My neighbors are hilarious. I consider a five-minute conversation with them as part of my Sunday morning routine as it’s inevitable that one of them will yell from across the street any time they spot me cleaning my cars. This almost always leads to a conversation about how impressed they are that the paint on both of my cars appears flawless, despite their respective 200,000-mile lives.
When they ask about my secret to their luster, my response is always: Keep up with the wax. This is followed by a brief walk-through on how and why it should be done. Waxing your car is key for many reasons, and taking the time to do it right is just as important as staying on top of your regularly scheduled maintenance.
I admit that if I didn’t have nearly a decade of experience professionally detailing cars, I’d probably neglect wax too. It can be intimidating for novice car-care enthusiasts. Nonetheless, your neighbors here at The Drive are looking out for you, so we’ve put together a handy guide to show you the proper way to wax your car by hand.
Estimated Time Needed: 2-4 hours, depending on size of vehiclee
Skill Level: Beginner
Vehicle System: Exterior
Think of wax as a protectant for your clear coat, which is the thin clear paint applied to protect your car’s hue. There are two different common types of waxes for cars: Carnauba and synthetic. Carnauba (the most common) is extracted from Brazilian palm leaves, and it’s loved because of its glossy finish and overall thickness. Synthetic wax is a hodgepodge of chemicals designed to bond with your paint’s surface.
Carnauba wax is shinier in the end and has a thicker layer of protection than synthetic wax. Synthetic is easier to apply and lasts longer, at the sacrifice of a glossier finish. Synthetic wax can be applied via machine or hand and carnauba by hand only. Determining which one to use is up to you and how lazy you feel on any given Sunday afternoon. However, since I’m teaching you how to do this by hand, grab yourself some Carnauba wax.
A good rule of thumb to remember when you’re shopping is that the harder the Carnauba wax compound is, the better. And if you’re reading this, you most likely take pride in your vehicle’s appearance, or at least you’ve chosen to take it a bit more seriously. In that case, kudos! It’s one of the easiest steps you can take to help your clear coat do its job of protecting the paint from the weather, harmful chemicals, and the sun’s harsh rays.
Get it? Great. Now, on to the next part.
I know I don’t have to say this for everyone, but don’t consume the wax or cleaning chemicals. Some of them can smell good — delicious even, I know — but it’s not a great idea.
Waxing your car can get messy, and you could potentially do more damage to your paint in the waxing process. I know this because I’ve done this. Learn from my mistakes. Here’s what you’ll need to do and avoid in order to have this process go smoothly:
Organizing the necessities here is crucial for saving time, and going through the process properly. Put your microfibers in a bag or clean container separate from everything else and never allow them to touch the ground. If they happen to fall or touch a dirty surface, get a new one. Microfibers are able to pick up on dust and debris that you can’t always see. You especially don’t want this to touch a car that you just stripped of all its protectants.
Here are the steps to wax your car.
As with anything you’ve done for years, you pick up tips and tricks along the way. I sure as heck did, so here they are.
Waxing your car is an art form. It’s personal. And it’s key that you learn your own process and technique. Since you now know the basics, we chose this video to show you one of the many different ways that wax can be applied to a car.
You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.
A: It all depends on the variables. How well you treated the paint and how well you took care of it after will determine the life of the wax layer on your vehicle. Washing the car with harsh chemicals can strip a wax fairly quickly. So, pay attention to how you treat your ride after the wax. Lastly, factors such as environment and the car’s storage location also play a big role. This ties into the next question.
A: Generally, once you’ve determined that the wax you’ve applied has reached its end, you should look into adding more as soon as possible. You can’t over wax a car, but consistently waxing increases the chances of streaks and swirls (hence my warning about circular motions) in your paint. If you own a red car, consider waxing more often. Red paint tends to fade quicker than others. A shame, really.
A: You can. It’s a matter of preference. In my seven years of detailing, I’ve always preferred to apply a wax by hand. Although time consuming, It’s much more satisfying in the end. That’s why we do this, right? Plus, I can be a bit more careful to avoid delicate areas that don’t need wax. It’s all about the magic touch.
A: Yes, and this is especially apparent on cars with darker paint. Cars with fresh wax have a buildup of static electricity. However, once you’ve washed and dried the car for the first time after, this issue goes away. The type of wax and the amount you applied also determine how dusty the paint will get. Small price to pay for having that special shine.
A: The next day is fine, but there’s really no rush. If it’s a bit dusty, consider using some instant detailer in the meantime. Wash it when it really needs it.
A: Yes. Avoid waxing in hot or cold temperatures. Avoid bright sunlight as well. You want to wax in comfortable temperatures where your paint isn’t too hot or cold. These conditions will make your job much harder and can also ruin the finish of the wax. Find some shade to park under on a nice day and have yourself some automotive therapy.
We’re here to be expert guides in everything how-to related. Use us, compliment us, yell at us. Comment below, and let’s talk.
