Not everyone has the time to wax their car on a regular basis. Traditional paste wax can take over an hour to apply, with a thorough process of rubbing, buffing, and cleaning up afterwards. If you’re looking for an easy and efficient way to give your car’s finish a layer of wax protection, take a look at spray waxes. While these won’t last as long as traditional paste wax, spray wax can be applied in as little as 15 minutes, depending on the size of your car. Spray waxes are designed to offer a good level of protection with less effort, and even works better if your car already has a layer of existing protection.
Ideally, you’ll want to keep a bottle of spray wax handy to use after washes and in between heavy detailing sessions when you can spend the time giving your car a layer of paste wax. Regular use of spray wax will keep your car’s finish shiny and durable, providing UV protection and repelling water from the surface.
Below, you’ll find our picks for the top best spray waxes currently available. For more information on spray waxes, refer to our table of contents.
Meguiar’s is one of the most respected names in car care.
We are huge fans of Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wax ever since it arrived on the market. Featuring advanced SiO2 hybrid technology, this spray wax delivers ceramic wax protection with an easy-to-apply method. After giving your car a thorough wash and rinse, you simply spray on the ceramic wax, rinse it off with water, and then dry your car. That means no rubbing, curing, or buffing, and best of all, you don’t have to worry about any sort of mess being left behind.
Ceramic wax protection has become popular in recent years and more car care companies have begun to offer hybrid ceramic detailing products. Ceramic wax protection delivers impressive water beading action, adding a layer of protection to your car’s finish that is beyond conventional wax. For those who don’t have the time to properly wax their vehicle, Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Wax is an ideal solution.
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If you are searching for a quick and easy way to detail your vehicle’s exterior, look no further than Lithium Color Crush.
This ceramic quick detailer adds a slick, protective layer that helps to keep dust and water spots at arm’s length. In fact, Lithium boasts that your vehicle will stay looking cleaner for longer – even after driving through the rain.
What makes Color Crush work? According to Lithium, it is the combination of a Cross-Linked Pre-cured Polymer and SiO2. You surely need a degree in chemistry to understand what that means, but Lithium says this combination is designed to adhere to paint and other surfaces like nothing else. It even adds to the durability of any existing ceramic coatings or sealants you have on your vehicle already.
Color Crush is an absolute snap to apply and buffs off easily. It only takes minutes to achieve a glossy, protective finish.
This is one of the spray few waxes you can apply in direct sunlight.
Lucas Products is a well-established brand with a solid reputation, they’re best known for oil additives but have branched out into car care products. Their Slick Mist Speed Wax polymer paint gloss intensifier is designed to be used on any paint job plus wraps and vinyl decals. It can be applied to wet or dry surfaces in shade or direct sunlight to deliver a long-lasting shine and UV protection.
Besides painted surfaces Lucas Slick Mist can be used on glass, chrome, or aluminum. The manufacturer does not recommend applying Slick Mist to steering wheels, pedals, floors, motorcycle seats, or other surfaces where slipperiness might create a hazard.
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For long-lasting protection, turn to Griot’s Garage’s Best of Show Spray Wax. The company claims this spray wax offers 2 to 3 times the durability of other spray waxes, infused with rich carnauba wax and unique polymers. In fact, the Best of Show Spray Wax has the highest carnauba content out of all of Griot’s Garage’s spray waxes.
This is a great product to use if you’ve already spent the time putting down a layer of wax or sealant on your car. Regular use of this spray wax will help extend the lifespan of any existing wax or sealant, so you can go longer in between heavy detailing sessions. To use this product, simply spray it onto your paint, lightly buff it, and then wipe it off with a clean towel.
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Another well known and popular brand in the car care industry, Turtle Wax offers several different spray waxes. If we had to pick one however, it would be the company’s ICE Spray Wax, fortified with “Smart Shield” polymers to offer long-lasting protection. This is the spray wax to get if you have the time to use it after every wash, providing exceptional water beading and UV protection.
It’s formulated to safely work on all exterior surfaces of your car, including plastic and rubber trim. You can even use it on your glass to give your windshield and windows a layer of protection against water. This spray wax is great if you use other Turtle Wax ICE products on your car.
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Adam’s Polishes has always been a favorite among hardcore detailing enthusiasts, but the company’s products are now more mainstream and popular with general consumers. Its spray wax is infused with carnauba flakes and is safe to use on paint, glass, chrome, fiberglass, plastic, aluminum, and vinyl. In other words, all exterior surfaces of your car can get a nice coat of Adam’s Spray Wax for protection.
Spray on a coat after washing your car, extending the life of any current protection you have applied. You can even use this on wet or dry surfaces and your car doesn’t necessarily have to be in the shade for the spray wax to do its job. It even leaves behind a refreshing raspberry scent.
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Spray wax is a convenient way to apply a layer of wax protection on your vehicle without having to use a lot of elbow grease. It’s essentially liquid wax that is thin enough to be sprayed, giving your car a nice shine and providing UV protection. Spray waxes are a great alternative to traditional paste waxes, because it takes a lot less time and effort to apply and even works to make any existing layers of wax last longer.
Some spray waxes can even be used on other exterior surfaces of your car to help repel water, such as your windshield, side windows, or even your headlights and tail lights. This helps keep water spots from forming on all parts of your car.
Spray wax will typically last a couple weeks to a month, although some companies claim their products last longer. Of course this depends on environmental conditions and how often your car sits in the sunlight. If you regularly wash your car and keep it in a garage, your application of spray wax will naturally last longer than a vehicle that is parked outside all day long. Still, applying spray wax to your car every month will keep its finish shiny and protected.
Now, there are spray waxes on the market that offer hybrid ceramic protection, like our top pick. These spray waxes typically last longer than carnauba-infused products since they feature SiO2.
If you’re inexperienced with spray waxes or want to make sure you get the most out of your efforts, check out these tips:
May 3, 2022: Removed Car Guys products from recommendations, added Lucas Lucas Slick Mist spray wax.
June 7, 2021: Updated the links for our promoted product.
March 29, 2021: Updated with a promoted product recommendation.
