When caring for the exterior of your car, it is important to make sure that you remember the small details as this can make or break the overall effect. Of course, you have to remember that many of the small details actually use various materials, which can make it expensive to keep up.Best Chrome Polishes of 2020
| Product | Protect | Clean rust | Can apply for | Type | Size | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simichrome All Metal Polish Tube (Editor's Choice) |  | + | + | Chrome, aluminum surface | Paste | 1.76 Oz | Check Price |
| Quickway Brands Quick Glo Chrome Cleaner |  | + | + | Chrome surface | Liquid | 8 Oz | Check Price |
| Eagle One Original Nevr-Dull Wadding Polish |  | + | Any metal surface | Wadding | 5 Oz | Check Price | |
| Mothers California Gold All Chrome Quick Polish & Cleaner |  | + | Wheels, trim and accessories | Spray | 12 Oz | Check Price | |
| Turtle Wax Chrome Polish & Rust Remover |  | + | + | Chrome bumpers, wheels and accessories | Liquid | 12 Oz | Check Price |
1. Simichrome All Metal Polish Tube – Best Polish Paste For Wheels & Rims
Simichrome has a similar background to many of the other companies on our list, which is not to suggest that it is a bad thing. In fact, the automotive aftercare market has arguably some of the more stable foundations with none of the companies less than 40 years old. While Simichrome may not be the most experienced brand, it is well-known as one of the more effective, though that may be somewhat easier due to the fact that this is the only product the company makes. Still, that does provide Simichrome the ability to ensure that their product can outcome all competitors, which is something we tend to believe they succeeded in making it our Editor’s Choice as well as the best chrome polish paste.
Efficacy
If you opt for the Simichrome, you do so almost certainly because you need the strongest formula on our list and do not care what other qualities or aspects the experience may involve. If this describes you, then the Simichrome will provide just that: a superior shine which few products, even those that contain carnauba wax in them, can surpass, a stronger layer of protection than most, and deeper acting restorative effects. In fact, the only task for which the Simichrome is not necessarily the best is for cleaning, though in truth, it is equally effective at this task as well. However, due to the inconveniences of using this chrome polish, it may not necessarily feel like that at the time.
Type
A big part of what allows the Simichrome formula to be so effective is also what makes it somewhat less convenient to use than other chrome polishes. Specifically, the paste form that this chrome polish takes means that you will not be able to apply it to a large area as quickly nor will the effects take action as quickly. Instead, you will need to use this chrome polish in smaller chunks, giving each section plenty of time for the polish to work into the surface imperfections of the piece. It is worth noting that Simichrome is not one of the many potent chrome polishes which are advised to be used with a power buffer, though plenty of skilled detailers describe doing just that. Still, it is best not to attempt this without a well-developed skill set ahead of time as the mild abrasive of Simichrome can potentially ruin some chrome finishes if not applied properly.
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2. Quickway Brands Quick Glo – Best Multipurpose Product For Motorcycles And Cars
Quick-Glo is definitely an interesting brand on our list, primarily because it originated as a bit of a pet project that was later sold to the current owner. That said, the company is still focused solely on their individual product, which ensures that they can provide the best chrome polish that they can, though it should be noted that Quick-Glo is not strictly a chrome polish or even a metal polish. Instead, Quick Glo can be used on by far the widest variety of materials and for far more purposes than easily any other product on our list and arguably more than most cleaning supplies in general. This extreme versatility makes it a no-brainer for our best multipurpose chrome polish, and as you will see, leaves no real flaws.
Extra Details
Let us just say that the effectiveness of Quick Glo is on or above par in virtually all the most relevant tasks, because this chrome polish has some additional qualities which are uncommon and may appeal to particular consumers. For instance, this is one of the few truly eco-friendly chrome polishes on our list that even casually disposed of, it does not pose an environmental risk. On top of that, Quick Glo is also non-toxic, which is not to say that you can just chow down on it, but small exposure will not carry the risk it can with other types of chrome and metal polishes. Finally, Quick Glo is made and sold out of the USA, if purchasing nationally is important to you.
Experience
More than anything else, Quick Glo offers a great experience where you never feel as though it is not performing as expected. For instance, it comes in a cream or paste form, and like some of the other high-performing polishes on our list, the Quick Glo cleans, polishes, and shines exceptionally well, though the shine is noted as not being the best. Still, the protective layer that Quick Glo provides might be the best that we saw, and the fact that this can be used on most non-porous materials including glass, porcelain, and more makes it even better. The only real downside is the price, which is significantly higher than most of their competition, though they arguably earn it. One note: make sure not to leave Quick Glo in hot temperatures as the formula can then separate.
