Swirl marks, technically what are they, what causes them, is any simple hand polish capable of removing them and how to prevent them.

The “swirls” are caused by a large number of fine scratches in the paintwork. The scratches can run in all directions and only look like a swirl or cobweb as a result of the way they scatter light from a point source. When you look closely at the surface you might see that a good number of the scratches run along the length of the car in the direction of travel. This makes a lot of people assume that the swirls are due to automatic car washing – and indeed you can get some of this effect from an automatic brush wash – depending on the brush material and the set-up of the machine. However you can get swirls on a car that has never been through an automatic wash – then people say it’s from grit in the sponge – but what if a car hasn’t been sponged? It probably isn’t possible to avoid swirl marks. Just driving the car causes it to come into contact with fine particles which can put tiny scratches into the paint.


A hand applied polish will have a positive effect in removing the scratching and a decent wax coating will enhance this further. In essence – if you reduce the visibility of the scratches you reduce the swirl marks. It’s useful to note that the effect is not particularly related to the depth of the scratch. The worst swirls are seen on paint which has consistent closely presented scratches which can be quite fine. A single deep scratch won’t give you the cobweb effect. The effect usually arises from lots of small scratches in the same area.


In order to remove swirl marks and cobweb scratches like we have above, we recommend our paintwork treatment process with Autoglym Super Resin Polish and Autoglym Paint Renovator, Autoglym Surface Detailing Clay Kit or Autoglym High Definition Cleanser.



To prepare your paintwork for repair, start by using Autoglym Surface Detailing Clay Kit, which is designed to remove all bonded contaminants from your paintwork and is an essential step if you are serious about proper paintwork repair. Bonded contaminants include road grime, tar, tree sap, overspray and other paint contaminants which cannot be washed away with shampoo. Instead, they require clay to safely remove them from your paintwork.


Spray the supplied Rapid Detailer onto a small piece of the Surface Detailing Clay and gently move the clay over the surface with a linear action. Once the area is smooth, wipe away excess Rapid Detailer with the blue microfibre cloth.

Once your car is fully clayed, it is ready to begin the repair process using Autoglym High Definition Cleanser, Autoglym Super Resin Polish or Autoglym Paint Renovator.


Autoglym High Definition Cleanser is the perfect solutionfor removing swirl marks from your car’s bodywork, revitalising the surface by effectively removing all old layers of polish, wax and sealant as well as general dust and grime build up. Included with the High Definition Cleanser are two High Definition Applicators and a Hi-Tech Finishing Cloth.


Using a damp High Definition Applicator, work the High Definition Cleanser onto the affected area in a circular motion, before buffing with the Hi-Tech Finishing Cloth.

Note: Very important to work on small area at a time and remove product before it dries


For scratch repair, Autoglym Super Resin Polish will leave your paintwork like new and free of light scratches and scuffs.


Simply apply it with an Autoglym Perfect Polishing Cloth in overlapping circles, increasing pressure over the scratch-affected area. Allow the residue to dry for 10 minutes and then buff to a shine with a Hi-Tech Finishing Cloth. Autoglym Super Resin Polish contains low molecular weight resins which ensures lasting protection from harsh environmental conditions.


If Autoglym Super Resin Polish does not repair the area sufficiently, we recommend moving up the scale to Autoglym Paint Renovator, which is ideal for targeted use on scratches, scuffs, and areas of heavily oxidised or faded paintwork.


Apply it to the affected area using a soft cotton cloth with parallel strokes. Increase pressure on heavily affected areas, and decrease pressure to improve surface gloss. Finally, remove the residue with a clean cloth and polish with Autoglym Super Resin Polish to preserve the surface and remove any remaining marks.

This can be followed up with the final protection of High Definition Wax.

Remember that once the swirl marks have been removed, continuing to use the proper Autoglym products and techniques is vital to maintaining your cobweb-free finish.


We are here to help you.
If you require car care advice, or are unsure on the right Autoglym product to use, please send us a PM or visit our website at http://www.autoglym.com.au/

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