It involves your comfort with a dual action polisher and cutting compound. The clear coat act as a sacrificial layer and you remove some of in order to go from left to right in the photo. After cutting you then would polish and ceramic coat or a layer of self healing PPF with coating over it.
In the right light can see the swirls. Many vehicles even the most expensive come from the factory with buffer burns, swirls, and imperfections. That’s why if you chose a coating there must be paint correction work done first, if not you are being ripped off.
Wow you blew the paint off that car! Lol
I would use a white tip in the pressure washer. You are right, any agitation regardless of how “soft” is what can cause scratches. I use Adam’s car shampoo (it’s ph balanced) and prevents stripping. I have spent way too much time on the subject.