Product residue or “smearing” is a pretty sore topic for just about anyone who owns or details a black car.

Smearing is when a product spreads rather than removes during the buffing process. The end result is visible oily residue that in the right lighting will resemble holograms.

This problem is not limited to the weekend detailers either. Ask any professional detailer and they will tell you at some stage or another this has been an issue.

A few points to note are:

1. Black paint is not the “cause” of smearing. It is just more susceptible to the problem than other colours (lighter colours will still smear, you just can’t see it!).
2. The product is not the “cause” of smearing. Some products are just more susceptible to the problem than others.
3. The cause of smearing is the application of the product with these other factors contributing to the problem.
4. When a manufacturer says apply thinly or less is best, they REALLY do mean it for a reason.
5. When a manufacturer says don’t apply in the sun or to extremely hot or cold panels they REALLY do mean it for a reason.
6. The correct removal of the product will prevent smearing.

So here is the process I took to remove the smearing from my vehicle.

1. 50/50 Isopropyl Alcohol and water.

That’s it! Just mix it up, mist it on and remove it with a microfibre towel.

I bought mine from Bunnings for $10

It is worth mentioning this will not only remove the residue that has smeared, it will also remove any wax (synthetic or natural!) from the surface.

Now you have a blank canvas to work from again and the next step is to reapply your paint protection without the smearing.

For this demonstration I chose a product that has caused me issues in the past. Polishes and compounds are a good one, but this is easily fixed by using the above method of 50/50 Isopropyl and water. The real test is an LSP. Every carnauba wax I have ever used on my vehicle has given me grief. So that’s what I will use.

The first thing I decided is that I would use a foam applicator. Although the die hard fans of Victoria Wax will tell you to apply it by hand, I decided that the hand application has contributed to my problem in the past. See point 4 - Less is best.

Even with the applicator I could tell at times I had too much on there. In the end I discovered I only needed the slightest amount and I could literally do 2-3 complete panels. When it started to run a bit dry I would do one light swipe of the wax and I’d be good to go again for another couple of panels. After 3 coats I barely took the top of the tub of wax.

It was easy to tell when I had applied it too thick. When I wiped these areas you could see the wax spread rather than buff off. This is because the wax had not set correctly. And that is part of the reason why manufacturers tell you to apply it within a set temperature range. Because it will allow the wax to dry within the times they specify on the instructions! Too cold, it won’t dry at all, too hot and it will harden like concrete before you buff it off.

Another point I should make is to have heaps of microfibre on hand. I could feel my towels getting saturated in wax after removal. How can I expect to remove it completely when I’m using a towel that is covered in the stuff?

So what I did was first of all change towels when I felt there was a wax build up, and secondly I employed my super plush microfibre towel for a final buff. Basically I would remove the wax with my regular towel, and then with my clean super plush towel I would follow it with a firm wipe to remove anything that might have been left behind. I chose the super plush cause it’s very thick and soft so firm movements are unlikely to cause marring.

At the end of the day, it’s a matter of firstly applying your products correctly. Less is best (and your detailing products will even last longer!) and take the time to remove the excess residue correctly.

The end result is a smear free, freshly waxed vehicle.

Tags: Problem Resolution //