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3. Eagle One Original Nevr-Dull – Best Wadding Polish For Rims
Eagle One has arguably the most prestigious backstory on our list, though it is far from the most storied company at only 40 years old. That said, Eagle One is actually a specialty brand for the niche market of exterior automotive maintenance owned by the world-renowned Valvoline, a company with a history that stretches back well over a century. With its own focus, though it should be noted that Eagle One does not specialize in metal polishes, this company offers a number of excellent products that provide high-end results for a wide variety of materials. In this instance, the Eagle One Nevr-Dull is easily the best chrome polish wadding that we came across.
Type
While it may be less common now, wadding metal polish was once one of the more popular types due to its combination of effectiveness and convenience. These days it is generally reserved for particular fields or tasks, but the same qualities which once made it so popular have not gone anywhere. The Eagle One Nevr-Dull is incredibly easy to use being composed of pre-soaked fibers that you simply tear off of a roll. This makes using the product easy, but it also goes a long way to prevent any messes and make sure that messes are simple cleanup. It should be observed that chrome polish wadding is far more prone to drying out early than the other types.
Purpose
While the Eagle One Nevr-Dull is a solid chrome polish, it is important to understand its limitations, so you do not go in with unrealistic expectations. All chrome polish wadding uses one type of formula or another, which provides excellent cleaning and a solid shine but can be less than great when it comes to the restorative task. Because the formulas need to be thin enough to be absorbed by the fibers, it generally cannot be thick enough to fill in deeper microdamage. On the other hand, the convenience combined with the effectiveness of the other tasks makes this the perfect touch up chrome polish.
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4. Mothers California Gold All Chrome Quick Polish & Cleaner – Best For Motorcycle Exhaust
Mothers is one of the few companies that we saw where you can pick up virtually any product that they make and rest assured that it will perform at or above the professional-grade industry standards. While the company may no longer specialize in metal polishes, the brand did get its start with this product line, and it continues to be a primary focus to this very day. In fact, this company so consistently produces excellent products that even their liquid spray managed to make it onto our list. Even better, it is arguably as good if not better than many of its competitors who use a thicker base.
Application
Despite the fact that the Mothers Calif. Gold provides a solid performance, there is no getting around the fact that there are more potent or powerful chrome polishes on the market, not to mention our list. In fact, Mothers makes numerous types of polish, which will provide a more effective finish than this one. If you opt for the Mothers Calif. Gold over a more substantial type of chrome polish, it is for one reason only: convenience. There is no getting around the fact that a liquid chrome polish will not be able to provide the same level of quality that pastes and creams can in the abstract. Of course, not everyone wants to spend a couple hours buffing their chrome and may be willing to sacrifice a bit of performance for some convenience.
Performance
It should be noted that just because of the Mothers Calif. Gold may not be able to accomplish all of the things some of the other polishes in our list can does not mean that it performs poorly in general. In fact, when it comes to several qualities, the Mothers Calif. Gold provides some of the best results. For instance, this chrome polish leaves arguably the most lustrous shine and provides some of the easiest and best cleaning, regardless of the setting. In this case, we mean that the Mothers Calif. Gold will both clean the metal exceptionally well and is easy to clean itself. One word of caution: this is one of the few products on our list, which should not be used for any other material, not even other metals.
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5. Turtle Wax Chrome Polish & Rust Remover – Best For Your Harley Motorcycle
Though you would not know it today, Turtle Wax originated as a homemade formula “manufactured” in a bathtub over 80 years ago. Of course, these days Turtle Wax is known as one of the more recognizable and largest producers of various automotive fluids with a particular focus on exterior care. While this does mean that Turtle Wax does not specialize in metal polishes, it does at least focus on all automotive exterior care, which includes metals. Still, this is not necessarily the best performing chrome polish that we reviewed, but the incredibly low price combined with the ample amount provided does make it easily one of the best all-around deals that we found, and it is not as if the product is poorly performing.
Performance
When you look at the overall performance of the Turtle Wax polish, it is not too far from a higher-grade of polish. That said, the one area where the Turtle Wax truly shines is, ironically, in cleaning. While this polish will be able to provide an excellent shine, it will require far more work to accomplish this than one would generally expect with a liquid chrome polish. As such, one of the biggest advantages that a liquid chrome polish ostensibly provides is absent with this particular product. It should be noted that as a non-abrasive chrome polish, you can at least use powered buffers without concern.
Limitations
Still, when it comes to all the chrome polishes that we reviewed, we would definitely consider the Turtle Wax to be somewhat more limited than others. For instance, the Turtle Wax polish will not only be unable to restore micro damage to the metal, which is fairly standard for liquid chrome polishes, but it will have difficulty with more than light rust as well. Once the rust has dipped below the surface, the Turtle Wax polish will not provide much assistance. On top of that, while the Turtle Wax polish does offer a protective coating, it is significantly less effective than most of the others on our list and will certainly require a gradual buildup.
