These products all have chemical cleaners and in some cases abrasives in them; so I have chosen the mildest product in each product line that is meant to be applied by hand. Most of these manufactures make several grades of cleaners and polishes; all the up to “rubbing compounds”. Several are formulated to be applied by a machine, those are not on this list. If your choice does not work then you can get a stronger product. But I would not start with a strong product
After you polish but before you wax use a glaze for best results. My list of Car Paint glazes is here, Best Paint Car Glazes.
Why it's best: Adams Polishes has formulated this polish especially for hand use prior to waxing. It is designed to chemically deep clean the paint. It claims no “harsh abrasives’ but it does say that it has “ultra fine polishes” in it. It is supposed to feed the paint and ready it to receive the protective coat. Adams Polishes are very well respected and they have an excellent reputation for customer support. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: Einszett is a German firm founded in 1936. In 2001 Einszett North America introduced them to the USA. These products should work on all cars including the new “nano technology” German “scratch resistant” paints. This is a straight forward polish meant to be applied to a cool paint surface over one small area at a time. It chemically deep cleans and micro polishes. It also contains paint conditioners. They claim five complete jobs from one can. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: This product from P21S Car Care is one of the mildest polishes. This is a creamy white cleanser. The consensus is that it does not remove scratches but it does a superb job of cleaning and leaving a deep rich gloss that is ready for waxing or sealant. It is praised for how easy it is to use. It comes in a 12 ounce bottle. It is reputed to work well with German paints; P21S is a German firm. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: Mothers has formulated this to clean and to polish with ultra fine abrasives. They say the abrasives are so fine that this product can be used on clear coat cars and on dark colors. So if you have a car with some spots, blemishes etc., this is the product to try first. It has the additional plus of being inexpensive so if you have to go to a more aggressive polish you have not invested too much. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
Why it's a best pick: “Not recommended for dark-colored clearcoat finishes.” That warning from the Collinite website should tell you something. This is a relatively aggressive polish. Some sites say not to use it on clearcoats at all. So this is for older cars with vintage lacquer or enamel finishes. Often called one coat finishes because they have no clearcoat on top. See more reviews, photos, prices, and specs
