How does waxing Help?

Car wax provides the much needed shine and protection to the car paint from the harmful dust which if settles and subsequently rubbed can damage the paint with scratches. With waxing dust does not settle with the body of the car and can be easily removed. Scratches do not look good on the car. Applying car wax helps in hiding the scratches under the shine of the wax. Water can initiate the process of oxidation thereby forming rust in the areas which have scratches and the body is exposed because of removal of paint from the area.

Car wax applications do not hold for a long time. One needs to apply them after a gap of every 3-4 months. This maintains the paint and protects it from scratches.

How to apply wax?

Before applying wax to the car here are a few tips which need to be followed:

• Get all the materials related to wax application namely sponge, clean cotton cloth, applicator and of course a good and reliable wax.
• Get your car washed, cleaned and dried properly.
• Purchase the wax which is non-abrasive in nature, this will protect the car paint.
• Read the details and the instructions related to applying , as provided in the wax packet.
• Get the car buffered before the application of the wax. This is generally beneficial in removing the small scratches and ensuring a smooth and uniform wax application.
• Before you start out on the process completely, apply wax to a small area on the car and check the results. If you find the desired effect which pleases you, proceed further.

Technique of waxing:

As the wax is available in the solution form, they tend to settle at the bottom of the container. It is therefore important to shake the bottle or the container so that the wax mixes well and forms a uniform solution. Start by putting a small amount of wax on the body of the car and then spread it uniformly. Sine the car tends to be dirtier at the bottom hence it is advised to start from the top , finish the upper portion of the different panels of the car before starting with the lower part of the car. Use a separate cloth for applying towards the lower part.

Applying just the right quantity of wax is essential for the right effect and great shine. If one applies lesser quantity of wax, it will not provide the correct amount of protection and will require more frequent applications. On the other hand applying large amounts and thick layer will only prove to be a wastage and the shine is not that great.

Wax is meant for the protection of the paint of the car and hence should not be applied to the glass, metal and the rubber portion of the car. These parts can get spoilt form wax application.

Waxing should not be immediately followed by buffing . One should wait for 5-10 minutes before going for buffing after the waxing process is complete. This offers the best effects and the shiny look to the car.

So knowing that the rain can easily wash away the effect of the wax in a couple of days time what needs to be done? Do you need to wax your car before you get out in the rain? What should you do to get rid of the acid content which pours down along with the rain? Leaving your car in the hands of nature can prove costly if you are living in an area where rain is very common and happens frequently.

Consider the fact that waxing frequently could be taxing both in terms of money and time. Waxes require time to settle down. There are synthetics which were mixed with the waxes at the time of the application to provide it that extra longevity. However, any of these forms of waxes require some time to bond with the paint to provide the desired long lasting effect.

If you live in the areas which witness frequent raining or even during the rainy season you want to continue with the waxing of the car here is how to proceed. Apply wax on different sections of the car. If you have ever visited a car repair shop you must have noticed that the car mechanics use the term panels. Actually your car is made of different panels which when attached together in the body of the car. It is therefore advised to select and plan the wax application on different panels and applying them on different days. This allows the wax to settle down properly on the different panels well and within a day or two your car will be completely ready.

Precautions while Waxing for maximum effect

• Drying the surface of the car is of prime importance. Use of chamois leather for the drying can be very helpful. One can also use the leaf blower so as to ensure that the perfect drying effect is possible.
• Applying wax into sections or panels of the car will result in the perfect application.
• Letting the wax settle down of cure before exposing the car to rain can have a better long lasting effect.
• In spite of using traditional waxes it is better to use synthetic waxes . These are made keeping weather into consideration. Synthetic waxes are obtained and manufactured in a way to stand the effects of weather of particular areas or locations.
• If you live in an area or location which witnesses the fury of nature frequently , it is better to use waxing every week. Protect you car panels separately every week to have the best protection from rough weather. Panel waxing allows maximum attention to each panel and hence allows you to make the necessary corrections to the  panels as and when required. When one takes to waxing the whole car every time you tend to miss on the different panels which are mostly on the back, roof areas.

Water is the greatest enemy of waxing. Ensure that the car is completely free from any sort of dampening while you go for the waxing.

However, a car is very similar to a human body. It has its different components which work in tandem to provide the best service. However, each of the car body parts requires regular care and maintenance and not doing so could result in a situation much similar to our body which falls ill and could not perform to the desired limits.