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Buyer’s Guide
Types
While the ultimate determining quality of effect for a chrome polish is the formula and ingredients, there are far too many to list here. Instead, the type of chrome polish can be used to determine the number of base-level expectations. However, it should be understood that different companies tweak their formulas all the time and regularly uncover better ways of accomplishing old tasks. As such, this list should be considered general in application with plenty of room for outliers to buck the trend. That said, if you walk into a store and pick up a random chrome polish, these guidelines are liable to be right more often than not.
Spray
Spray chrome polish can actually come in a couple forms, as far as people will use the term, but it is actually meant to refer to aerosol chrome polish. Of course, many people will consider a liquid chrome polish in a spray bottle, but the actual performance and experience of using the two different spray “subtypes” are very different. When it comes to true spray chrome polish, the effectiveness is generally the lowest of the different types. That said, aerosol spray chrome polish is generally meant to be used either as a touch-up detail or for smaller projects. In fact, many aerosol spray chrome polishes are far more effective when used regularly over an extended period of time to the point where they can eventually provide the same kind of performance as one of the more robust types of chrome polish.
Liquid
In terms of sheer market share, liquid chrome polish is by far the most common and popular type of chrome polish, though this is most likely due to the ease of application than any other quality. In fact, other than aerosol spray chrome polish, liquid is the easiest to apply, and the aforementioned spray bottle can make this type equally as easy to apply as aerosol spray chrome polish. One thing to keep in mind is that liquid chrome polish provides superior performance for particular tasks but less than stellar results for others. For instance, due to the natural properties of liquid, this type is often much better at cleaning while polishing than some of the other types. On the other hand, liquid chrome polish does not generally provide the same level of restorative effects to the metal that many of the thicker and denser chrome polishes do. Liquid chrome polish is also more similar to aerosol chrome polish in terms of protection where the best effects are not achieved until after numerous applications over an extended period of time.
Wadding
This is a somewhat unique type of chrome polish and a somewhat less common type as well, though it has been around for a while. Essentially, wadding chrome polish will feature a container of some type of fibrous material which has then been soaked in a high potency chrome polish. To use this type of chrome polish, you simply tear off a piece of the soaked fiber, often cotton or something similar, and rub it on the metal. This is arguably one of the more convenient arrangements for those who generally have smaller jobs that have particular purposes. Specifically, this is definitely more of an early maintenance type of chrome polish in that the formula is rarely strong enough to tackle some of the more serious problems like deep corrosion or rust. On the other hand, for chrome, which is already is good to mint condition, wadding chrome polish offers one of the best all-around options.
Cream
This is the first type of chrome polish where the base is no longer liquid in some way, though cream polishes can be viscous. Regardless, a cream chrome polish is far more likely to have ingredients in the formula which can provide far more robust or versatile effects. For instance, cream chrome polishes will often contain ingredients which will fill in microdamage and provide a restorative effect for the chrome. Moreover, cream chrome polishes will often include ingredients which can provide a more durable protective layer than liquids or spray polishes do. That said, cream chrome polishes will are also far more likely to contain some type of abrasive, which may not make it suitable for all types of chrome finishes, though the abrasive can provide excellent results for other types of finishes. Cream chrome polish is also the first type, which is commonly used with various powered cleaning tools is professional settings.
Paste
The final type of chrome polish is also generally the most effective but will just as often require far more skill to apply properly. This is because a paste chrome polish is incredibly thick, which allows the polish to provide far more bang for the buck as the density of the formula ensures that just a little bit can go a long way. On the other hand, this type of chrome polish is also far more likely to contain more powerful abrasives which require specialized techniques to get the best results from. A highly abrasive chrome polish applied improperly can ruin the finish to the point of requiring a complete resurface, especially if you attempt to use some type of power tool to assist and speed up the process. Of course, if you simply take your time and use your hand and a rag, you will still be able to get those same results without the risk of doing damage to the finish, but it will take far longer than the other types on this list.
Conclusion
Because there are so many different types of skill sets, tools at hand, and specific needs, there is not a chrome polish which will work best for all situations and people. Due to the fact that most of the products on our list are reasonably priced, the best thing to do is figure out whether you are more interested in results or the experience.
If you are looking for the best results, then we recommend our Editor’s Choice pick, the Simichrome All Metal Polish Tube. While it will either require a significant investment of time or proper technique, there simply is not another chrome polish we saw, which can surpass the Simichrome polish in any of the primary tasks that metal polishes are used for.
Of course, if you are simply looking for a chrome polish that will provide a great finish but will not require the kind of time or effort investment that the best performance requires, then we recommend the Mothers California Gold All Chrome Quick Polish Cleaner. While it is not the strongest chrome polish, it is still plenty effective and is easily the most convenient chrome polish to use.