How to polish and protect car paint with an SiO2 spray sealant
By Sam W - SoapX Ltd.
Polish and sealant do two different jobs. Polish refines the paint and brings back clarity. Sealant sits on top and protects it. For the best finish you do them in that order, on clean, decontaminated paint.
Prepare the paint
- Wash the car. If you want to remove old wax and sealant first, use No.05 Contact Shampoo in the Extreme formula, which is a deliberate strip wash.
- Remove bonded contamination with a fallout and tar remover, as covered in our decontamination guide.
- Dry the car fully and work in the shade.
Choose your polish
No.07 Polish and Paint Prep comes in three formulas:
- Summer is an all round polish and paint prep for most cars.
- Extreme is a heavy cut for deeper defects.
- Delicate is a light finishing polish for soft paint.
If you are not sure, start with the gentlest option on a small test area and only step up if you need to.
Polishing
- Apply a few drops to a polishing pad or a microfibre applicator pad.
- Work it into one small section at a time, by hand or by machine.
- Buff off the residue with a clean edgeless buffing cloth.
- Check the panel in good light, then move on.
Matt paint and wraps should never be polished. See our matt paint and wrap guide instead.
Applying SiO2 spray sealant
No.08 Wax and Sealant is a spray on SiO2 sealant for slick, water beading protection. Winter gives a tougher barrier for salt season, and Delicate is matt safe and adds no gloss.
- Make sure the panel is clean, dry and out of direct sun.
- Spray lightly onto the panel or onto an applicator.
- Spread it evenly.
- Buff off with a clean, dry microfibre cloth.
Top it up every few washes. A drying aid helps between applications, as explained in our drying guide.
Kit for this job
Always read the label. Directions, dilutions and safety advice for every product are here:
