Even if you’re the least superficial car owner on the planet, it’s hard to deny the good feeling you get when your car has a coat of freshly applied car wax. However, if you’ve never purchased wax for your car before, you may be confused about which one to choose. Before assuming that the most expensive wax will get you the best results, it’s important to first understand the different types of wax and their advantages as well as limitations. Here are some tips for selecting the right waxing product for your car.
Choose the Right Wax for the Job
While it may be tempting to just pick up the first car wax product you see on the shelf, you need to think about the process of waxing itself. While a satisfying job for many car enthusiasts, the process of waxing a car requires elbow grease, patience and maybe even your entire weekend depending on the size of your vehicle.
The first thing to do when choosing a waxing product is to be honest about the current condition of your vehicle’s paint. If you’ve recently purchased a brand new vehicle that has maintained its finish well after the first year, a spray wax product may be all you need. While this type of wax wears out the quickest, going for a more intense wax may be overkill, as there really isn’t much you can do to improve the shine on a new vehicle beyond what it is.
If you have an older vehicle with a finish that has begun to oxidise and is otherwise looking dull or worn, you may want to look into liquid car wax. This type of wax usually proves the best in cleaning and restoring the finish on fatigued car paint.
Spot Test Before Full Application
Before fully waxing your car with any car wax product, spot test the wax first on an innocuous area of the paint, such as the paint on the inner door frame. This will give you an idea of how the finish will turn out once you’ve fully waxed your car with the selected product. This tip can also save you from committing to fully waxing your vehicle only to be disappointed with the result as a consequence of the wax you picked.
Use a Fresh Cloth
It’s likely you’ve been using the same tired old rags to clean your car with for years or even decades. Switching to fresh cloths can make a world of difference when it comes to the process of applying car wax. Older cloths will struggle to remove residue and can force you to apply more pressure on the paint than what is necessary. Micro fibre polishing pads and cloths are inexpensive and can significantly cut down the amount of time spent on the waxing process.
Make Sure Your Car is Thoroughly Washed
While this may seem obvious, beginners tend to overlook this step, and instead of giving their car a thorough clean before waxing, only give their vehicle a quick spray with some water. It’s also important that you never apply car wax to your vehicle in direct sunlight. The sun can soften the paint and make it more prone to scratching, which could render all the hard work you’ve put into waxing your car redundant.
