How often should a car be waxed?

[lasercobra]

On average, despite location, how often should a car be waxed?
Every wash?
Every other wash?

I ask because I usually wax after every wash but we just had our first kid and time is a valuable thing now- so just washing the car is a plus. The paint is still smooth and I can feel a little wax on there but it doesn't feel the same as when I just waxed her.

Anyone ever wax the day after a wash?

 

[Scott P]

I "wax" my car every few months. I will use a quick detail spray after I wash the car. This restores the slickness and the pop to your finish.

 

[trance_in_miami]

Lasercobra... try using the Optimum spray wax after every wash, it will be 5X's faster & save you time.. but i honestyl think waxing 3-5 times a year is enough for any car.

 

[XCELR8]

I use Meguiars Quik Wax or Detailer after everytime I wash the car. I wax or seal the finish about once every 2 months.

 

[lasercobra]

Any issues getting the spray on trim and/or windows or do you spray on a rag and then apply?

Thanks for the pointers guys. I can't stand a dirty car.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder + 5 week old baby means LaserCobra is one tired guy...


BTW- XCELR8,

Nice numbers on the Mach. I really love those cars! :beer:

 

[trance_in_miami]

never use a rag on your paint.. ONLY microfiber towels. & yeah no problems if it gets on your trim or windws.. In fact some even spray on their windows... it just like using a QD but with less product. .. Just make sure you keep turning the towel.

 

[99ShinodaCobra]

Doesn't really matter... each time you wax you remove the previous layer....

 

[XCELR8]

Any issues getting the spray on trim and/or windows or do you spray on a rag and then apply?

Thanks for the pointers guys. I can't stand a dirty car.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder + 5 week old baby means LaserCobra is one tired guy...


BTW- XCELR8,

Nice numbers on the Mach. I really love those cars! :beer:

Thanks man! :burnout:

When I use a spray wax, I spray the wax directly onto a microfiber to avoid overspray from getting on to freshly waxed sections or places I don't want wax. Also, for textured plastic, (ie cowel, mirrors) I'd keep wax clear from that. Quik Detailer wouldn't hurt it much, but anything thicker is bound to leave a nasty whitish haze on the plastic that is difficult to remove. I can't stand a dirty car either!

 

[lasercobra]

Doesn't really matter... each time you wax you remove the previous layer....

Why do most people do multiple coats then? Is it to make sure they were thorough and got everything covered? I always thought the more coats the better...

When I use a spray wax, I spray the wax directly onto a microfiber to avoid overspray from getting on to freshly waxed sections or places I don't want wax. Also, for textured plastic, (ie cowel, mirrors) I'd keep wax clear from that. Quik Detailer wouldn't hurt it much, but anything thicker is bound to leave a nasty whitish haze on the plastic that is difficult to remove. I can't stand a dirty car either!

I HATE it when wax gets on the plastic. If I'm doing a deep detail I'll mask off certain parts of the car with painters tape (light adhesive)

 

[Glfbaluhwakrguy]

Doesn't really matter... each time you wax you remove the previous layer....

I may be wrong here, and i'm not challenging you, but hopefully someone else will chime in! I thought that a normal carnuba wax does not remove the old wax. The only waxes that I thought did that were ones with cleaners in them, or your polishes and compounds do the same thing. Someone help me out here!

 

[Scott P]

Doesn't really matter... each time you wax you remove the previous layer....

It depends on thewax or sealant that you are using. Cleaner waxes will remove previous layers. Waxes without cleaners will remove only slight amounts (due to solvents used to soften the brick hard pure carnauba) of the previous layer. The same can be said for some sealants.

 

[pj_rage]

It completely depends on what wax you use.

Crappy wax like Meg's NXT lasted (for me) about 3 weeks. So, if you wash every 10 days, then yes, every other wash you should be waxing.

If you use a quality wax, you could go as long as 5 months without trouble. EX topped with Natty's blue lasted me 5 months + without a single booster...

 

[lasercobra]

It completely depends on what wax you use.

Crappy wax like Meg's NXT lasted (for me) about 3 weeks. So, if you wash every 10 days, then yes, every other wash you should be waxing.

If you use a quality wax, you could go as long as 5 months without trouble. EX topped with Natty's blue lasted me 5 months + without a single booster...

'EX' ? :read:

I'm not all up on some cleaning stuff so you'll have to break it down for me.

 

[pj_rage]

Sorry, that was Poorboy's EX sealant and Poorboy's Natty's Blue paste wax.

 

[XCELR8]

It completely depends on what wax you use.

Crappy wax like Meg's NXT lasted (for me) about 3 weeks. So, if you wash every 10 days, then yes, every other wash you should be waxing.

If you use a quality wax, you could go as long as 5 months without trouble. EX topped with Natty's blue lasted me 5 months + without a single booster...

It doesn't matter how durable the wax is anyways... Elements will build up on the layer of exhisting wax and the only way to remove them, is with another coat of wax. A wax that last 5 months is stupid in my opinion. Sure, that coat of wax is protecting the finish, but it's still going to have all the contaminents sitting on top of the wax dulling the gloss and making a rough texture.

 

[Glfbaluhwakrguy]

It depends on thewax or sealant that you are using. Cleaner waxes will remove previous layers. Waxes without cleaners will remove only slight amounts (due to solvents used to soften the brick hard pure carnauba) of the previous layer. The same can be said for some sealants.

That is more along the lines of what I was thinking. :beer: Thanks for the input!

 

[pj_rage]

It doesn't matter how durable the wax is anyways... Elements will build up on the layer of exhisting wax and the only way to remove them, is with another coat of wax. A wax that last 5 months is stupid in my opinion. Sure, that coat of wax is protecting the finish, but it's still going to have all the contaminents sitting on top of the wax dulling the gloss and making a rough texture.

I beg to differ. Routine washing and QDing left the finish smooth and spectacular for all 5 months. I recently clayed it and there was only a very small amount of contaminent to remove.

 

[trance_in_miami]

It doesn't matter how durable the wax is anyways... Elements will build up on the layer of exhisting wax and the only way to remove them, is with another coat of wax. A wax that last 5 months is stupid in my opinion. Sure, that coat of wax is protecting the finish, but it's still going to have all the contaminents sitting on top of the wax dulling the gloss and making a rough texture.

:lol: I think five months is awesome not stupid. & yeah youre a bit right Some & i mean VERY FEW contaminents will appear simply becasue your paint surface is porus. If you QD & wash it & have a sealant & wax on it .. you will only have a lttile bit of enviromental crap on your paint. Just like Pj_rage stated he had few contaminents when he clayed :bored:

 

[NasteeNate]

I thought a wax coat last every 6 weeks....

 

[XCELR8]

:lol: I think five months is awesome not stupid. & yeah youre a bit right Some & i mean VERY FEW contaminents will appear simply becasue your paint surface is porus. If you QD & wash it & have a sealant & wax on it .. you will only have a lttile bit of enviromental crap on your paint. Just like Pj_rage stated he had few contaminents when he clayed :bored:

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