No, you don't want to be polishing...

To start off, we better clear up one simple point: Cleansing the paint is not the same as polishing the paint! Cleansers should be exactly that; purpose specific cleaning agents that remove blemishes and mild oxidisation with a combination of chemistry and a minor bit of elbow grease.

The best polishes on the market are to be used by a machine (random orbital or orbital) and can give a flawless finish when applied by a professional detailer (another article we will cover in the future). Polishes that are applied by hand, on the shelves of most auto accessory stores, are generally a one step cleaner/protectant that relies on abrasives to get the cleaning side of the job done and then uses a filler ingredient to temporarily mask the swirl marks they create. This is NOT the type of stuff we ever want used on our personal cars, let alone anyone else's.