ACID RAIN - Moisture in the air (rain, dew, fog) traps airborne chemicals, creating a mild solution of hydrochloric acid.  If acid rain falls or collects on your car, and the water dries in the warm sun,  the concentration of acid increases and eventually etches your paint (creates small circular marks).  Unless very severe,  acid rain spots can be removed by polishing the paint.

BRAKE DUST - As you use your brakes, the brake pads throw off the brake pad material as a fine dust.  The brake dust creates a black mess, which sticks to the wheels and lower body panels.  Because the front wheels do most of the braking, brake dust is often heaviest on the front wheels.  Brake dust is very corrosive to the finish on your wheels and should be removed regularly to prevent damage and discoloration.

CAR WASH - A car wash or car shampoo is a cleaner used to remove surface contaminants from your vehicle.  Some car wash products use detergents, alkalies or sodium, which can remove your wax or sealant.  Without protection, paint oxidation will accelerate.  You should use a car wash product that is pH balanced and contains gloss-enhancing lubricants to buffer against scratching.

CARNAUBA - Many quality waxes are made with a blend of carnauba, a naturally water resistant wax derived from the Copernicia cerifera plant.  Carnauba wax products come in a paste or liquid form and may be applied by hand or machine.  In its natural state, carnauba is rock hard.  Wax makers use  petroleum distillates to make it soft.

CLEARCOAT - Most modern cars are painted with a multistage paint system consisting of a primer, color coat and clear coat.  The clearcoat provides a shiny, deep-looking surface.  In recent years, many car manufacturers have started applying ultraviolet (UV) light protection in the clearcoat to reduce paint fading.

CONTAMINANTS - As you drive, or leave your car outside and uncovered, your car's paint collects dirt, grime, bird droppings, bug splats, water deposits, tar, oil and other substances.  These substances contaminate your paint, reducing its brilliance and smooth feel.  If left alone, paint contaminants will cause premature oxidation or may etch the paint.

DIRECT-DRIVE BUFFER - Detailers use polishers and buffers to speed the task of polishing and waxing.  A direct-drive buffer operates at high speeds and works well to buff the top layer of paint to a smooth, high-gloss finish.  In the hands of a novice (or rushed detailer), a direct-drive buffer can create swirl marks or burn through the paint.  In the hands of a pro, a direct-drive buffer can create a beautiful finish.

DRESSING - Protective coatings for trim, tires and dashboards are often called dressings or protectants.  Dressings are applied after washing and waxing to beautify and protect. 

GLAZE - If your paint finish has minor imperfections or swirl marks, you can use a glaze to temporarily fill the micromarks in the paint.  A glaze is typically a thin liquid, usually made of carnauba waxes and silicones, applied to the paint prior to waxing.  Glazes dry fast and are usually easy to buff out by hand or machine.  The filling ability of any glaze lasts only a matter of days before swirl marks and light scratches reappear.  Many people use glazes to enhance the look of the paint prior to showing a car.

ORANGE PEEL - When a car is painted, if the paint mix is not correct, or if the painter has not properly prepared the surface before painting, the resulting paint surface may look bumpy,  similar to the skin of an orange.  Orange peel can often be  removed by wet-sanding or machine polishing.

ORBITAL POLISHERS - To safely machine polish and wax cars, many home detailers and pro detailers use a random orbit polisher.  An orbital polisher is a light machine, usually with variable speed settings, used to apply and remove polishes, glazes and waxes.    Unlike a direct-drive buffer, an orbital polisher has a special head that rotates in a random (figure 8) circular motion.

OXIDATION - Left unprotected, painted, polished and chrome surfaces will oxidize.  On metal, oxidation appears as rust or tarnish.  When paint oxidizes, it will slowly become dull, rough  and chalky.

PAINT-CLEANING CLAY - Polishing is the traditional method of removing paint contamination.  Recently, a new consumer product, called paint-cleaning clay, has emerged as a better way to clean paint.  Paint-cleaning clay is a soft, pliable bar of abrasives suspended in a clay.  It is used with a spray lubricant. Three or four light passes over your paint is all that's needed to make it perfectly smooth.

POLISH - Detailers use polishes to enhance paint gloss or to remove minor scratches and swirl marks.  Polish is an abrasive liquid, applied by hand or machine, which removes microlayers of paint, smoothing out the surface.

PRESSURE WASHER - Water applied under pressure is a good cleaner.  Some detailers use high pressure washers to clean engines and undercarriages.  Be careful.  Too much pressure will damage paint, remove trim, and penetrate undercoatings or delicate electrical connections.

RAIL DUST - Cars are commonly transported by ship, trains and trucks.  When transported by rail, small particles of metal created by railroad cars become airborne and land on the cars.  When moisture combines with the rail dust, it rusts and damages the paint.

RUBBING/POLISHING COMPOUND - Many detailers and paint shops use a thick, abrasive paste, called rubbing compound, to knock down orange peel or remove heavy oxidation.  Rubbing compound is equivalent to using an 800- to 1500-grit wet-dry sandpaper on your car's paint, and must be used with great care.  A light rubbing compound is an excellent solution for removing surface scratches and other paint blemishes.

SHAMPOO - Detailers use special soaps and cleaners to shampoo carpet and fabric upholstery.  Soft scrub brushes are used to get into the fibers and dislodge the dirt.  Shampooing is the only way to remove ground-in dirt and stains that vacuuming will not remove.

SINGLE-STAGE PAINT - If your car does not have a clear coat, it is a single-stage paint.  On these finishes, the color coat is the final layer of paint.  You can tell if your paint is single-stage by polishing your car.  If the paint color shows up on your cloth, it's a single-stage paint.

SWIRL MARKS - Washing and drying with rough or synthetic towels, dry wiping dirt across the paint, or covering your car when it's dusty will create micro scratches (marring).  These micro scratches often look like swirls (arcs), thus the name swirl marks.

SEALANT - Most people think of wax for protecting their cars' paint, but the car care industry is full of paint sealants as well.  A sealant is a nonorganic-based coating used to seal paint with a thin barrier.  Most sealants are acrylic polymer formulas that out-shine and out last all but the most expensive waxes.

WATER SPOTS -  Tap water contains calcium and other heavy minerals.  When allowed to air dry, tap water deposits act just like acid rain, and will quickly damage your paint.  The harder your tap water, the more severe your spotting problems will be.

WAX - In the detailing world, any substance that provides a layer of protection over paint, metal or wood may be called a wax.  Car waxes come in paste, cream or liquid form.  Some waxes contain cleaners; others do not.  No wax is pure, and the term "pure wax" is "pure marketing."  All automotive waxes are blends of natural and synthetic chemicals.