Before moving onto claying and paint correction/swirl masking, it might be better to start building a routine with getting your car clean.
Step1: Hose/pressure wash off the entire car to remove as much dirt as possible. This will make your cleaning stage safer and easier.
Step2: Fill one bucked with clean water (rinse bucket) and the other with water/car shampoo mix (wash bucket). Wash your car with a decent microfibre or lambswool mitt by dunking into the wash bucket, applying the mitt to the car in straight lines and then cleaning it out in the rinse bucket. The idea here is to try and minimise contaminating your wash bucket with gunk from the car.
Step3: Hose/pressure wash off the entire car. Dry the car gently and in straight lines with some good quality microfibre towels. Soaking the towel and wringing it out oddly makes it better at drying.
Step4: Apply some protection like a wax in straight lines and gently buff off with a clean microfibre towel. For your first few washes just use a spray wax.
Recommendations for car shampoo: Autoglym car shampoo
http://amzn.to/2eZnmXh or Autofinesse car lather
http://amzn.to/2en6gTO
Recommendations for spray wax: Williams waterless wash kit
http://amzn.to/2e2VWuB or Meg's ultimate quick wax
http://amzn.to/2eZr9nl
Once you have the routine locked down, you can introduce claying your car after the rinse (
http://amzn.to/2eyPZGs). This will also remove any existing wax, in addition to bonded contaminants, on the car and is something you should do twice a year. If your swirls are very light, you can fill them with poorboys black hole (
http://amzn.to/2eyRXXj) or autoglym super resin polish (
http://amzn.to/2e2Yr00) before applying your wax or sealant but for the non-detailing enthusiast this is an unnecessary step. However if you do chose to apply a pre-wax glaze, you will be rewarded with an even better shine on your car whilst it lasts.
In terms of waxes and sealants, the way to look at them is a wax typically has better gloss but isn't as durable, and a sealant is very durable but not as glossy. I have been experimenting with this hybrid sealant from Soft99 recently (
http://amzn.to/2eAQpxI) and it is holding up really well so far with excellent gloss levels. Just apply very thinly to the panel (you should barely be able to see it when freshly applied), wait around 5 mins once hazed and then buff off. Do not wait 10-15 mins as it might suggest unless you want an arm workout!