Car Wax Vs Polish Heres The Real Deal
When was the last time you waxed your car? Last month? A couple of months ago? Okay then. Heres another question when was the last time you applied polish? Oh, you think that car wax vs polish is the same?
No, theyre not the same. A Lot of people believe that waxing and polishing will produce the same results, which is to provide a sparkling shine that will last for many weeks.
Heres the real deal on car wax vs polish and how the two can help preserve the value and beauty of your ride.
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Applying Automotive Spray Wax
Automotive spray waxes are the easiest paint protection products to apply.
A few years ago spray wax products were a joke, but today they rival some of the best liquid and past wax products.
What changed? In a word, polymers!
Polymer coating technology is getting so good that a product like Meguiars Ultimate Quik Wax offers the same level of protection as the original formula Meguiars NXT Generation Tech Wax that hit the market a few years ago.
Best of all, you can apply best-of-breed spray wax products in a matter of minutes. Many of them can be used in direct sunlight, although the most amazing results are always achieved in the shade.
To apply a spray wax thoroughly wash and dry your car.
With a microfiber buffing towel in one hand and your spray wax in the other, spray and wipe a small area at a time. Distribute evenly, then flip the towel to a dry side for a final buff.
Its that easy!
NOTE: For perfect results, always give a final wipe with a clean, dry microfiber buffing towel that hasnt been used to distribute product.
How Much Does It Cost To Polish A Car
A professional polish can cost anywhere between $50-$200 or more, depending on the type of car you have, the quality of the shop doing the polish, and the level of wash/detail youve chosen.
On the other hand, opting to polish yourself can save big cash. You probably have some of the things youll need on hand already, such as a hose and a chamois cloth or microfiber towel. You can expect to spend up to $100 or so to do the job yourself, but that money will buy enough supplies to polish a few times.
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How To Wax Your Car With Amazing Results: 7
While most people wash their vehicles every now and then, the majority of drivers do not wax their cars. Waxing your car is one of the best ways to make it look great and protects its exterior. Although waxing a car takes a little elbow grease, it is not a terrible way to spend a Saturday afternoon. You will be proud of your hard work when you see your car gleaming in your driveway. Follow these steps to wax your car to a shine.
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Applying A Clear Paint Sealant
The new breed of clear sealants have a completely new method of application. You literally wipe the clear sealant on, then walk away and allow it to dry.
I highly recommend Wolfgang Deep Gloss as well as soft foam applicator pads for applying an even coating.
When the paint sealant finishes drying it will be as gloss as it is going to be without buffing or wiping, and the surface has the best protection possible.
But wait!
Your car must be clean and dry before applying a sealant. Clear seal products are very hydrophobic, so they usually do not mix with water at all.
Clear sealants can be applied to paint, glass, chrome and plastic trim. The most important thing is to apply an even coating and then leave it alone.
Be patient.
Do not wipe after application. Simply allow the sealant to dry .
Do this right and it can last up to a year, though I usually apply paint sealant twice yearly for solid protection.
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Why Should I Use Wax
Wax is an excellent way to protect your cars paint job from ultraviolet ray damages. It also helps create a protective coating on the cars surface, resulting in increased gloss and shine for up to six months, depending on your location and how often you wash your car. It also helps in protecting against acid rain, bird droppings, and other environmental elements that gradually deteriorate the paint on your car.
Wax can be easily removed by washing with soap and water, making wax great for cars frequently exposed to dirt, grime, and pollution.
How To Wax A Black Car
- Due to black car paintwork showing up imperfections more easily, specialized colored wax products are recommended for a flawless finish. Turtle Wax have a full range of black wax and polish products specially made for black cars that fix the imperfections and help protect the black paintwork which can often suffer from UV damage and swirl marks.
- For the easiest and quickest application, we recommend the Turtle Wax Jet Black Spray Wax with an industry leading black tinted formula.
- Step 1: Shake well prior to the application. Apply on a clean surface and out of direct sunlight.
