The Top Microfiber Pads to Use When Polishing Your Car

In this article you will learn:

Why microfiber makes such an excellent choice for polishing pads

Benefits of pads for polishing cars

The best microfiber pads for restoring your vehicle's paintwork

Simple tips and tricks for buffing and polishing your car

We usually think of microfiber as a plush, soft material that’s perfect for washing and applying wax to our vehicles. But, to most car owners’ surprise, microfiber is also tough, durable and perfect for polishing, too.

Many pro detailers prefer microfiber over wool or foam pads, since they tackle the job so much faster while producing a smoother, glassier finish. Countless tiny, individual fibers carry and deliver more car polish to your vehicle’s clear coat, allowing these pads to correct scratches and swirls with ease, precision and efficiency. With all these incredible advantages, it’s no surprise that microfiber cutting pads are outshining the competition.

Naturally, even top-notch polishing pads can only perform at their best when they’re crafted from the finest-quality materials and specially designed to give you the best results. That’s why, whether you’re a DIY novice or a pro detailer, our top pick for the microfiber pad that should be in your arsenal is the Hybrid Solutions 50/50 Microfiber Pad.

It’s the best microfiber cutting pad available, and, because of its incredible design, it’s the only pad you need to buff and polish your car.

Why is this particular pad the best, you ask? Here are some of the features that have put the 50/50 Pad on the map:

It’s a multi-tasker

This polishing pad is unique in that you can use it to buff, polish and finish out your paintwork, so you won't need loads of other pads to get the job done.

Most wool or foam pads are designed to operate at just one cutting strength. Heavy-duty pads, for example, work best with more aggressive compounds to remove deep scratches, while a light duty pad is best paired with a gentler, fine-grit polish to smooth away lighter scratches and paint imperfections. For this reason, many professional detailers have a complete set of cutting pads, so they can switch between pads to quickly repair scratches, swirls, paint transfer and oxidation of varying severities.

To simplify your choices, our Hybrid Solutions 50/50 Pad takes on the role of both heavy and light duty pads, all on its own! This is because the 50/50 pad is made with two different types kinds of microfiber: short, rigid fibers that perform a heavier cut to repair light-to-moderate scratches, and longer, soft fibers to finish out the clear coat and create a smooth, cloud-reflecting shine. So, once you’ve removed those deep scratches and swirls from the clear coat, this microfiber finishing pad will also buff out any micro abrasions left behind by the stiffer, low-pile fibers and polish your paint to perfection.

It simplifies your paint correction

If you’re looking for tools that will make your paint correction easier, this is the pad for you. Rather than switching between multiple pads and compounds to buff scratches, swirls and finish out your paintwork, just pair a few of our 50/50 Pads with our Hybrid Solutions PRO 1 & Done Polishing Compound to cut your detail routine down to size!

1 & Done is very flexible, in a similar way to our 50/50 Microfiber Pad, which means you can use it to perform any intensity of paint correction when it’s paired with the corresponding cutting pad. When used together, this dynamic duo erases light-to-moderate scratches, fine lines and swirls simultaneously!

The 50/50 pad doesn’t just simplify your paint correction; it simplifies your tool kit by replacing 3-4 different pads and an armful of polishing compounds with just one of each. Now, if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, we don’t know what will.

It’s machine compatible

The icing on the cake; our 50/50 Microfiber Pad is machine compatible. That's what that little hole in the center is for—it reduces friction and give you better control over your machine polisher to create the smoothest possible finish.

Using a machine polisher makes your polishing job faster, more convenient and gives you better results. That’s a win-win-win scenario.

We recommend pairing the 50/50 pad with a dual action polisher. Bear in mind that microfiber pads cut more aggressively than foam pads, so avoid hovering over the same area for too long. A good rule of thumb: polish 2-3 square centimeters per second. You can always return to a section if it needs more paint correction.

Additionally, avoid pressing down on your polisher. It won’t speed up your paint correction; instead, it can actually damage the clear coat. Let the weight of the polisher work for you to create that smooth, flawless showroom finish!

Whether you need a cutting pad or polish, Turtle Wax has the top detailing products to help you get the job done!