[embee]

There'll be plenty of tips, but for starters don't use washing-up liquid for washing it. Get a car type shampoo, preferably one of the type which has some wax in it. I use Autoglym, but there are many others to choose from, and I find it preserves the polish well.

ACF50 may be cracking stuff for you, a little pricey and doesn't necessarily look brilliant when it gets dirty, but it's about the best goo going for protecting against road salt in winter.