How to Wax Your Car
Tips from the Expert

We Just Want the Straight Answers Darren!

• Just what purpose does car wax serve?


• Do I really have to wax my car?


• What is the best car wax?


• How can I get better results?

Just What is the Purpose of Car Wax?

The easiest way to understand car wax is to think of it as sunscreen for your cars paint. Just like sunscreen for your body, car wax creates an invisible protective barrier that protects your cars paint from harmful and damaging UV rays and other elements of weather. But car wax doesn't stop there, as it also creates visual enhancement by creating a glossy reflective layer for light rays to reflect off of, as well as covering and hiding superficial paint blemishes.

• All car paint needs the protection of car wax.
• New cars do not come with wax on them, and therefore you will need to wax your new car also.
• Just like sunscreen for your skin, car wax needs to be reapplied regularly.
• Depending on the type of wax you choose, you will need to reapply the wax on your car as often as once a week, to as little as once a year.

Should I wax My Car

Yes, you really have to wax your car, and Yes, you really should wax your car! With advances in chemical engineering and automotive paint finishes, the paint on most cars will hold up to the elements of weather and look good doing so for about 2-3 years without doing a single form of maintenance or car waxing to your new car. The problem with this strategy is that eventually you or the new owner of your neglected car, will be left trying to make up for lost time!

How to Wax Your Car Requires 3 Choices in Car Wax

Just like in most areas of life, rarely are you able to get everything in a single product; the same holds true when it comes the world of car care. By learning the different forms of car wax products, you are ready to arm yourself with a complete arsenal of car care products that will teach you mow to wax your car. As a professional, I keep a version of each form of car wax products with me at all times; it is like having the ability to pick the perfect tool for the job, in order to get the perfect results based on the requirements of the moment! I have my top picks of thee essentials located over in the column at the right.

Paste Car Wax.

• The most common form of car wax.
• The most time consuming to apply and remove.
• Typically creates the best visual enhancement of the 3 choices.
• Hybrid versions containing both synthetic and natural ingredients now exist.
• Advances in chemical engineering have made these products incredibly easy to use.

Liquid Car Wax or Sealer

• You can get both natural and synthetic forms of car waxes, or sealers in liquid form.
• Generally, if the car wax product contains any form of natural wax, it will be labeled as a car wax. If it is made entirely of synthetic ingredients, it will be labeled as a sealer. But the industry co-mingles terminology very frequently which only adds to the confusion of the public.
• The place to go for the ultimate in durability and protection will be a 100% synthetic liquid polymer.
• Also the place for hybrid combinations of synthetic polymers and natural carnauba waxes.
• Typically easier to apply due to its liquid nature.
• Typically not the best choice for visual enhancement.
• Usually the best choice for those large items such as boats and RV's.
• Liquid synthetic polymers will often be labeled as "special" boat wax, RV wax, or marine grade wax, as polymer technology lasts much longer than the natural carnauba automotive waxes.

Spray Car Wax

• The easiest way to wax your car.
• Modern day blends provide the winning combination of protection, ease of use, and beauty enhancement.
• Most spray car waxes are formulated to be non-staining of black trim pieces, unlike paste or liquid versions of auto waxes.
• Can be used in direct sunlight, on hot paint.

The 3 Steps of How to Wax Your Car

Washing

Clay Bar Car

Waxing

Wax works much in the same way for our paint, as does moisturizing sunblock does for our skin. Most of us understand the harmful and aging effects of the sun on our skin, but many of us do not apply this same understanding to the paint on our cars. The UV rays from the sun is damaging to most everything, including your cars paint. Without applying this invisible layer of protection to our cars paint, the suns damaging effects will eventually lead to paint failure.

The Specific Steps of How to Wax Your Car

Let's break down the specific steps that will be required of you if you want to follow proper care for your cars paint.

Washing-
Step 1 in the "How to Wax Your Car" process

There is a theme that exists with many, many people; they spend an hour or two washing their cars at home, then they are too tired for anything else required of their cars like, waxing, detailing, using the clay bar, etc. So one of my biggest tips I like to teach people, is simply to take your car to the car wash and buy back your time and effort. Then follow these additional "how to wax your car" steps for amazing results!

Clay Bar-
Step 2 in the "How to Wax Your Car" process

A.D.D. Overview

• Clay bars are good.
• Clay bars strip away surface contaminates, commonly referred to as "fall-out".
• Creates a smooth, clean surface, prior to waxing.
• Clay bars need to be used periodically to keep your paint pollution free, and smooth.

