How to wax your car properly and the tools you need to do it

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How to wax your car properly and the tools you need to do it

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Waxing a car

  • Most people don’t wax their cars because they don’t have the patience it requires.
  • When done correctly, waxing your car is the best way to protect your paint from UV damage, swirl marks, and chipping. It’ll also give your car a shiny finish.
  • Paste wax is the most effective and lasts the longest, but it also takes the most effort to apply. Liquid wax is easier to apply and lasts a while, but it can be easy to apply too much. Spray wax is by far the easiest to apply, but it doesn’t last very long.
  • Based on my personal experience, I recommend Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell for paste wax, Zymöl Cleaner Wax for liquid wax, and Mothers California Gold for spray wax.
  • While I’ve used all three types of waxes, I personally prefer liquid wax because it takes less time and effort to apply than paste wax, while still lasting much longer than spray wax.

While most people have some level of appreciation for their cars, very few go beyond a car wash and maybe some new air fresheners to show that they care. One of the most effective ways to preserve your car’s factory finish is to regularly apply a coat of wax. It’ll protect the paint from UV damage, swirl marks, and paint chips.

Even with those undeniable benefits, the average person rarely (if ever) does it — and the very few who do wax, are probably doing it wrong. We’ve all seen the famous scene from "The Karate Kid" when Mr. Miyagi made Daniel wax a car to learn the value of hard work, but you’ll need to know a little bit more than the "wax on, wax off" mantra in order to do it successfully.

As a car enthusiast, I’ve used all different kinds of waxes including pastes, liquids, and sprays. So, to help you make your car shine like new, I’ve explained the pros and cons of each wax type, my personal recommendations, and a step-by-step guide on how to properly wax your car. 

Here’s everything you need to wax a car:

Keep scrolling to learn how to wax a car.

The differences between paste, liquid, and spray waxes

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First, let me start by saying that waxing a car can be a very tedious job, but the results are usually worth it. When choosing a wax, you’ll want to take into account your level of patience, how much time you have to spend on waxing, and your expectations for the results. 

While there are plenty of different kinds of waxes, they’re generally broken down into three categories: paste, liquid, and spray waxes. Paste wax is usually the most effective and lasts the longest on your car and in the can. Since it’s a paste, you’ll waste far less of it. A single container of wax should be enough to last a pretty long time. The only downside to paste wax is that it takes much longer to apply since it must be applied to an applicator pad before it can be put on the car.

Liquid wax, on the other hand, goes on a lot easier. You can squeeze it directly on to the surface of your car or onto an applicator pad and start waxing. Naturally, it’s not as concentrated as solid paste wax, so it may not last as long.  However, you can find convenience and longevity in liquid wax by choosing a highly-rated brand. The downside to liquid wax is that it can be too easy to apply. If you’re too liberal with the wax, you’ll end up with a lot of caked on residue and not that shiny finish you were going for.

Lastly, spray waxes are the easiest to apply because, well, they just spray on. While they’ll save you hours of tedious labor, you shouldn’t expect the results to last for weeks or months on end. Spray waxes are mostly water so they won’t last nearly as long as a solid paste wax or a highly-rated liquid wax.

With all of that said, I personally prefer liquid wax because you can find a good middle ground between convenience and effectiveness. 

How to use a paste or liquid wax

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What you’ll need: Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Paste Wax ($6.79) or Zymöl Liquid Cleaner Wax ($25.55) and Viking Car Care Microfiber Applicator Pads ($4.99)

The only difference in the process of using a paste wax or a liquid wax is getting it on the pad. If you’re using paste wax, you’ll need to work the wax on to the applicator pad in a circular motion and then onto to the car. If you’re using liquid wax, you can apply it directly to the car or onto the applicator pad.

For those who want to use paste wax, I recommend Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Paste Wax because it’s cheap, it comes with an applicator pad, it’s highly rated on Amazon, and it’s given me pretty good results in the past.

If you’d rather use liquid wax, I strongly recommend Zymöl Cleaner Wax. For as long as I can remember, my dad (who is single-handedly responsible for my current car obsession) has used it on his cars, and I’ve used it on my own cars since getting my license at 17 — always with great results. And with a 4.7-out-of-5-star rating on Amazon, others seem to stand behind it, too. It’s definitely more expensive than most other waxes but, with it’s worth the money.

1. Wash your car. The very first step to waxing your car is washing your car since it doesn’t make sense to shine up a ride that’s covered in dirt, pollen, and bird poop. Make sure it’s dry before you begin waxing.

2. Find some shade. It’s always recommended to wax your car out of the direct sunlight because the sun will quickly dry out the wax as you’re applying it. Plus, you’ll be a lot more comfortable in the shade if it’s hot outside. 

3. Create a thin layer of wax on the surface of the car by working in a circular motion. Avoid applying wax to your headlights, windows, and plastic trim pieces. You might feel inclined to add a lot more wax to make the application process quicker, but don’t. If you add too much wax, it won’t dry properly, you’ll end up with a lot of residue, and you may have to re-wash your car to get rid of it.

4. Let the wax dry, then buff it off in a circular motion with a microfiber towel. By the time you finish waxing, the first section you waxed should be dry and ready to buff off. You’ll know it’s ready to be buffed off when the wax has a matte, chalky appearance. Once you’ve fully buffed it off, your paint will have a nice finish with lots of shine and luster. It should look something like this before buffing off.

The process is tedious, but breaking the job down into sections can make it easier to accomplish. Do the hood, fenders, doors, quarters, trunk, and other panels in some sort of order to ensure you don’t miss a spot. And if you need a little motivation to continue along the way, buff off a small portion of wax to reveal the final results. For me, that’s usually enough to drive me to get the entire car to look just as good.

Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell 9.5 ounce Paste Wax, $6.79, available on Amazon

Zymöl 20 ounce Cleaner Wax, $25.55, available on Amazon

Viking Car Care Microfiber Applicator Pads, $4.99, available on Amazon

House Again 5 Microfiber cloth set, $8.99, available on Amazon

How to use a spray wax

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What you’ll need: Mothers California Gold Spray Wax ($6.99) and House Again 5 Microfiber cloth set ($8.99)

Spray wax is less effective than paste or liquid wax, thus serving a different purpose. It should be used as a quick touch up product or a supplementary product. It’s best used when your car is already in pretty good condition and just needs some extra shine and protection after a car wash. If your paint is severely sun faded and dried out, you shouldn’t expect any spray wax to work wonders. However, I’ve found that Mothers California Gold Carnauba Spray Wax is the best. 

1. Wash your car. Just like using paste or liquid wax, you need to make sure your car is clean before applying it. The only difference here is that you can apply it to a wet car since the spray itself is also water-based.

2. Spray it on the surface of your car. You don’t have to carefully avoid certain pieces as you would with a different wax, but at the same time, there’s no sense in using it on parts that don’t need wax (windows, headlights, tail lights, plastic trim, etc.).

3. Wipe off and buff the car with a microfiber towel. And just like that, you’re done. As simple as this process is, you can’t expect the results to be as long-lasting. I typically like to use a spray wax right before a car meet or photo shoot because it’s quick and super easy. 

Now that you know exactly how to wax your car, pick up all the products you need on Amazon and dedicate a few hours this weekend to making your car look better than ever before.

Mothers California Gold Spray Wax, $6.99, available on Amazon

House Again 5 Microfiber cloth set, $8.99, available on Amazon

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Source: Business Insider – aismael@businessinsider.com (Amir Ismael)

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