- Step 2: Spray on one section at a time and wipe with a microfiber cloth.
- Step 3: Turn cloth and wipe to a high gloss shine.
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Best Car Polish For 2022
Prep for a protective wax coating with our top car polish picks.
Most people know about a basic car wash and wax, but car detailing goes much further. If you want a truly impeccable paint finish, you’ll want to dive into the world of car polish.
Car wax and polish aren’t the same product , despite the tendency to use the term interchangeably at times, and car polishes have their own benefits for your car’s paint job. So, dive into our best car polish picks and read on afterward for tips on how to best use polish so your car’s prepared for success.
How Do You Get Rid Of Swirl Marks On A Car
Swirl marks are a common issue for drivers. The problem is that swirl marks can be hard to remove and often leave permanent damage on the car paint. To get rid of these swirls, you can use a number of different solutions, such as using household ingredients like lemon juice, baking soda or toothpaste.
Most importantly, you should completely dry the car before applying a solution. Swirls and water don’t mix well and it is important to ensure that there isn’t any moisture left on the car paint before trying out solutions that might not work as intended.
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Pro Tip #: Use A Soft Brush For Gaps And Molding
No matter how hard you try to keep wax off of molding and out of cracks its almost inevitable that this will occur. Thats why it is a good idea to keep a soft brush handy while you are waxing your car. The brushes can be purchased at most auto parts stores and only cost a couple of dollars. Removing wax from a cars molding after it has dried can be difficult and sometimes the wax will leave permanent staining. Wax left in the cracks and crevices between body panels will harden and become very noticeable once dry. To avoid both of these situations, use a soft brush to remove any wax from moldings or cracks and crevices before it dries.
Waxing your vehicle is a great way to ensure that it stays shiny and looking great. Waxing will work to protect your cars paint from damaging sun rays, abrasive dirt, and chemicals in the rain and snow. Properly maintaining your cars paint by regularly waxing can extend the life of your cars paint and help keep your car looking good long into the future. Using the tips in this article, youll be able to wax your car like a pro and feel proud of your hard work when you drive around in your glossy car.
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The Perfect Shine Process
How do detailers get cars looking so picture-perfect? “What wax do you use?” and “What’s the best black car wax?” are the questions that come up most often. Unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple.
If you want the perfect shine, you have to do a little work, and you have to work to keep it maintained. If your car’s paint is relatively new and in excellent condition, getting the perfect shine will be far less work than with a car that’s five or more years old with heavy oxidation.
The classic car polishing process I’m about to explain came from years of experimenting with dozens of car polish and wax combinations to discover what products produced the best results. As it happens, this process was discovered quite by accident after applying a carnauba wax over a synthetic sealant on a Guards Red Porsche 944 Turbo.The finish was noticeably deeper, richer and more vibrant. The paint had taken on a new depth, like it had a clearcoat finish.
The Perfect Shine classic car polishing and detailing process was born. Grab your auto detailing supplies and let’s get started! Although this process works well on all cars, it has the most dramatic effect on dark colors.
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Pro Tip #: Use A Random Orbital Buffer
Another option for waxing your car is to use a mechanical buffer. These can save time and effort and make waxing your car a breeze. However, not all mechanical buffers are created equal. Rotary buffers are very common and people often use them to wax their car. The problem with rotary buffers is that they spin in a circular motion at high velocity. This can cause the edge of the pad to dig into the paint and cause burn marks which may or may not be permanent. The other issue is that rotary buffers can cause swirl marks due to their circular motion. This is due to the pad becoming dry and abrasive leading to micro scratches in the paint that look like swirl marks.
The best solution when using a mechanical buffer is to buy a random orbital buffer. This type of buffer moves the pad in a randomized pattern rather than circular. The result is an even application of wax without the risk of burning the paint or creating swirl marks. Both the rotary and random orbital buffers are similarly priced. If you are looking for a mechanical buffer then opt for the random orbital buffer.