Car waxing is used to protect the body paint and the shine of the car. This needs to be repeated throughout the year for best results. Here is an illustration of how the care should be taken in the different seasons.

The temperature makes a difference in getting the desired result of waxing. Summers are preferred for waxing as the desired temperature for good effect can be easily attained while the same becomes difficult during the other seasons.

Once the winter season is over , people generally find their cars having lost the shine and hence immediately as the summer season sets in they go for the waxing of their cars. However, winter season is generally tough for the cars too. Snow can have bad impact on the paint. Therefore getting the waxing done during the season can help the car maintain its looks and shine during winter.

Lets look at the effect of temperature and how it affects waxing during different seasons.

What is the right temperature for waxing during summer?

Summer seems to be the most favorable and likeable season for waxing. Most of the people prefer getting their car waxed during summers. This is also owing to the fact that dry weather conditions allow the wax to dry fully. There are certain precautions which should be taken during the summers while waxing:

• Do not go for waxing if the day  temperature is above 80 degrees.
• Avoid placing your car directly in sun in extreme temperatures while waxing.
• Get the car waxed during the evenings as it allows the wax to dry up completely during the night and be ready for the use the next morning.
• Use the best quality of wax during he dry weather.

Winter car waxing

Winter time is marked by snow and rains sometimes. Frost can have a very bad effect on the paint. Moisture can result in rusting which will slowly eat up the car body parts. It is thus essential to maintain the car well during winters. Let’s look at some of the precautions during winter:

• Waxing should be done between temperatures ranging from 60-80 degrees.
• Before the wax application makes sure that the body parts are dry and free from moisture.
• Apply wax in small circular fashion.
• Post application of the wax during winters, place your car in the sun for some time.
• Apply the buffing technique one you are sure that the wax has dried completely.

The wax will not dry up in the normal process and will require one to get wax dry by allowing it some time.

Generally when the buffer machine is used it covers the areas which are scratched and minimizes the scratch effect. While using the buffing machine one should take great care of the amount of rubbing compound they are using.

Rubbing compound basically consists of fine particles of sand mixed with wax. On rubbing it on the paint it spreads the paint in the scratched area and simultaneously polishes it so that providing a uniformity in the area. So if one applies more of the rubbing compound it can ruin the paint of the car.

Another important aspect during buffing is the pressure applied in the process. The pressure applied on the body of the car needs to be just right. Low pressure will not provide good results and lead to uneven distribution of wax. While the extra pressure can lead to the ruining of the paint.

What is the relevance of using the clear coat wax?

Clear coat wax provides a clear sealing of the paint. It has a great effect as it delivers great shine to the car. This does not have a reverse effect on the paint of the car. Traditional Carnauba waxes which have always been very popular till few days ago often disrupts the paint of the car. Clear coat waxes provide a great effect and further enhance the shine of the car.

Do black cars require any specific car wax?

Whether to use a synthetic wax, carnauba or a black colored wax will depend on your choice.

The black color wax will be apt for the black cars. If you have scratches or swirls on your car then the wax will cover up all of these. Actually the wax has pigments in it which fill up the gaps in the paint due to scratches and swirls and provide a smooth shiny finish.

The other important factor is the time you can devote to waxing. If you have plenty of time with you , go for the carnauba wax which is a natural wax content and provides great finish. However, if you are less on time it is preferable to go for the synthetic waxes which provide instant shine to the car.

Are the two same – car wax and polish?

Car wax is best to use if the car has no scratches and swirls. The wax can provide a great finish and looks . One needs to take care that the wax is applied uniformly, at the right temperature and the buffing is done properly so as to get the best results.

Car polish on the other hand is kind of a repairing of the car’s paint. Generally carries with scratches, swirls or water sports are treated using the car polish. The fine particles present in the rubbing compound set them in place of the damaged area and offer a smooth lustrous finish on buffing.

In the excerpt below we compare the different features of the waxes.

Sometimes it happens that the car encounters minor accidents resulting in scratches which do not look good. For these minor paint jobs if one approaches the painting experts they might come up with a solution to repaint the entire panel and hence calls for a lot of money. There are car waxes available which are suited to cover these small paint jobs. These waxes are made of specific hues which are prepared keeping in view the paint of the different cars so that they can match them properly. One can offset these paint jobs and do them at their home too.

Car wax applications are good for older cars. As the car ages, the color of the car becomes dull. Getting waxing done givers new life to the cars and they look vibrant. Car waxes help restore the lost shine of the car and the aftereffect of waxing can actually drive you crazy, loving your car all over again.

