Question on waxing

[Jfheisenberg]

I'll be hand washing my car more frequently to maintain the paint and look neat. Anyways I'm thinking on hand washing my car every other Saturday or so... My question is should i add wax every time i wash my car?

Im using meguiars car shampoo and turtle wax ice spray wax and it works/looks great btw.

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by Jfheisenberg

I'll be hand washing my car more frequently to maintain the paint and look neat. Anyways I'm thinking on hand washing my car every other Saturday or so... My question is should i add wax every time i wash my car?

Im using meguiars car shampoo and turtle wax ice spray wax and it works/looks great btw.

No unless youre stripping it off every week. I do it about once a month even that is a bit much once every two months is good tho.

[Jfheisenberg]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

No unless youre stripping it off every week. I do it about once a month even that is a bit much once every two months is good tho.

so... if i hand wash my car this week, the wax won't get removed?

[daftpunk]

Originally Posted by Jfheisenberg

so... if i hand wash my car this week, the wax won't get removed?

Nope, car soap is gentle and the typical wash will not remove the wax. If you do want to strip the wax (I.e. To try a new product, or for paint touch up) you can use dish soap to do so.

[Jfheisenberg]

Originally Posted by daftpunk

Nope, car soap is gentle and the typical wash will not remove the wax. If you do want to strip the wax (I.e. To try a new product, or for paint touch up) you can use dish soap to do so.

Awesome good to know.

Any ideas how long the wax usually last?

[vividracing]

If you use a spray wax, it won't last anywhere near as long as a liquid wax. Spray waxes are good for extending the life of an already waxed car, but it's not good in the long run because the base layer of wax breaks down, and the spray wax won't be as effective. You could spray wax it once a week or every other week after it's washed but you'll have to re-apply it.

Or you can use a liquid wax and not have to re-apply it for 2-3 months, depending on which you use. The benefit is more significant because liquid waxes have better ingredients because some of those ingredients aren't able to be put into a solution to be sprayed.

I generally follow this time table for detailing:
CLAY - every 6 months
POLISH - every 3 months, especially after clay
SEALANT - every 1-2 months, especially after clay/polish
PURE CARNAUBA - whenever, especially after clay/polish/sealant, and before car shows.

If you use a clay bar, you have to use a sealant. You don't have to use a polish or carnauba, they're more optional but finishes the look.

Polishes use abrasives to fix micro scratches and swirl marks and are mostly used for that purpose, and aren't exactly best for regular use compared to sealant/carnauba.

If you're lazy and just want the basic wax...
Sealants last longer but don't look as bright.
Carnauba doesn't last as long but looks really good.

A car wash offering wax generally uses a sealant/carnauba mix but don't have the same full properties of either type.

-RyanG

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by Jfheisenberg

so... if i hand wash my car this week, the wax won't get removed?

Yup no wax will be removed you're good using car wash soap. Wax is lost due to acid rain, the sun, and harsh chemicals. Just read the back of the label on wax most say they last at least 6 months.

[Jfheisenberg]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

Yup no wax will be removed you're good using car wash soap. Wax is lost due to acid rain, the sun, and harsh chemicals. Just read the back of the label on wax most say they last at least 6 months.

Thanks, i read the back of the bottle and it does not mentioned how long it last. Im using turtle wax ice spray wax btw.

[brandonblt2]

Originally Posted by Jfheisenberg

Thanks, i read the back of the bottle and it does not mentioned how long it last. Im using turtle wax ice spray wax btw.

I would buy some ice liquid turtle wax, the spray wax like vividracing mentioned is meant for in between waxing. I highly recommend it, leaves a nice deep shine.

[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Turtle-Wax-T-468R-ICE-Liquid/dp/B007KTINZI"]Amazon.com: Turtle Wax T-468R ICE Liquid Wax - 14 oz.: Automotive[/ame]

[Turbo95eg6]

I usually can tell if the wax is wearing down on the paint simply by just touching it. I spray wax it maybe once a month.

[ryoma]

I use a carnuba wax paste. comes with a sponge applicator to apply it, then get a microfiber cloth to wipe it off. it works well to make the car shiny and smooth, and also smells nice.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by brandonblt2

I would buy some ice liquid turtle wax, the spray wax like the vividracing mentioned is meant for in between waxing. I highly recommend it leaves a nice deep shine.

Amazon.com: Turtle Wax T-468R ICE Liquid Wax - 14 oz.: Automotive

I second this! I use the actual Ice wax every couple of months and the spray in between. The nice part is that since it is a polymer not an actual "wax" it doesn't leave all that white dust in every crack and crevasse.

[stevesnj]

Originally Posted by ryoma

I use a carnuba wax paste. comes with a sponge applicator to apply it, then get a microfiber cloth to wipe it off. it works well to make the car shiny and smooth, and also smells nice.

I tried a lot of waxes and Maguires Carnauba paste works the best. and for dusty parts over the few weeks I use the Meguiars spray detailer. This combo works good for me.

http://www.meguiars.com/en/automotiv...quik-detailer/

[Turbo95eg6]

Also I'd like to add is that one of the main reasons to wax IMO is that it keeps dirt and debris off the paint so so you don't have to wash as frequently, which over time will cause scratches/swirls on the paint. I would wait to wash at least every two weeks and use a detailer in between as mentioned above. Opticoat can be a good alternative to waxing for this reason.