I bought a set of polishing and buffing pads on Amazon (waffle round type) and it didn't come with instructions on what the colors stand for. Black, blue, yellow and orange. I found a chart online but it's for different pads. Do the colors usually mean the same for all pads or can they mean something different between companies that make them?

 

They generally do follow the same levels of polishing and cutting between different companies unless it's some weird chinese brand. Then they could mean different things. If you're unsure of the power of the pads, just do a small hidden section of your car first before moving on to the rest of it.

 

I would say to feel them carefully. The pad that feels hardest is probably the roughest. Maybe even rub them on your lips to tell the difference, because lips are more sensitive than fingers