Wax Help

[bmwmclaren]

Hi. I usually wax my car often, but I think I'm doing it wrong. I apply the Meguiar's wax with a round soft cloth (don't know what it's called). When I apply it, I apply a small amount on that cloth and buff in a circle. I do not know what the consistency is supposed to be on the car. Is it supposed to be thick or spread out so that there are some gaps in the wax. I don't know how the wax is supposed to look on the car... sometimes I miss some spots and it looks a little wierd. Could you explain the proper procedure? Thanks in advance.

[JasonC8301]

I typically use a foam applicator ( www.properautocare.com ) sells the ones I use, yellow foam. Some people may think they are small, but they work for me.

When I apply a wax, I make sure the surface is clean and prepared. I start on the hood, moving to the trunk, then roof, then the side panels.

I dab the applicator into the can of wax a few times. Then I wipe with light pressure over the panel in a bumper to bumper motion with overlapping strokes. I may go over an area twice to make sure I have complete coverage.

After I am finished I wait about an hour for the wax to frost/haze over. I then buff in a bumper to bumper motion to remove this haze.

But follow directions about the drying/hazing, some waxes dont need dry time.

[Intel486]

When I wax I try to lay down a thin layer. I cover the whole vehicle in wax and then buff off.

After I buffed all the wax off the vehicle I come go back over it with a QD to make sure I got it all.

Sometimes I'll also stick the finishing pad (the fuzzy one) on my makita buffer and go over the vehicle with it. I'll take most of the wax off by hand and then use the buffer to get the rest. I'll then QD after that too.

The QD'er helps to catch any wax you missed aswell as get the dust off your car.

I also usually put two or three coats on with atleast a few hours cure time between.

[Michael H]

Applying paste carnauba wax

Unlike the paint cleaner and polish, wax is an application only task. A cleaner and polish are applied and worked into the surface to get the desire result. A wax is simply applied to the surface and removed. In practice, this means a minimal amount of pressure is required when using the buffing pad or hand applicator (although some waxes are very hard to apply because of their physical properties).

The key to applying paste carnauba wax well (either by hand or orbital sander) is to have the wax melt on the applicator ready for applying. Take your index finger and quickly move it in a circular motion on the wax. With a good quality wax it should begin to melt in under 5 seconds. This is the consistency needed to apply the wax to the paint.

The melting point of paste waxes does vary, it is easier to melt Pinnacle Paste Glaz than say Mothers California Gold® Carnauba Paste Wax. Hint: if using an orbital sander, place the buffing pad in the wax, turn the sander on at low speed. The moving pad will generate enough heat to melt the wax onto the pad ready for application. You may need to allow the pad to move in a circular motion to spread wax around the pad. This only works where the wax comes in a large tin

The method of applying waxes can vary. Always read the instruction label on a product. For example, Mothers California Gold® Carnauba Paste Wax recommends that the cloth or buffing pad be moist, which is not necessary when using a liquid wax or Pinnacle Paste Glaz. Hint: have a spray bottle with clean water in it and spray the pad or cloth, it is easier than using the tap and gives more control over the level of moistness.

How much wax do I need to do a car?
With a good quality carnauba wax, surprisingly little. Take Mothers California Gold® Carnauba Paste Wax (340 grams) as an example. If applying with an orbital sander, you should be able to wax about 20-25 cars the size of a Subaru Impreza WRX with just one tin. Hint: carnauba wax goes on in a very thin film. With lights it is much easier to see the wax go on. Often the wax is still going when you think the wax is long used, but the lights show otherwise. Most people use too much wax on a car, with experience you will learn that more is not necessarily better. High carnauba content waxes go even further, up to 30-40 cars.