Published on: 19/01/2024 Updated on: 20/02/2025

All the secrets to perfect car polishing.

Matteo Torrisi, the detailing wizard, reveals step-by-step how to achieve a spectacular car body polish using Mafra and Maniac Line products.

After a thorough hand car wash , you may notice small imperfections on the bodywork. In order to eliminate even the smallest flaws, it is necessary to carry out a professional polishing, of which Matteo Torrisi reveals all the secrets.

Matteo Torrisi is a true magician of detailing and cars, which he personally cares for in his workshop Pilot's Workshop. Let's find out in this video how to polish your car to perfection!

Washing and decontamination

The first step in performing a proficient car polish is to proceed with a thorough hand washing and a thorough chemical and mechanical decontamination.

Before car washing, it is important to remove dirt, especially ferrous dirt, from wheels and bodywork. For this operation, we recommend using Iron Remover, Maniac Line ferrous decontaminant to be sprayed directly on the surface.

Iron Remover is a product designed to remove iron contamination from wheels, bodywork and glass. Simply dispense it onto the surface to be treated, leave it on for a few minutes, and its active ingredient will do the rest of the work.

Iron Remover, reacting with ferrous contaminant particles, will take on the characteristic purplish color. To remove deep dirt, help yourself with the Red Brush available in 3 different diameters, 35mm, 30mm and 25mm. Finally, rinse with plenty of water and dry with the Super Dryer cloth.

With chemical decontamination completed, it is time for car washing with shampoo using the 2 bucket technique. We recommend our Double Bucket Wash Kit, consisting of Wash Bucket, Rinse Bucket, Girt Safe and 2 Brushes.

For the operation of washing with shampoo Matteo recommends these products:

• Neutral Foam Shampoo by Maniac Line, a pH-neutral car shampoo for gloved hand washing. Its lubricating foam encapsulates dirt, facilitating removal during the next rinse step without creating halos or streaks;
• Double Face Glove ideal for washing the entire car body by hand and in total safety. The short-haired side is to be used to remove general dirt from the top of the car. The blue chenille microfiber side is designed to remove stubborn dirt that settles on the underside of the car;
• Mafra Super Dryer is the ideal microfiber cloth for drying. With its maxi-size and extraordinary absorbency, it leaves no streaks and is easy to use. Use the short-haired side for drying bodywork and the lint-free side for windows;

A helpful tip: If you have a compressed air system, use it to dry hard-to-reach places with the cloth, such as seals, handles, and bolts.

Mechanical decontamination with Clay bar

It is time to proceed with mechanical decontamination, a very important step in order to then achieve a perfect polish. With this operation all impurities, even the smallest ones, are removed from the surface of the bodywork. For mechanical decontamination it is necessary to use Clay Bar Soft and Fast Cleaner 3in1.

• Clay Bar Soft is a is a light blue colored clay bar. Ideal for removing from any painted surface, dirt particles such as industrial pollution, traffic film, guano residue, insects, resin and ferrous residue.
• Fast Cleaner 3in1 is the quick detailer with 3 modes of use. Fast cleaner, helps with drying and great as Clay Lube, lubricant for Clay Bar.

Divide the Clay Bar into 2 even parts and work one part to soften it to a spherical shape. Lubricate both the surface and the Clay Bar with Fast Cleaner 3in1. The advice is to work on small portions of the bodywork so that the surface does not dry out during processing.

There is also the kit for perfect mechanical decontamination you can find everything you need in the Regénera Car Body Kit from Mafra.

How to polish the car perfectly

After washing and decontaminating the car there we go, it's time for polishing! The purpose of polishing is to level out the clear coat of paint, removing the annoying orange peel and unsightly scratches caused by washing done incorrectly. Ninety percent of the scratches found on bodywork are caused by incorrect washing technique and lack of the right accessories.

For the car polishing operation we recommend using:

• Random orbital sander Scrubby, for precise sanding, used to remove severe defects and speed up the next stage of polishing the bodywork;
• Different grit abrasive discs, essential for the polishing preparation stage;
• Random orbital polisher Easytech, designed to achieve fast polishing of the bodywork ensuring a flawless result without the risk of creating holograms and halos;
• Pads and pads, essential tools for car polishing, available in different sizes and colors for each step of polishing, from the cutting stage to finishing;
• Corrector 3.0 Heavy Cut Compound, for removing severe defects from paint, excellent for the cutting stage;
• Illumina 2.0 Ultra Finish Polish, to be used in the last step of polishing to give new gloss and shine to the bodywork;

Step 1, sanding and orange peel removal

First delineate the work area with masking tape. Connect the Scrubby to a compressor, place the 3000-grit abrasive disc on the backing pad and proceed with sanding the surface. We recommend always wetting both the surface and the abrasive disc and start with sanding at low speed and then slowly increase. Make smooth movements, first vertically and then horizontally.

Once the sanding phase is finished, wipe with a microfiber cloth dry and clean to remove any residue. Now the surface will look matte but perfectly smooth with no orange peel effect.

Step 2, car polishing with Polish Corrector 3.0

For the cutting stage, Matteo uses our Blue Pad Medium Cut onto which he pours a few drops of the Polish Corrector 3.0 Heavy Cut Compound. This will distribute the product evenly over the entire surface of the pad during processing.

Torrisi recommends using the polisher at minimum speed for the first 30 to 60 seconds to heat the pad and distribute the paste to break up the abrasive. Then increase the speed of the polisher to cut and finish the surface.

Torrisi's tips: clean the pad often with compressed air and use the pad parallel to the surface. Also, it is important not to apply force when polishing; the weight of the polisher is sufficient.

Always use clean microfiber cloths in circular motions, never horizontal, to remove residues of Polish Corrector 3.0. To check the result Torrisi usesisopropyl alcohol and an inspection lamp. If you have worked correctly, you will no longer see the small scratches and you will have excellent paint gloss!

Step 3, finish with Illumina 2.0 Ultra Finish Polish

The time has come to finish the surface with Illumina 2.0 Ultra Finish Polish and 2 dabs, yellow and black, so you can get a killer shine! Apply 4 drops of Illumina 2.0 to the yellow pad medium soft and swipe it over the entire surface of the car. Then remove product residue with a clean microfiber cloth. Make a second finishing pass this time with the black pad extra soft.

Step 4, the finishing touch with Ceramic ultra Speed Wax

For an even brighter result, use Ceramic Ultra Speed Wax, Maniac Line ' s sealing spray wax. Ceramic Ultra Speed Wax contains hydrophobic ceramic polymers that bond to the bodywork, creating a self-cleaning protective shield. Quick and easy product to apply, capable of providing high gloss and deeper color.

To apply Ceramic Ultra Speed Wax simply dispense a little product directly onto the freshly polished bodywork. Use the microfiber cloth Double Face from the short-haired side for even spreading and finish the surface with the long-haired side.

Your car will have a body so shiny and perfect that it will look like silk, making all your friends envious!

The final result

And finally there we are, all that's left to do is admire the beautiful job done! Watch Matteo Torrisi's video on how to polish your car and follow his tips to make it shine brighter with Mafra products and Maniac Line.