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How To Revive Your Truck's Faded Paint

By Dale Wickell, About.com

Has the paint on your truck lost its shine? Is it dull and faded? Here's a procedure that might help revive its original color.
Difficulty: Average
Time Required: Varies

Here's How:

  1. Wash the truck thoroughly with a cleaning product made especially for washing vehicles.

  2. Use a damp, soft, sponge applicator to apply white polishing compound to painted surfaces. Apply using light to moderate pressure, working in a circular motion and overlapping passes of the cloth.

  3. When polish dries to a haze, use a clean, dry, soft cloth to remove it. Remove the haze using in the same type of circular, overlapping motion you used to apply the polish.

  4. Inspect the truck's surface for missed spots or painted areas that are still dull. Apply compound to those areas again and remove when dry.

  5. When you're satisfied the polish has done its job, use a damp sponge applicator to apply a good quality wax. Apply using moderate pressure and a circular motion as you did the compound.

  6. After wax dries to a haze use an overlapping circular motion to remove it. Be sure to use a clean, dry, soft cloth for wax removal.

Tips:

  1. Don't wash your truck with dishwashing soap or laundry detergent.

  2. Faded paint can be revived with a buffer or polisher, but because paint can be damaged easily those tools should only be used if you have prior experience with them.

  3. All the wax, polish, and polishing compound in the world cannot repair body rust.

  4. Rubbing compound is not a good choice for simple paint rejuvination. It is much more abrasive than polishing compound and will damage your truck's paint if not used properly.

What You Need:

  • Car Wash Soap
  • Polishing Compound
  • Soft Sponge Applicator
  • Soft Dry Wiping Cloth
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