light scratches

[beginner]

I have used a DeWalt 849 at various speeds with yellow cutting pad & Perfect It II Compound. Didn`t remove any scratches & made swirls, Any suggestions? Also how do you remove grime from vinyl in the interior before applying protectants? :nono

[Nickc0844]

Hey beginner, welcome on board to DC. First off, while 3M does make some great polishes and compounds, many do not have diminishing abrasives. This type has proven to be one of the more effective ways at removing scratches. I would suggest finding a more aggressive polish that has this into it. However, none of those will have paint in them, so if the scratch is too deep, you might have to go to an alternative means. I see you said "light" scratches and your still not having success with a rotary. Why don`t you type your polishing regimen (like how you go about using the tool) as this might be a technique issue??

When it comes to adding swirls with the rotary, you might already know this, but you`ll have to step down in aggressiveness afterwards. What I mean is going from a compound to a lighter polish and going from a cutting pad to a polishing pad. Depending on color and severity of the scratches, you might have to go from a compound/cutting pad to an intermediate polish/polishing pad to a final polish/polishing pad. By following a regimen like that, you will be sure to remove any swirls/holograms that might have been introduced previously.

As for grime, there are a variety of products you can use. I personally use Meguiar`s heavy vinyl cleaner, and from there use a water-based dressing that has mild cleaners and SPF 65 into it there after, even for maintenance. I typically don`t have to go back to the heavy cleaner afterwards. Another cleaning choice would be to use diluted simple green and a damp towel, then dress afterwards.

Best of luck you to, and welcome to DC!