Best Car Polish And Wax Reviews In 2022
- PREPS SURFACE: Pre-waxing glaze that prepares the surface for wax while offering deep reflections and high gloss
- BEST CAR GLOSS: Conditioning oils add depth of color and maximum gloss prior to waxing, especially on dark colored cars
- REMOVE SWIRLS: Quickly and gently removes fine swirls and towel marks for mirror-like reflections
- SAFE FOR CLEAR COATS: Safe and on all glossy paints, including clear coats
- FLEXIBLE APPLICATION: Safe and effective by hand or dual action polisher like Meguiar’s MT300 Dual Action Polisher
- Nu Finish Liquid Car Polish keeps your car exterior looking new with only one application per year
- Delivers impressive shine and protection without rubbing or buffing
- As the only polish available with no wax, the Nu Finish formula is specifically made to protect your cars paint and clear-coat finish
- Perfect for use on cars, fiberglass boats, RVs, and even chrome surfaces
- Apply polish with a damp cloth, let dry to a haze, and wipe off
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What Is Car Wax
Like polish, properly applied car wax improves the appearance of vehicle paint. Unlike polish, wax also offers protection. Available in firm paste and liquid, natural and synthetic, all car wax is applied in basically the same way. Rub it onto the vehicle in a thin layer, allow it to dry, then buff off the excess. Buffing can be done either by hand or with a power buffer.
If applied properly, wax not only makes the vehicle extra shiny, but forms a protective layer that lasts anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, depending on the product. Mothers car wax is highly rated.
Everything Youll Need To Polish A Car
Fortunately, polishing a car doesnt take an army of different tools and supplies, but you will need a few things to get started. The most important tool is actually having a clean and well-shaded place to work. Working in a sunny or warm environment can cause the polish solution to dry more quickly than youre able to keep up with polish.
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Prepping Your Car For Waxing
Wax Vs Polish: When Should I Use Which
Like we noted above, because of how polishing “removes” and waxing “smooths,” they’re the ideal one-two punch for those serious about a great looking vehicle exterior. And while you can perform each of these tasks independently of one another, if you do perform them simultaneously, we always recommend polishing before waxing.
As you can tell from this piece, we recommend not thinking of polish and wax as competing products – and that’s because they serve very different purposes. Instead, we suggest you think of them as complementary products or products that you can apply to your vehicle’s exterior independent of one other.
Let’s take a look at some FAQs to help you decide when to use which:
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How Do I Know If Its Time To Apply Wax
Easy. Spray some water on the hood, roof, or trunk of your ride. If you see a lot of tall and tight water beads on the surface, then you dont need to wax, at least for the time being. The same holds true when it rains and you see water beads on the surface of the paint.
Heres another way to determine if your paint needs waxing: simply run your hands on the paint after washing and drying the vehicle. If the surface feels a bit rough, then you need to apply wax.
Car Polish Vs Wax: Whats The Difference
If you are a car owner, you may start to notice small imperfections ranging from paint scratches to oxidation on your vehicle. Naturally, you’ll want to remedy these problems.
If you ask a random person on the street, they might not even know the difference. There are also manufacturers that make these products and will sell you wax with a label that says polish. Its come to the point where people use these terms interchangeably.
The main difference between wax and polish is that polishing is used to removed paint surface blemishes and is applied before waxing. Wax is used to provide a protective layer on top of the paint. It is for this reason that you should polish before waxing your vehicle.
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How To Wax Your Car
This article was co-authored by Chad Zani. Chad Zani is the Director of Franchising at Detail Garage, an automotive detailing company with locations around the U.S. and Sweden. Chad is based in the Los Angeles, California area and uses his passion for auto detailing to teach others how to do so as he grows his company nationwide.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 574,572 times.
You know when you are driving down the road and you see that old, beat-up looking car that looks like they don’t ever care for their vehicle? You don’t want to be that person. With proper care and maintenance, you can keep your car looking new and fresh. Follow the instructions here to learn how to give your car a nice clean wax job.
