Car wax is any protective coating material applied on top of the layer of car paint, which is almost on all vehicles you see today. Wax can come in paste, spray, or liquid variety with a formulation perfect for all paint types. Most available car waxes are in paste form.
Importance of Car Wax
The essence of the car wax is to impart protection later in your car. Also, it helps protect the vehicle against contaminants as well as makes the car look good. Car wax also protects the paint of your vehicle from ultraviolet rays from the sun.
Waxes protect your car paint from bird dropping, rocks that accidentally hit your car as you drive, tree sap, and so on.
Generally, wax acts as the intermediary between your car’s paint and any external object that can damage the paint.
Cons of Car Wax
Because car wax is mostly in paste form and tends to be sticky, having a low melting point, it attracts dust to the paint surface. That implies that the application of car wax must be made at least once in two months. This effect is inevitable if low-grade car wax is used.
Properties of a Good Car Wax
Stability
Stability is a good consumer preference, and you must consider it before you choose the car wax you will buy. If stability is of value to you, then you should consider synthetic car wax for natural resins. Stability can be measured through visual inspection. Ask yourself this question: How does water react or interact with the wax in question? Is there a record of water beaching on paintwork as a report by users of the resin in question?
Expansivity
In making waxes, solvents are added to enhance the even spreading of the wax on the surface. If the spreadability of the resin is of high priority to you, then you should consider buying a liquid wax. Liquid waxes spread more than paste waxes because they contain more solvent than the latter.
Color Enricher
They can enhance the color of your car. Some brands included color pigments for dark or light paintwork.
Abrasiveness
Car waxes can remove stains from the car by gently rubbing on the car’s paint surface. However, it would help if you were mindful of the way you use abrasive chemicals in your vehicle. Abrasive chemicals will slowly faint the paint of your car.
Application of Car Wax
It is best to apply the car wax in the shade on clean and dry surfaces. Care must be taken in applying the wax, and it must be done such that one character is applied at a time and left to dry before carefully removed with the use of a clean cloth.
It is also recommended that you should apply an automotive paint cleaner first, followed by an automotive paint sealant. Then, it would help if you used several coats of graded wax.
Automotive paint cleaners refer to particular cleaning products that are specific in action. They are used to remove particular contaminants before waxing a car. These contaminants include dirt, grease, and so on.
Automotive paint sealants are car synthetic wax which always helps the paint to stick. Paint sealants also limit the probability of having the topcoat paint run. In a word, paint sealers are used to seal the surface before waxing.
Note that it is essential to use products made for automotive applications. You should not apply automotive materials on glass, rubber, or plastic surfaces. Choose your automotive materials according to what you want. Lastly, don’t forget it is imperative to know how your wax must be applied before you go ahead to use it.
Car Waxing Temperature
The best temperature for you to wax your car is between 60 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. At this temperature range, the wax will be liquid and easy to apply. Also, you can wax late in the afternoon. If you use it at dusk, that means your car will have about 12 hours for the wax to get dry on its surface.
Ensure that the surface is not too hot when the wax is applied. The reason is to avoid the wax from not sticking well to the car’s exterior.
Car Waxing Mistakes
Waxing Under Direct Sunlight
It would help if you did not wax under sunlight because it will dry out your wax and affect its adhesion on the paint surface.
Incomplete Drying of Car Before Application
Before you wax your car, ensure your vehicle is completely dry. Water and oil have no relationship, and so to wax your vehicle effectively, the car must be free of water droplets.
Unclean Applicator
Waxing your car with an unclean application is not a good idea. It could result in leaving a residual wax on your car paint which becomes abrasive as well as holds unwanted debris.
Inadequate Buffing Cloths
Microfibre towels are preferred to ordinary cloths when buffing. This is because regular clothes, when used, can be unsafe for your paint. After all, they do not remove abrasive debris from the treated surface.
What to Consider Before Buying Car Wax
Age of Car
The type of wax you will use on your car can be significantly influenced by the age of your vehicle. Spray waxes are best for vehicles that are one or two years old. They are also suitable for cars that still have a good finish.
Liquid waxes are best for older cars or cars whose finish has already begun to oxidize.
Car Body Part Type
It is not uncommon for some waxes to leave a visible residue in porous non-glossy plastic parts of your car. Such components include bumpers and doors, and so on. That means you should choose products that have good compatibility with plastic tests.
Best Car Wax 2021
If you are considering which one to buy, here is a good list of top brands 2021 for you to choose from.
Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax, Automobil Wax 16oz
Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax Liquid 16oz
Car Guys Premium Series Hybond
Collinite No.476 Super Double Coat Auto
SHINE ARMOR Fortify Quick Coat
Adam’s Polishes Butterly
Turthe Wax Quick &Easy Wax &Dry Spray Wax 26floz
Optimus
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