Cleaner wax ??

[darryl cox]

Can someone tell me what a cleaner wax is? Can you also tell me if I`ll need any other product after I use a cleaner wax.

Thank you,

darryl

[GlossyTundra]

A cleaner wax is a wax+light polish that will remove *minor* swirls, spots, and scratches, while providing a "decent" layer of protection.



A good cleaner wax I love is Mothers or Long-Haul topped with Duragloss #951 Aquawax. The Long-Haul stuff (found at Big-Lots) will actually remove some defects and lasts longer than any cleaner wax I have tried.

[Accumulator]

darryl cox- Welcome to Autopia!



Optimally, the two jobs of cleaning paint and then protecting that work with wax are just that, two separate jobs with dedicated products. Cleaner waxes are products that attempt to combine these two jobs into just one product: prewax-prep (the "cleaning") with the protection provided by waxes. They don`t do either job especially well compared to dedicated products, but they`re not as bad as some people make them out to be either.



The "cleaner" part of it generally combines very mild abrasives (so mild you can ignore their presence) with some chemical cleaners. The protection part of it will only last a few weeks, so it`s best to apply a more durable product after using the cleaner wax. This combination of a cleaner wax and a "straight wax" can work well; you are in effect using the cleaner wax instead of a polish and then applying the wax over top of it.



Generally, cleaner waxes will leave white stains on black plastic/rubber trim, so keep them off of such surfaces. Otherwise, cleaner waxes are generally pretty user-friendly.



Meguiar`s and Mother`s both make cleaner waxes that are commonly available. For the straight wax, I always recommend Collinite for its great durability. You might find Collinite at autoparts stores or at marine supply places.

[darryl cox]

Thanks so much, I am just getting into the detailing and some of the names are quite confusing to someone new to the products. thanks again for such informed answers

[mblgjr]

Well, it appears that the explanation has been handled well....



I would suggest that you try the Mother`s Cleaner Wax (paste) with something over it, such as a pure carnauba (Mothers, Meg`s #26, Natty`s Blue, etc.).



If you want to go over it with something faster, Aquawax or any other spray wax would be sufficient.