Car wax/polish

[Lynn Kirkpatrick]

Is there a good wax out there that doesn't turn white when it dries? I have 3 vehicles that are dark color and I never seem to clean out the seams or joints completely, ending up with some white lines that are a pain to remove.

There are a few dozen polishes out there and I would prefer not to wade through them, using trial and error.

Thanks

 

[David_Doan]

I love Mothers cleaner wax. It does turn white when it drys - I think all waxes do - But it does not stain black rubber. I try to never go near a joint or seam with a freshly load applicator, wait till it almost gone to do those areas.

 

[BigGreen]

The only waxes that leave white residue are the ones that have abrassive polish in them.
You can make two choices;
- go for a natural (Carnauba) wax with maximum gloss and durability
- take a chemical sealant. Less glossy but far easier to use without leaving white lines

More good info www.DoDoJuice.com

 

[Bayless]

I'm pretty sure I have seen Meguiars advertising a wax for dark cars on the TV.

 

[LarryK]

Pickup a small disposable brush at the hardware store, cut bristles back to half, then run along seams and openings after waxing will eliminate the problem.

 

[PC]

Which products you use is less important than how you use them.

The biggest reason for excess residue is that the vast majority of people apply waaaaaaaaaay too much wax in the first place. All that excess product has to go somewhere and a lot of it ends up in nooks and crannies.

The wax that finally adheres to the finish is microscopically thin, like molecules thin. It doesn't matter how thick you smear it on, what gets left behind after wiping it off is the same.

Everything else is just waste that you have to work to remove. Use much less in the first place and you'll get much less (or none) in the cracks and what's on the surface will wipe off much easier.

I usually remove what little wax is left in the cracks with a brush. Synthetic bristles (toothbrushes, nylon paint brushes) can scratch the paint. So I always use a quick-detailing spray to lubricate the bristles and loosen the residue if I'm using a synthetic brush. The detail spray is also good when using natural bristle brushes as they tend to be very soft and may not dislodge dried residue as well without it.

For particularly stuck residue, bamboo teriyaki skewers work really well.



pc

 

[Lynn Kirkpatrick]

Thanks for the replies.
Big Green, does carnuba not dry white? I have not used it.
Larry K, do you mean a natural bristle brush, and are you cutting them narrow to fit the gaps, or short, to be stiffer, or both?
PC, are you using detailer to lubricate synthetic bristles, or natural bristles?

I made the mistake of waiting a few days to clean up the residue, after it had hardened. I used the Turtle Wax Black detailer to soften it and tried air out of a compressed air can. It helped but the narrow joints were still a pain.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[BigGreen]

... Big Green, does carnuba not dry white? ...

As PC says; only when you use Waaaaaay to much
Its an ingredient, the pure stuff is rockhard
If you use a hard wax from a tin, applying a thin layer will be easier
Try to find a store that sells Collinite or DoDoJuice

Hans

 

[PC]

....PC, are you using detailer to lubricate synthetic bristles, or natural bristles? ...

I usually use a lubricant on both, but I always use it for synthetic bristles. They're much more likely to scratch.

Back in the day, we'd use old (soft) toothbrushes or make our own detailing brushes by taking a cheap nylon bristle paint brush, cutting down the bristles to about an inch or less in length and wrapping duct tape around the metal ferrule (to avoid any chance of metal hitting paint). Nowadays I buy detailing brushes. They're cheap enough and easily available from the places I get other detailing supplies.

But I try to use natural bristles as much as possible these days, because they're extra gentle. Of course, being softer they don't remove gunk as readily. And you can't cut them down because much of their softness comes from their naturally feathered tips.

Natural bristle paint brushes work, but they're pricey and usually a lot thicker than necessary. Pastry brushes and cosmetic brushes are usually a better choice. Again, if they have a metal ferrule, wrap them with duct tape.

If you're washing the car anyway you can just use car wash soap as a lubricant.

....I made the mistake of waiting a few days to clean up the residue, after it had hardened. I used the Turtle Wax Black detailer to soften it and tried air out of a compressed air can. It helped but the narrow joints were still a pain...

This would be a good place for teriyaki skewers.



As for product suggestions, unless somebody really wants to get "into" the whole detailing thing, I usually recommend using over-the-counter products like Meguiar's Ultimate Wax or NXT or Mothers FX. They're very easy to use. They're reasonably priced. They work very well. And they're easily available at Target, Wal-Mart or any auto parts place like Pep Boys or Autozone.



pc

 

[Anderson8100]

Owning a car is one thing but maintaining it is a totally different ball game. Most of the well-known producers are excellent . I have seen some that price into the Hundreds of dollars. Look at the professional top quality stuff and keep away from the inexpensive stuff.


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