Layering waxes

[imported_Indy YZF]

I think many of us agree that Meguiars #6 Cleaner wax is a decent product. Larry Reynolds says his problem with cleaner waxes is , if the cleaner is supposed to remove wax, then how does it know the good new wax from the bad old wax? My feeling is that he really knows the answer, and has his tongue firmly in cheek when responding this way....I presume the idea is that what's already on the car surface gets removed, and is replaced by that which is being laid down.



Anyway, my question is about correcting the one commonly stated weakness of cleaner wax, that is, durability....It is often claimed that they produce a decent shine, and do a decent job at removing embedded dirt and minor blemishes and swirls, but that the shine doestnt last too long...



So I was wondering, why not apply your cleaner wax on Saturday, let the wax cure overnight, and hit it again sunday with a coat of Blitz or P21S, for example? You might say if youre going to go through the trouble of applying a 2 step process, why not go with a true polish first, followed by a true wax...(Im speaking mainly to those who go the wax route here, and not the polymer route, obviously). I would respond by saying that the surface is not needy enough to require a full polish treatment, and the Cleaner wax will remove the minor blemishes Ive picked up, plus, by following it with a true wax, will allow me to lay down 2 coats of carnauba, for greater protection.



Does this idea have any validity for anyone?

 

[imported_BretFraz]

It's valid AFAIC. I have done this many, many times, especially detailing brand new cars which always need a little polishing. #6 was always my favorite for this process. I still use it on family cars or whatever needs waxing.



I've topped #6 with Blitz and it works great. #26, Eagle One carnauba, even Pinnacle Souveran will all do fine. It's an excellent idea as long as the paint is in good shape as the polish in #6 is pretty mild.

 

[imported_Indy YZF]

Does anyone know the difference between Meguiars Quick Detailer and their Final Inspection#34 other than the fact that one is from their consumer line, and one from their Pro line? Can we use them interchangeably

Thanks Bret, seems like a good idea to me too....BTW, if you wanted to keep the idea, but wanted a cleaner wax with a bit more punch to lay down first, Ive got an excellent one for you...Its the 3M Moderate Strenth Cleaner Wax...This stuff is awsome, and perfectly capable of getting rid of minor to not quite so minor micromarring, while laying down a coat of wax on top of it, to be followed by our agreeably valid topper of carnauba...Try it, I think youll be amazed.



BTW, do you think it makes any sense to let the base layer of the cleaner wax cure for a day first, or can we follow it an hour later with the carnauba topper?

 

[imported_BretFraz]

BTW, do you think it makes any sense to let the base layer of the cleaner wax cure for a day first, or can we follow it an hour later with the carnauba topper?



It's certainly worth a try to see how things go but I've never done that. When the cleaner wax step is done I whip out the good stuff and finish the job. But it's totally up to you.



Thanks for the tip about the 3M stuff. I'll have to give it a spin one of these days.:up

 

[shaf]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm looking for an excuse to get some #26 tomorrow. If I top my Klasse with #26 and then my P21S, would that make it look any different? It also should give the wax layers more durability right?

 

[imported_BretFraz]

Sorry for the hijack, but I'm looking for an excuse to get some #26 tomorrow. If I top my Klasse with #26 and then my P21S, would that make it look any different? It also should give the wax layers more durability right?

well, I don't think so but maybe...... how's that for definitive?



What happens most of the time when carnaubas are layered is the existing wax is moved around a bit, some of it is removed and some is applied. I think the benefit of applying more than one coat of carnauba is to even out the protection. It's almost impossible to apply a perfectly even coat of wax in one shot. So two or three applications ensures there is a good amount of wax all over the car and the coat is even. So it's more like 1.25 coats or 1.5 coats for every 2 applications.



The P21S is certainly a better carnauba than #26 so the difference may be a clearer, sharper reflection. Why not apply some #26 to half the car and P21S to the other half and conduct a little test? Have some fun with it.

 

[laynlow]

I'm with bretfraz, I normally just follow up after a cleaner wax. The nice thing about a pure wax is you can allow it to haze before wiping off. So, usually when I put the pure wax down, I let it set up for 30 minutes or so, and then remove the residue.

 

[shaf]

Why not apply some #26 to half the car and P21S to the other half and conduct a little test? Have some fun with it.

Thanks, in the past I'd read things like, "Wax X to give it depth and wax Y to give it shine!!!" but I seriously doubt my untrained eye could tell the difference! I guess I wasn't really expecting a "real" answer anyway



It's funny you suggested a 1/2 and 1/2 test - I'm doing one with Klasse right now and 6 coats on 1/2 the hood later, I find I've been wasting my time. :doh The difference is there, but it's hard to see and there's no way it'll show up on photo (which was my original goal). Probably because of my silver colour which tends to mask everything.



I think I'll get the #26 anyway to experiment, and if nothing else just so I have something more durable to use on other cars.