While the list is seemingly endless, this article is going to focus on the application of these two specific products.
With the help of both of these products, you can rival a professionally detailed paint job for a fraction of the price.
Find it online:
- Adam’s Polishes Scratch & Swirl Remover: Check Price
- Adam’s Polishes Buttery Wax: Check Price
- Adam’s Polishes Compound + Polish Kit
- Microfiber Towels
Prep 4Runner With A Solid Wash
Before applying any Polishing or waxing substance, always start with a quality car wash. I prefer Adam’s Polishes Car Shampoo, Foam Gun, and 10” Wash Pad.
This is an important step, do not rush it. You don’t want any dirt or debris on your car come wax time. For a great article on a complete car wash, check out @kcsnowrunner’s article here.
As a side note, if possible, remove as much rooftop gear as you can. That way you can get a proper wash, touch up any rooftop scratches, and apply wax thoroughly. After all, the roof of these 4Runner’s can take a serious beating from sun, dirt, branches… you name it.
Scratch & Swirl Remover
Simply put, Adam’s Polishes Scratch & Swirl Remover does exactly what it says. At first, I had my doubts about this product. I was concerned that it would either not do the job or damage the original factory clear coat. I was completely wrong.
I would compare this product to a very mild buffing compound. For those minor rock chips, branch scrapes, etc., it works perfectly. If you are looking for a more serious paint correction (i.e. clear coat damage, oxidation, sunspots), this may not be your best choice. I would recommend Adam’s Polishes Compound + Polish Kit.
Application
After the wash, make sure to thoroughly dry the car or at least the specific area you intend to correct. This compound works best with a dry surface so that a proper amount of friction occurs on the paint.
Whether it’s a small leaf blower or a few microfiber towels, the end goal should be a dry car!
At this point, you’re ready to go.
As part of the kit purchased from Amazon, Adam’s Polishes adds the Hex Grip Applicator. While you can use a machine buffer, I found it easier to use the provided applicator for more controlled motion.
Pick A Scratch/Marking To Test
First, pick any scratch or mark on your paint and give yourself a good angle to work. I had a pretty good-sized scratch beside my rooftop antenna fin that I thought would be a good place to start.
Apply A Small Amount of Product
Using Adam’s Polishes formula is super simple. With your applicator in hand, squirt a small amount of product directly on the foam. Less is more with this stuff. You don’t want to cake it on because it actually works better as the substance begins to dry. As I said, friction is key.
Spread the product evenly around the scratch and use a circular motion as you go. The pad will do the work for you.
Wipe It Clean!
Depending on the depth of the scratch, you will start to see this stuff work its magic. Wipe the surface clean with a microfiber towel and see if another coat is necessary.
Here is that same scratch after just one pass over. With a second quick layer, the scratch was completely removed.
Once you’re happy with one spot, continue around the car touching up any lines or marks as necessary. Wipe everything dry and you’ve got a new paint job! Sort off…
Buttery Wax
The Adam’s Polishes Buttery Wax formula is about as simple and effective as it gets. As a carnauba-based wax, this product will go on easy and stay on for an extended period of time. Not to mention, it smells great! Another advantage of this Buttery Wax is that it can be applied in the sun or the shade. Most traditional carnauba waxes are supposed to be applied only in the shade, away from direct sunlight. But that does not impact the advanced formula of Buttery Wax and is a huge advantage for someone without a garage or preferable climate.
While Adam’s Polishes claims that you can apply this wax with simply a microfiber towel, I chose to use a single-speed Black and Decker Orbital Waxer/Polisher. You can find that on Amazon or even Home Depot. This helped me get an even coat and save time. However, a foam applicator or microfiber would do the trick – this stuff is that simple.
Application
With your waxer in hand, drop a few small squirts of wax onto your foam pad. You do not need a lot of it, it spreads very effectively.
Next, chose a section/panel of the car that you want to focus on and dab the foam pad around the area.
From there, let the waxer do the work for you. Simply spread the wax around the section until you get an even layer, wipe clean with a microfiber towel, and move to the next section. This product lived up to its word as one of the easiest waxes to use. It will leave your paint with that extra layer of protection we are all looking for.
Final Thoughts
When you get as much out of these cars as you do, they may take a beating every now and then. But keeping your paint clean and protected can be as simple as Adam’s Polishes makes it.
Without hurting your wallet, you can touch up and protect that factory paint for the road ahead. On top of that, doing so does not have to be a difficult task!
Just bought both polishes. Thanks for the write-up!