wet-sanding

Wet-sanding is a technique for smoothing surfaces by using sandpaper or abrasive material with water or another liquid as a lubricant.

The water reduces friction, prevents the sandpaper from clogging with dust, and creates a finer finish than dry sanding alone.

It's commonly used in auto body work to prepare surfaces for paint or to buff out imperfections, and in woodworking for achieving ultra-smooth results.

After wet-sanding the clear coat, the scratches were nearly invisible.