Waxes 101: Types of Waxes & Their Uses

FricFrac

Has anyone else tried the Turtle Ice yet

PrObLy

I bought the Turtle Ice clay bar and the "liquid polish" (which I don't believe is a polish, but rather a liquid wax or sealant) since they were on sale B1G1 at Pep Boys.

I bought them for my daily driver, a '94 Buick Regal GS coupe (hey, don't call it a beater!) because it has a lot of rubber molding and plastic trim. The ICE product is supposed to not leave any white residue or crud on the plastic and rubber.

The clay bar system worked well...it came with a "liquid clay" to treat your car with before actually claying. This removes any sap, tar, bugs, etc. And then the usual 100g clay bar and lubricant.

The liquid polish/wax/whatever was extremely easy to apply...and it barely took any to cover the car. I'd say there's enough in the bottle for 15+ coatings. True to their word, it left zero residue on the plastics and rubbers and the wax buffed off the rest of the car with ease.

The finished product looked nice. Not mind blowing nor ultra wet...but certainly much better than it had looked prior to the application. As for durability...my car is parked outside all the time and subjected to the always changing Chicago climate. After two weeks, I gave her a wash. The water didn't bead off quite as well as I was hoping, but the car still washed up extremely well and maintained a very nice shine when dried.

I'd definitely recommend the ICE for a daily driver or a car with a lot of rubber and plastic trim. It was extremely easy and quick to apply; however, I don't think I'll be using it on my Z.

dlmartin81

How does one remove Carnuba wax?

LiquidZ

Unscented liquid dawn dish soap.

Zaino mentions it in their instructions.

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k20z3

I like Carnuba, I don't know why, but I use Mothers Gold

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Alexus

Many people like carnauba on black and red. It has amazing depth! Just make sure your car doesn't sit immobile in the sun for long periods of time; the wax will yellow. Also, carnauba-based waxes don't last very long.

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nogoodname

dish soap and detergent removes everything...that's why it's really bad to use that regularly................i have no paint left on one car....lol

Alexus

Now I wouldn't go as far as saying that dishwashing liquid will go as far as removing the paint from your car but it will definitely, in the long run, dull the finish of your paint – or so they say. It's just one of those things that get mixed reviews. Some people will say that it will harm your paint; others have been washing with it and have great longevity out of their paintjob. Then again, these same people more often than not apply a fresh coat of wax every time they wash the car (talk about craziness).

Anyhow, one thing to keep in mind about dishwashing liquids is that they are more often than not conceived to cut through grease. Wax, while not being grease per say, has the same damp proofing properties as grease. In short, it repels water and it does it so well that people have been putting it on their cars for decades. If you're going to be using a clay bar on your car, you don't really need to be washing it with dishwashing liquid but it sure doesn't hurt as long as you don't make it a habit. Half a teaspoon is all you really need to get all that wax off.

However, even that notion is up for some debate. We used to wash the floor of my shop every day with dishwashing liquid and no amount of rubbing could get the oil spills completely off the sealed floor. We've since moved to industrial degreaser which is much more expensive but 100 times effective. That being said, I wouldn't recommend using industrial degreaser on your car. Moreover, I strongly advise against it. I shouldn't have even mentioned it. If you really want to get the wax off, I'd recommend using that liquid clay bar stuff from TrutleWax. Don't know how well it works, or exactly what's in it, but if it's true to the name it will remove all that wax and keep your finish looking great even in the long run.

Food for thought.

Cheers,
Alexus

__________________
"The object of war is not to die for your country but to make the other bastard die for his."
-General George S. Patton Jr., 1885-1945

hybridnation

I have you used a product called 5starshine on all of my cars and u cant beat the protection

molamann

I got my Z back in January and so far all I have been doing on it is washing and waxing(SP Meguiar's NXT Techwax and Meguiar's quick detailer when I'm lazy.)

However, I think it's due for a claybar and some nice polish since it just doesn't have that glow and it's got little scratches concentrated on the front of the car. So basically I'm going to:

Wash with unscented dish soap
Clay bar
Polish
Wax

Should I make any changes in orders? Also, I'm wondering if I should invest in a dual-action polisher since it'll speed up my work a lot faster. Is it worth it?

rsboland

bump

NXTAZEE

As an owner operator of a detail business I have tried everything mentioned and more over the years. If you want a wax "Victoria Wax concourse" is imo the best wax money can buy. Victoria Wax also has a collectors wax that has better daily driver durability, link to site Victoria Wax - Wax - Paste. The Concourse I use on hot rods for car shows. Victoria Wax is one of only a hand full of waxes in the world which you can layer with multi coats. Multiple coats gives more of an exotic look and incredible depth to the paint. It is also easy to put on and take off with no white residue at all that will stain trim. Personally I like to use sealants for daily drivers as they provide longer life and durability over a wax. Bottom line is treat your beloved Z regularly with what ever wax or sealant you have to protect the paint.

As far as claying the paint goes, practice on a small area first so you get the hang of it, otherwise you may make a big sticky mess of your paint. It's not rocket science, as they say, just need a little practice. If you drive on the highway a lot then claying twice a year should be enough, other wise once a year is sufficient. If you want to remove swirls and scratches and restore a high gloss back to your paint, let a pro do it. It may cost a couple hundred, give or take, but the results will be worth it. And don't just take it to anyone, find a detailer that others have used and are very satisfied with. High volume shops are usually a bad choice. To properly perform a full exterior detail, which includes wash, clay, a one step machine polish and to seal or wax the car, will take about 5 hrs. If the car needs a multi-step compounding/polishing, add a couple of hours to it. I say this because most high volume shops will only spend a couple of hours on your car and make a mess out of it. They will then slather on a glaze to hide the mess they made so it looks good until it all washes away.

I would also like to add that the dealer paint sealant is about the biggest rip off there is. It is the cheapest sealant out there and only lasts about a month depending on how often you wash your car. I don't care what they tell you, don't buy it. Hundreds of dollars for 50 cents worth of product and a half hour of an inexperienced kid buffing your car, making an awful mess of it, is not a good investment imo.

db302

+1! Claying and detailing, along with waxing is an all day job for me. Bottom line: don't skimp on the $$ or the research of the place you take it to.

One product I've tried and liked for white paint is called Liquid Glass. Easy application and great results. Never tried it on darker colors, but it also works wonders on painted wheels as well....

LunaZ

I've been using Liquid Glass for about 20 years now. I've tried some other products but I always go back to Liquid Glass.
It's easy to apply and gives an amazing shine on any colour car and the protection is long lasting. It doesn't make black parts white. I've used it on wheels and even put it on windows, and motorcycle helmets.

Here's my car today after a second application of Liquid Glass:

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dlmartin81

I just got the BlackFire Wet Diamond Clay, Polish & Shine Kit.

Now I'm just waiting for the dealer's carnauba wax fade out. Anyone have a clue how long that will take. I know some had suggested using dish detergent to remove it but I don't think I want to go that route.

If when it rains and the water just sits on top of the paint, instead of beading off, is that a sign that the carnauba is gone or close it??