I would want to stay with counter depth.
By the way, if you use an automotive cleaner wax on your stainless steel, it will make them more fingerprint resistant. Something like this: Meguiar’s A1216 Cleaner Wax, 16 Fluid Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002NYE5M/
Fingerprint resistant / easy clean stainless has a lacquer coating that looks terrible if it gets damaged from scratches, impacts, improper cleaning. I prefer bare stainless when available. You can make any stainless fingerprint resistant by applying car wax to it a couple times a year, afterwards you can keep it clean with a quick wipe with a dry microfiber cloth.
To each their own, I just thought you should know there are pros and cons to fingerprint resistant stainless.
It takes about 1 minutes to apply the wax, you wait 10 minutes for it to haze, then you wipe it off with a dry microfiber cloth, which takes another 2 minutes. Here’s what I use:
Meguiar’s A1216 Cleaner Wax, 16 Fluid Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002NYE5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_HRjcGbPSD9WKF
I'm lazy. I use Meguiars Cleaner Wax to pimp out all my bikes before selling them. It takes 5 minutes to apply and wipe off. It's absolutely amazing on paint with the condition you described.
Of course, dickbob's recommendation is great too. So if you got the time, polish it first. But you'll still need to wax it afterwords for best results.
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Cleaner-Wax-Liquid-Protects/dp/B0002NYE5M
I highly recommend Meguiars Cleaner Wax. This stuff will take off most stains and surface marks that don't come off with a normal wash. It'll also fill in light scratches and mitigate slightly deeper scratches and scuffs. Paint surface looks completely different after just 5 minutes of work.
I had something similar on my telluride, but was not anywhere near as severe as yours. Are used the below product to remove my spots which did look like rust and did not come off with any other cleaner that I tried. When I used the below product they came right off and left no marks.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002NYE5M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I've done a lot of "light restoration" on vintage bikes, and highly recommend Meguires Cleaner Wax. It's just aggressive enough for cutting through the oxidation, but not so aggressive that are going to thin out the paint or clear coat.
Use some sort of detergent, degreaser, or all purpose cleaner, I like 409.
Follow up with an automotive cleaner wax . Just put a bit of the wax on a towel, wipe it onto all of the cabinet knobs, then go back around and wipe the wax off the knobs.
It will make them spotless and extra shiny. Best of all, they’ll stay clean much longer and usually will only require a quick wipe with a dry towel to shine them up again.
I use it on cabinet/drawer pulls, doorknobs, faucets, etc.
Clay bars remove contaminants, light surface contamination that's stuck to the paint.
Cleaner Polishes used either by hand or by machine also remove surface contamination, oxidization, light scratches etc. But they don't provide protection
Cleaner Wax is carnauba wax that provides protection and also contains a light cleaner polish that removes contaminants. It's a gentler solution to clean light contamination when a clay bar might be a more aggressive step.
Waxes with pure polish, like Meguiar's Gold Class, are carnauba waxes that contain pure polishing oils. They don't provide any cleaning steps, but contain polishing oils that provide deep shine.
Pure polish is a pure polishing oils that make a car have a deep shine and oily finish.
To take them to the next level, apply a small amount of automotive cleaner wax let it dry to a haze and buff to remove with a dry cloth.
Look at it 10 feet away and it magically disappears.
Kidding aside, I would get a good paint cleaning wax like this and see if you can rub it out with a clean slightly damp cloth: https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Cleaner-Wax-Liquid-Protects/dp/B0002NYE5M/ref=sr_1_27?dchild=1&keywords=paint+clean+paste+car&qid=1597252535&sr=8-27
If it works, to be sure, you can get a little clear coat touch up pen like this to apply a little protection to the area: https://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Toyota-00258-0000C-21-Clear-Touch-Up/dp/B009VJXG5W/ref=sr_1_3?crid=TTXYQB8GCJ6N&dchild=1&keywords=clear+coat+touch+up+pen&qid=1597252710&sprefix=clear+coat+%2Caps%2C226&sr=8-3
Ok so the cleaner wax is the safest, I don't think it's possible to harm paint with it. It's a very very mild abrasive. I'd just walk into nearby car parts store (or even a big grocery) and get whatever cleaner wax they have. Might be cheaper than online.
This being said,
https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Cleaner-Wax-Liquid-Protects/dp/B0002NYE5M/
https://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Wax-Polishing-Compound-Scratch/dp/B0009JKGJ2/ <- this one is practically a must have.
It's a type of detailing product, it will say "cleaner wax" on it. For example https://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Cleaner-Wax-Liquid-Protects/dp/B0002NYE5M/ (sold in every Walmart, auto parts store and grocery store I've been in).
After you clean the spots off, apply automotive wax to protect the metal and keep the blemishes from returning.
Meguiar’s A1216 Cleaner Wax, 16 Fluid Ounces https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002NYE5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_IX78FbT7VSKV6
Yeah, I think it would work pretty well. Glass shows everything though and there’s something even better you can do for glass. Apply water and dish soap and scrape it clean. For smooth glass use a glass scraper razor blade, for textured glass use “0000 steel wool”. You use the the soapy water as lubrication for the razor or steel wool. After you’ve scraped the whole glass door, wipe it dry and then follow up with an ammonia based glass cleaner like Windex. Buff with a dry clean microfiber cloth to get a streak free shine.
This video shows the basic concept https://youtu.be/Ucbc35qXV1g
Once it’s clean, consider applying an automotive cleaner wax to keep it looking good and easy to clean for a while. You apply the wax with an applicator or clean towel, allow it to dry slightly for 5 minutes, then buff off with a clean microfiber towel.
You can keep it clean by using a squeegee after you shower here’s one that I like: OXO Good Grips All-Purpose Squeegee https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000CCDBRK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_fabc_pOgVFbVN2HPYK
Just use water and the squeegee to keep it clean. Once a month you can use a glass cleaner like Windex and then reapply the cleaner wax.
The wax is also great on all the metal trim around the shower, the faucet, shower head. Just don’t wax the floor or you’ll slip!
I noticed that my GTI's paint had some hazy spots on the rear bumper that are not dirt, and do look like they fade when wet (so not deep scratches). There's also some small hazy scratches where it meets the quarter panel. Looking through the Wiki, these are what I would consider some light scuffs. I have some Meguiar's Cleaner Wax on hand, but I've never used in fear of doing something wrong to my paint. This is my first time venturing into detailing / fixing paint.
As far as some background on the car, I've owned it from almost exactly 1 year ago brand new. I did have to take it to the shop to have it repainted on the left side of the bumper because someone hit it while parking, but I don't think they went as far as to the right side (where these spots are now). I also don't remember noticing anything bad after that first trip to the shop, thinking this is more recent.
I'm looking for some advice on what to do here, as I'm afraid of taking a step in the wrong direction to fix this and the Wiki wasn't 100% clear to me.
Thanks!