Using a clean, damp, natural or synthetic chamois, start at the top of the car and work down, drawing the chamois across the surface in a straight line. Threats to Your Clearcoat Environmental damage is a clear and present danger to your car s clearcoat. The most common problem is carbon from car exhaust, which can easily build up on your clearcoat. By itself, exhaust carbon is fairly harmless. Mix it with water, though, and you have an acid bath.
Acid fog is very common in Coastal California, as is acid snow in the Northeast United States.
Every form of precipitation, including the morning dew, carries a potential threat of acid damage to your clearcoat. The problem is extreme in highly populated or industrial cities. You can cause more damage to your clearcoat than any environmental hazard if you use the wrong detailing products. The clearcoat will not tolerate abrasives. Anything abrasive used on the clearcoat will scuff the surface.