The content of the article:
- Types of car waxes
- Criterias of choice
- What determines the durability of the wax
- Top 10 car waxes
Many ambitious car owners want their cars not only to look solid and rich, but to literally sparkle. The most acceptable way to achieve this effect is to treat the surface of the car with a special wax.
This material protects the paintwork from ultraviolet rays, moisture, minor mechanical damage. Another thing is that due to the wrongly selected products, the end result sometimes leaves much to be desired. How to determine which wax is preferable in a particular situation will be discussed below.
Types of car waxes
Polymer car waxes differ from each other in composition, method of application, brands. As a result, the result is different. Therefore, when choosing a car wax, one should proceed from the task at hand, and also study not only the reviews, but also the main characteristics of the desired product. After all, different types of wax have their own characteristics, positive and not only.
By composition, automotive waxes can be divided into two categories:
- natural;
- synthetic.
Natural ones include, for example, those that contain carnauba wax - the hardest and most refractory wax of natural origin. It is noteworthy that this component allows you to keep the applied film at temperatures up to 91 degrees. Carnauba wax is completely non-toxic and safe, thanks to which they polish not only cars, but also apples on display cases.
The composition of the same synthetic wax includes various artificial components. By the way, they are not always friendly to the surface of the body and may subsequently fade. But the indisputable advantage of these substances is the long service life of the film they create.
According to the method of application, waxes are divided into 4 types:
- liquid;
- solid;
- hot;
- shampoo wax.
As for liquid or, as they are also called, fast waxes, they are based on synthetic substances. The ease of application to the surface to be treated makes these products the most popular of all wax types.
Typically, liquid waxes come as a trigger with a hand spray. They are applied to a thoroughly washed and dried paintwork, and then polished with microfiber or other suitable material. However, some liquid waxes are used on a damp body finish.
Hard waxes can be identified as polishing pastes. It is this type of composition that most often has a natural base in the form of carnauba wax.
The natural origin of the components determines their durability, but this quality is also largely determined by the brand. On the body coat, hard waxes are applied with an applicator sponge, usually supplied with them.
To prevent the wax from sticking to the sponge and create an even layer, it is pre-soaked with water and wrung out. It is worth noting that the purpose of hard waxes is not limited to giving the car a shine - some of them are used to restore paintwork, like anti-scratches.
Hot wax usually includes shampoo and polish. A product of this type both cleans and protects the paintwork, and before use it should be dissolved in hot water, hence the name. Well, the body is treated with the resulting substance.
Car wax shampoo, as a rule, also needs to be dissolved in water. In this case, you should find out the required degree of dilution of the product, as well as the temperature of the water. Surely you can find this information in the instructions for use.
Criterias of choice
One of the main features that matter when choosing an auto wax is its type: natural or synthetic. To achieve aesthetic goals, natural wax is more suitable, giving the car a more beautiful and intense shine. However, the disadvantage of such a product is its fragility. It is not very durable and does not protect the paint and varnish surface so much.
Synthetic waxes differ from natural waxes in durability and good protective properties, especially in terms of ultraviolet radiation. As for the radiance, it turns out not as impressive as from natural formulations.
So it's quite difficult to say unequivocally which car wax is the best, since each type of this product has its own advantages and disadvantages. In particular, liquid waxes are most popular with those who frequently bathe their car at car washes. And you can apply this wax to the car yourself.
Similar manipulations with solid car wax will take much more time and energy. In addition to this, a separate room or shed will be required so that direct sunlight or liquid does not fall on the surface to be improved.
But in terms of giving a visual effect to the car, hard wax has no equal among similar products. But he holds up less.
Waxes with the addition of shampoo, as well as hot waxes are perfect for those who usually wash their car on their own. Moreover, for the best result, some car owners first use wax shampoo, and then - solid. Thus, the first composition brings cleanliness and lays the foundation, but hard wax completes the job.
It should be noted that both products used in such a system must be based on the same type of wax. Therefore, it is worthwhile to first familiarize yourself with their compositions indicated on the packages.
The combined use of shampoo and hard wax is advisable, for example, when preparing a car for sale. After applying them, the machine will look great, but this gloss is unlikely to last long.
The next criterion used when choosing an auto wax is the ratio of the package volume to its price. An important role here is played by the frequency of applying a new layer of wax instead of the erased one. Liquid wax is bought more often than analogues due to the fact that it is more durable, easy to apply, and one bottle is enough for several car waxing sessions.
The color of the vehicle also matters. In particular, special formulations are sold for white and black cars, which is indicated in their name. Green, blue and red waxes can also be found if desired. Thus, you need to choose the product that best matches the color of the car.
What determines the durability of the wax
The packaging of most modern automotive waxes contains information about how many car washes a particular composition can withstand. However, in reality, the result may be different. And one of the reasons for this is the difference in the hardness of the water used.
This parameter is determined by the place of use of the vehicle. With soft water and wax will last longer. And if hard water was used before using it or during this process, then the life of the film may not be so long.
Similar conclusions take place in a situation where the concentration of substances in the air that corrodes the paintwork of the car is high. Such conditions can be when the car owner lives near the sea or some industrial facilities that pollute the atmosphere with substances that can harm not only the car, but also the driver. So the more active substances in the air, the shorter the duration of the applied wax will be.
The service life of the wax layer is not least influenced by the quality of preparation of the paintwork of the machine. First of all, the car should be washed, and it is better to do this at the car wash using special brushes. For self-cleaning of the car from dirt in microcracks, special plasticine is used.At car washes, this service is optional.
It would also be nice to clean the paint and varnish coating of grease and silicone using the means intended for this. And although plasticine and degreaser are not mandatory attributes, their use will make it possible to save on the purchase of new auto waxes, since in this case the applied composition will last a longer time.
Top 10 car waxes
The assortment of auto waxes is quite diverse, and at the same time new products enter the market every now and then. And yet, some formulations have gained particular customer loyalty due to their quality, ease of use and adequate cost:
- Doctor Wax. This product is worthy of the title of one of the best solid auto waxes.
- MOTHERS California Gold Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Wax is a creamy wax, marketed by the manufacturer as "2 in 1". Probably, this means cleaning and protecting the paintwork of the car.
- XADO Red Penguin is a hot car wax, one of the leaders in this class.
- TURTLE WAX Color Magic black is a good liquid car wax.
- Plak ATAS Hydrorep is another liquid composition, very high quality and not very expensive.
- Runway is a high speed wax polish.
- ABRO LW-811 is a liquid car wax. It can be applied both on metal surfaces of cars, boats, motorcycles, and on tiles.
- Sonax NanoPro is a wax polish in the form of a cream.
- Sapfire Green Line is a fast car wax.
- NOWAX Ventura Waterless Wax is another good liquid car wax.
Conclusion
The choice of a particular brand of wax largely depends on the tasks that the car owner sets for himself. Often two types of this product are used for the best effect.
The use of wax is especially desirable when the car is new or freshly painted. This will greatly increase the durability of the paintwork, and with the right approach, will give the car a brilliant shine.