How often should waxing be done?

Weather conditions of the locations where you live and use the car actually decide the frequency of the waxing. If you are living in the zone which has maximum sunlight you’re your car is exposed to the same most of the time, you should get the waxing done frequently so as to keep the car color intact. Also extreme winter, snowfall , frost can have a  bad effect on the paint and one should get it done frequently there too.

Let’s look at some of the common car waxes which are used by the customers frequently.

One of the waxes which are most acclaimed, reliable, offers great results and is easy to apply and use in the Carnauba Wax. It is one of the oldest car waxes used by the car enthusiast for a long time now. It is a natural wax made from plants and it comes as a paste. It does not last for a very long time and one needs to get it redone after every 8-10 weeks.

Merger offers a range of products in car care. These are made by doing a proper mix of carnauba wax and the synthetic wax. This wax is more durable as compared to the carnauba wax and offers great effect. This is one of the best car waxes for the cars with darker shades.

The turtle is another brand which offers car care products. It offers a range of car waxes which are very popular amongst  the users. These are durable offer great effect and can be easily applied, removed and reapplied. These are priced reasonably and hence are often in great demand.

In order to provide great protection against the UV rays and sunlight , a range of products have been offered by the brand named SynWax. These are pretty popular amongst the car enthusiasts.

Hand Buffing

Hand buffing requires a lot of effort and time. Here are some of the ways to effectively do the hand buffing of car wax:

• Always start from the top and gradually move downwards.
• Left to right movement is required when you are dealing on the lateral portions.
• Select the panel technique. Select separate panels and complete their buffering separately. You can affix time for the same.
• One you have completed all the panels do a complete car buffing for the uniformity.
• Hand buffing often lacks uniformity. When you start the buffing process you are fully charged and apply great force and energy. However, as the time passes you get tired and the buffing gets affected. Thus you get different shining effect as a result of hand buffing.
• Take care of some of the equipments and the working tools you require. Make sure that you have 2-3 pieces of sponge with you. Ensure they are of high quality and their corners are smooth else they will create scratches on the car body. Use a waxing brush which is the best and most acclaimed. One can use separate pieces of clothes and do the buffing in several rounds using these  clothes for better effect.

Electronic buffers:

These are tools which consist of a round or oval plastic or metal piece mounted on an electric motor. The speed of the buffer can be controlled using the regulator. The oval piece is covered with the appropriate clothing .These oval materials have a basic coating of sponge on them and we wrap a piece of cotton cloth on them while doing the buffing.

The advantages of the electronic buffing are mainly:

• Electric buffers are easy to use. They require less time and effort to complete the work.
• Electric buffers do not get tired like the humans and hence the buffing has a uniformity .
• These can be used to conveniently do the waxing for the bigger vehicles too.
• Pressure application is calculated and appropriate in all the places on the car body using the electric buffers. There are many buffers which also display the pressure being applied while buffing and hence both the pressure and the speed of the buffing process can be regulated or controlled using electric buffers.

One needs to perform a simple test referred to as the bead test. Splash some water on the car body . If water beads are formed within the ½’’ diameter of the body of the car you need not get the car re-waxed; however, if the case is not the same you will need to get the car re-waxed.

Delaying in the waxing of the car can be harmful to the car’s body paint preservation effort and may cost you more after a gap period.

What should be the frequency of the waxing largely depends on the way and place you live in. If you are using the car in the harsh conditions you will need to get the waxing done every three months. Defying the belief that winter or cold conditions are better for the car, car waxing experts recommend that the cars should be more frequently waxed if they are being used in the colder regions of the world.

Each car is different and nowadays there are many car manufacturers build cars which are already being coated with Teflon which is a plastic like coating which offers the desired protection to the cars for longer periods.

However, there are synthetic car waxes that have come up in the market providing great results and which last for much longer periods. It must be noted that cars which are waxed after fixed intervals to maintain their shine for much longer periods against the ones which are waxed infrequently.

Let’s look at some of the tips for car waxing:

• Ensure that your car is clean and dry before you go for the waxing. This will give great results.
• Use your hand to check the car for any rough patches or dirt or greasy spots even after the cleaning has been completed. This will help you clean such spots with a non – abrasive material giving a completely smooth to the car ready for waxing.
• Always use clean clothes in the process of waxing. Used clothes may contain certain hard particles which might have been left on the cloth while waxing and hence can harm the car while the buffing or waxing is done using these clothes.
• Wax should be allowed to dry in a cool place for some time and it is only after that the buffing should be done to remove the wax.
• If you apply too much wax on the car it is not going to give great results but will last the same amount of time. The only thing that will happen is that you will lose extra money.