Comprehensive Version for How to Wax Your Car

• The clay bar is a surface preparation bar used prior to waxing.
• Detailing clay is like a small, palm sized brick of firm "Playdoh" or "silly Putty".
• The clay bar is critical part of the how to wax your car process of correct paint maintenance.
• The clay bar is used by rubbing back and forth on your cars paint until pollution has been removed. (imagine using an eraser to clean off a big chalk board)
• Some form of lubricant, usually sold with the clay bars themselves, must be sprayed onto paint surface to keep the clay bar from sticking to paint while using.
• The clay bars purpose is to remove contaminates that are attached to your paint.
• These contaminates which are usually referred to as pollution or fall-out, can be seen as tiny rust specs on light colored paint
• Fall-out can always be felt on any colored paint as a surface texture, that feels as though there are tiny specs of dirt stuck to your paint.
• If you don’t remove the fall-out, or pollution prior to waxing, then guess what, you will officially be waxing over the pollution; this is not the recommended plan.
• Every car will always get a certain amount of pollution, or “industrial fall-out” (glorified term for pollution)on it. Just as every city has different levels of pollution in the air, so it is with the amount of pollution each car gets.
• Normal washing and waxing will not remove fall-out.
• Using a buffer to remove fall-out is never recommended.
• The clay bar is abrasives suspended in a synthetic material.
• By using the clay bar, you are literally shearing away, and pulling out contaminates and pollution, that are attached to the surface of your paint.
• Fall-out will continue to embed into your paint further and further the longer it is allowed to remain.
• Despite what manufacturers of clay bars will tell you, the clay bar will scratch, but this really depends on your interpretation of scratching.
• Remember that wax is meant to “fill” in ultra fine scratches, imperfections, and scuffs, just the kind that is possible with use of clay bars.
• When learning how to wax your car, we need to remain realistic and this area of how to wax your car is no exception. The surface of your paint is made up of tens of thousands of ultra fine scratches. Don’t get so fixated on an unrealistic expectation of your paint, to the point where you think you are actually making the better choice, and that is to do nothing.
• Some "experts" will tell you that using the clay bar too much or too often will be damaging to your paint; this is untrue and verified by myself through years of first hand use.

Wax-
Step 3 in the "How to Wax Your Car" process

A.D.D. Overview

• Wax is good.
• Wax protects your paint from the elements of weather.
• Wax enhances the appearance of paint by creating a uniformed reflective layer that fills minor imperfections and scratches.
• Wax needs to be used periodically as it will "wear off" over time.
• The days of hard to use paste waxes are gone.
• Spray waxes will offer the winning combination for most of you out there.

Comprehensive Version for How to Wax Your Car

• Wax is used to protect and enhance paint visually.
• No wax or sealant lasts forever; despite what you have been lead to believe.
• All waxes/sealants wear out over time due to sun and dirt exposure.
• Not all waxes are created equal.
• I personally prefer the spray waxes of today that offer the best blend of natural and synthetic ingredients.
• Water by itself is nature’s most prolific solvent; this means it will also degrade the wax on your paint through simple washing.
• Wax enhances your paint by “filling” in scratches and blemishes, and helps to create a consistent, uniformed, and flat reflective surface.
• Waxes and polishes are not the same, despite many who comingle the terms; each has a specific purpose that is unique.
• Wax should be applied to your paint every 4-12 weeks based on two things: Sun and dirt exposure; the more of both, the more waxing will be needed.
• Sun and dirt are paints worst enemies; the more exposure to these, the more often waxing your car will be necessary.
• Micro fiber towels are the recommended choice in applying and removing wax; not baby diapers.
• While not necessary with the advance spray waxes of today, it will make your job a bit easier by applying wax to a cool surface.
• Since wax is also used for visual enhancement, wax as often as you like to create that winning look. While the fear has been spread, it would be hard to wax the paint off your car through too many applications.

More Tips on How to Wax Your Car

• When using the clay bar, I personally prefer using a dampened chamois along with the spray lubricant. I hold the clay bar beneath a wet chamois while I spray the paint surface with the lubricant. The surface will stay wet with the chamois, while at the same time I am rubbing with the clay bar.
• Learning how to wax your car is also about the details, remember to get all the “details” of your paint. Meaning, if you don’t force the clay bar into the many nuances of your body panels like creases, character lines, etc., you will be leaving this “fall-out” remaining in these crevices.
• Remember the clay bar is like stiff “Silly Putty” or “Playdoh” you are working with, so get creative, and mold into crease lines and tight corners to remove fall-out from these difficult areas.
• The “fall-out” or pollution you are trying to remove comes from the air and “floats” around the air just like dust does. So just like dust settling onto your cars surface, fall-out does the same. So any areas that seem to get dustier than others, the same will hold true for fall-out. The top surfaces and the rear end of your car will be the heaviest of fall-out concentration.
• The clay bar can and should be used on the exterior glass windows; at least if you want to have smooth and pollution free windows.
• The clay bar is suitable for any flat, solid surface incl. but not limited to paint, glass, chrome, etc.
• The clay bar is also used to remove paint over spray.

I hope these "How to Wax Your Car" tips will help you achieve professional results for yourself.

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