Just bought a 2008 Ford Escape. I want to keep the nice finish; What kind of cloth cleaner should I use?

Turtle wax ICE liquid polish is amazing for keeping your car shining like new. It is not a wax so it will not cover small blemishes and scratches but because it is not a wax, it also does not streak and is the easiest polish to wipe clean.

It goes on easy and comes off easy and stays shiney for a long time. I use it on my black car and its the only thing I found that is that easy to use. To remove everyday dust, use a soft microfiber towel or a California Duster.

Use a super soft polishing cloth for dusting off, or you can try one of the Swiffer dusters.

And when you wash it, dry it off with a damp REAL chamois.

If you decide to wax or polish, use McGuire’s NXT or
Nu-Finish Auto Polish…both are excellent.

Also, ALWAYS use a touchless car wash…any other will put scratches and swirl marks on the finish.

There are several thing out now that you might try - carnuba wax is great for modern clear coats - apply with any soft towel and rub it on in straight lines down the length of the car - people that wax the car in circular motions rub small scrathes into the paint - you really notice it on dark colors like black - you get a spiderweb effect in the reflection - this is caused by rubbing the paint in circles

also washing the car in direct sunlight is bad for the paint - the water droplets act light magnifying glasses on the paint and the sun can burn or etch marks into the paint - also dont let the water dry on the paint - a chamois is good for that

if the car is dusty, instead of washing, use a a car duster to clean the car off - its much better for the car than washing

also several companies offer a dry wash - you dust the car off, then mist the product on and wipe it off - this is ideal for any light cleaning as washing the car is pretty hard on the paint