Post the waxing period you need to run your hand on the surface of the car to find out any problem areas. If you find any you should mist the area using a mixture of distilled water and the isopropyl alcohol to clean the area. Repeat the waxing process in those specific areas to ensure that you get the right finish after the long waxing process and before you give a completion certificate to the process.

Knowing how to do car waxing is an essential part to get the desired results. There are different buffers available in the market when we talk of the electric buffers.

Electric buffers make the work of car waxing a lot simpler and effective provided one knows how to use the buffers, what type of buffers will be appropriate for different cars and get the best result using them. Even if you get the best of the equipment and the related materials but do not do it correctly or get somebody to complete those who does not have the desired skills .

Whether you get the random orbital buffers or the power buffers, you need to know how to use them correctly to get the best results. Power buffers are useful and give the best results when used on the vehicles having flat panels and large ones. Smaller vehicles generally tend to have many cracks and designs having lots of undulations and patterns on the panels. For such vehicles one needs to do the waxing buffer using a combination of the electric buffer and the hand buffing technique.

There are some of the simple ways to get the best buffing effect:

• Always work in the shade. Wax exposed to the sun can melt earlier and make buffing difficult. However, it might spoil the entire waxing process. So ensure that you do waxing in the shade and allow the car to stay in the same place for some time before it dries up properly.
• Always wash the car and dry it properly before applying wax. One should use the car shampoo for cleaning the car. Soaps generally have some insoluble particles which can settle down on the car making it difficult at the time of waxing or can do harm to the paint.
• Applying wax to the vehicle properly and uniformly is the key to better effects. Apply the wax on the buffer pad. Keeping the motor non-functional apply the wax on the entire surface of the car slowly. Once you have done this, switch on the applicator pad by setting on the lowest speed and apply the wax uniformly on the body of the car. This is just to spread the wax uniformly in the body of the car hence do not apply any pressure at all. Whether you have completed the process correctly can be gauged from the fact that the car looks hazy.
• Once you are through with this, remove the applicator cloth and replace it with the wax buffer cloth which is actually used to remove the wax. Apply smooth strokes while buffing. Do not put too much pressure. Do not use circular motions or any specific motion rather make slow movements of the buffer to get the best results?

How does car waxing a car help?  Waxing a car regularly can help it look brand new for many years to come.

We bring to you the details regarding the points of difference between the two.

Let us begin by understanding what is wax and why or how does it help the car ?

Wax is basically a natural product obtained from different sources. Some of the popular sources are plants, vegetables, insects and animals. However, wax possess a unique property wherein they are found to be insoluble in water and this is the property amongst several others which makes it ideal for use in protecting the car. Let’s look at some of the other properties of the wax:

• Waxes generally have very high melting points close to 80-89 degrees and hence they will not melt when the car is exposed to direct sunlight for longer periods when out or when not parked in the shade. This quality of the wax makes it ideal for the protection of the car exteriors.
• Natural waxes like carnauba are generally very hard and are mixed with several solvents, colorants and silicone fluids make it softer and appropriate for the application.

Waxing generally serves a dual purpose. They are used as a smoothing agent for providing a smooth finish to your car exteriors. Secondly they also do the filling work of the gaps and small scratches thereby preventing the paint from getting diminished in the long run.

However, before the waxing process one should check for any rusting on the body of the car. If you find any get it treated first because it will otherwise affect the waxing process and the effectiveness.

Recently companies have come up with a new range of car care products which includes the synthetic wax. These are products which are a mixture of several other ingredients and are made to provide a similar effect as the natural wax in much lesser time and requires lesser care too.

Now is the time to look at the features, properties and the usage of car polish.

Car polish basically flattens and provides uniformity for the fine top coat protection of the car paint, thereby allowing better light reflection and hence a better shining effect. They generally use abrasive action and come in various degree of abrasiveness to be used on different varieties of cars with different problems.

Polish works differently. Diminishing abrasives are what the modern polishes are made up of. These generally diminish on the application and the particles mix with body paint providing it a glossy look.

Polishing has a great look to the car. However, protection to the same is not provide under polishing and one has to look for another option to protect the polish.

This is where, Waxing or the modern synthetic waxes also known as the sealant come into the picture. These form a thin protective layer on the polish thereby retaining the glossy look for months.