Apply Flitz with a rag (only about one square foot at a time). Buff off with an old towel that has a thick pile (paper towels would just get torn up). BETTER YET, do your initial buff with an old piece of carpeting that has a good nap. You can staple it to a piece of 2x4 to make it easy to grip. This will allow you to polish deep into the grooves of diamond plate. Then follow with a buff with an old towel. Best Solution - use Flitz Polishing and Buffing Ball. It is an excellent choice for polishing diamond plate metals. It can be very difficult to get into all the nooks and crannies, and the that's where the Polishing Ball really "Shines!"