Compound vs Polish – What’s the Difference?
How to Know Which One Your Paint Actually Needs
One of the most common questions in detailing: what’s the difference between a compound and a polish? While both are used to improve the surface of your paint, they serve very different purposes. Choosing the wrong one—or using both when you don’t need to—can waste time and even damage your clear coat.
What Is a Compound?
A compound is a more aggressive abrasive product used to remove deep defects like scratches, oxidation, and sanding marks. It cuts away more of the clear coat to level the surface, which makes it ideal for severe imperfections.
However, compounding often leaves behind haze or micro-marring—so it’s usually followed up with a polish for better clarity and shine.
What Is a Polish?
A polish is a finer abrasive that refines the surface, boosts gloss, and removes light defects like swirls or haze. It’s less aggressive than a compound and is often used for final finishing—or as a one-step solution on moderately damaged paint.
High-quality one-step polishes like Picture Perfect Polish can cut and finish in a single pass, saving time and effort.
When Should You Use a Compound?
- If the paint has deep scratches or heavy oxidation
- After wet sanding or leveling orange peel
- When polishing alone isn’t removing defects
Pro Tip: Always try polishing first. Only move up to compounding if the results aren’t cutting it.
When Should You Use a Polish?
- If the paint has light swirls or haze
- You’re looking to enhance gloss
- You’re finishing after a compound step
- You want a simple one-step correction
For daily drivers or mildly swirled paint, a polish is usually all you need.
Should You Ever Use Both?
Sometimes—especially on neglected or repainted vehicles. But for most cars, especially newer ones, a one-step polish like Picture Perfect Polish paired with a foam pad can achieve excellent results in a single pass.
