There is nothing like having a freshly cleaned, shiny, detailed car. Not only the exterior but the interior as well. It speaks about what type of person you are. And also, gives you an emotional boost, just like walking into a well-organized clean house.
But detailing is not an easy job. You have to figure out what type of product is best suited for your car, what kind of equipment you are going to use, and the pads to work with. Talking about pads, you might wonder sometime about how many pads do you need to detail a car.
Well, you might need one or two for polishing, waxing, cleaning and also shining the glass. Depending on your car and detailing, the number can go up to 4. But they are all different and we need to talk about them in detail.
How Many Polishing Pads Do I Need for a Car?
There are a lot of types of polishing pads out there. But you will need it for 4 main purposes.
- Body Polishing Pads.
- Sealing and Waxing Pads.
- Interior Detailing and Cleaning Pads.
- Glass Cleaning Pads.
Depending on the type of car you are using, its size, and how much work it needs to be done, you will need different pads in different quantities. Let’s get into the details and numbers right away.
1. Number of Body Polishing Pads
Let’s assume you have a general vehicle and not a huge one. You will need two to three body polishing or buffering pads. As they wear off and accumulate polishing agents quickly, it’s best to be on the safe side and go for more pads than you will need.
2. Number of Sealing and Waxing Pads
After you have polished, cleaned, and done with everything, you need to seal your vehicle. It can be a sealant of your choice and also wax. A foam or microfiber-made pad is used in this process. You will roughly need two pads. Which is more than enough.
3. Glass Cleaning Pads
We cannot forget the glass, can we? Glass cleaning pads are mainly made of microfiber and specially made for glass cleaning. So pay attention when you buy them. You will need 2 of them too like the buffering pads. This can go up if your vehicle is bigger.
4. Interior Detailing and Cleaning Pads
Interior cleaning and detailing depend on a lot of things. What type of material you are cleaning, leather, faux or fiber, plastic or rubber, all require different pads. Even the dashboard needs different pads. So you will need more than 3 and more than one types depending on the interior of your car. Make sure you get the right ones as there are for cleaning, rubbing, and other material-friendly pads. But microfiber and foam are the most common ones with different densities and textures.
So you will need at least 20 pads of different kinds and textures for each part of your car. As detailing is time-consuming work and requires a lot of patience, don’t get frustrated and invest a day in your favorite car. It’s worth it!
FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Can I polish a car with one pad?
No. One pad will not only clog up with polishing material but might also end up making your car all scratched up. So it is wise to go with 4-6 pads. Some car enthusiasts use 4 pads per section of the car, so you can imagine how intricate it is.
What pads are needed to polish car?
You will need buffing pads to polish your car.
How many times can I use a buffing pad?
Depending on your frequent use, a buffer pad can go from a few months up to a few years. If you polish your car every week, the pads will go up to a few months. And if you polish your car every other month, then the pads will last for years.
What RPM should I buff a car?
While buffing, you should always stay between 1750-2400 RPM with compounding. And for finishing up, you should stay between 1200-1750 RPM.
Conclusion
Car detailing is not a type of work, it’s a passionate art. There are professionals who have years of experience in it. As it not only depends on the pads but also on how you treat the machines on different surfaces. Which gives the car its elegant look. So you can always ask a professional to show you how it is done, which will not only ease the work but also save you a lot of time and cost. Happy detailing!