Hazing

A hazy effect on your paintwork can be caused by chemical burns from strong detergents, but is more likely the result of oxidation. In severe cases, this will make the paintwork flat or matte.

In years past, the effects of oxidation were far more obvious as it would break down the binders in the paint, causing it to look matte and powdery. You may well have seen old post office vans where the paintwork has turned pink, and you might even see what look like white patches of dust. This was why T-Cut was such a popular product, as it would cut away all this dead paint.

On modern cars the effect is far less obvious and may only be a very slight hazing to the surface of the paint. It really is just the very uppermost layer of the clear coat which is effected so is very easy to remove with a light polish, it can even be done by hand.

What it means

Hazing is the cloudy, slightly milky look you sometimes see in paint after it has been polished or compounded. Instead of a crisp, clear reflection, the surface looks soft and smeary, as if there is a light fog over it. This is usually caused by very fine scratches and micro-marring in the clearcoat, often left behind by an aggressive pad and compound, dirty pads, or simply stopping at too coarse a stage and not finishing the paint properly.

Why it matters

• Stops the paint looking truly glossy: Even if most of the deeper defects have gone, hazing robs the finish of sharpness and depth, so it never quite looks “right”.
• Gives away poor polishing: Haze and micro-marring are classic signs that heavy cutting has not been followed by proper refinement with finer pads and polishes.
• Can hide in normal light: Hazing often only shows under strong sun, petrol station lights or inspection lamps, so a car can look fine in the shade but disappoint in better lighting.
• Matters before coatings: Ceramic coatings and sealants lock in whatever is underneath - if there is haze in the clearcoat, the coating will simply seal over a cloudy finish.

Where you’ll see it

You will see hazing mentioned on detailing and paint correction estimates, inspection reports and training material. Technicians may talk about compound haze, DA haze, rotary haze or micro-marring when describing the dullness left after the cutting stage. It is most obvious on dark colours, especially black and deep blue, where any loss of clarity stands out.

Context

Hazing sits in the same family as swirl marks and holograms, but is more about general cloudiness than distinct swirl patterns. It often appears after heavy machine compounding, dry polishing, using very aggressive pads or allowing pads to clog up with used compound and removed paint. The usual cure is an additional refinement stage using a softer pad and finer finishing polish, sometimes preceded by a lighter re-cut if the original compounding marks are too deep.

Common mistakes

• Stopping after a heavy cutting stage and assuming the job is done, leaving compound haze across the whole car.
• Using very aggressive pads and compounds on soft paint without planning enough refinement stages to clear the haze they create.
• Working with dirty or clogged pads that scour the surface and add fresh micro-marring while trying to remove older defects.
• Applying wax, sealant or ceramic coating straight over hazy paint, then blaming the protection product for the lack of clarity instead of the underlying finish.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 19/11/2025 15:28