The market for car care products can be overwhelming. The current offer of car cosmetics is so wide and filled with various products that it may be difficult for detailing novices to get their bearings. Manufacturers make every effort to improve the care process as much as possible, which is why the boundaries between different types of cosmetics are increasingly blurred.
Companies are starting to offer more and more universal products, so that one product can replace several others and have the highest possible durability. Hence, for some time now, ceramic coatings have become more and more popular. They protect, similarly to waxes, against negative factors, but in a broader spectrum and with a much longer effect, but are unfortunately much more expensive to apply than wax.
BEFORE WE GET TO THE SPECIFIC…
A FEW WORDS ABOUT WHY WE REALLY NEED WAX.
The basic purpose and property of each wax is to protect the paint of our car. The wax protects the paint surface against unfavorable weather conditions and UV rays, i.e. it protects the paint from fading.
Additionally, a surface protected with wax will not attract dust and various contaminants so quickly, which makes cleaning and caring for the paint easier.
What else does wax give us? First of all, the appearance. Waxes bring out the depth of color, leaving the so-called wet look, i.e. the effect of a wet car, and give a mirror shine. Some manufacturers offer dedicated waxes for dark and light paint colors. The use of dedicated wax can increase the best effect of color depth.
TYPES OF WAXES:
There are countless amounts of waxes for our cars on the market. From budget "lards" for a few zlotys to luxury top-shelf products for several thousand.
So what wax should we choose? First of all, remember to choose cosmetics according to your needs, the type of nail polish and use them according to their intended purpose.
This is the basic principle.
So let's start from the beginning. All waxes are divided into 3 basic categories:
Natural waxes (waxes of natural origin, e.g. carnauba).
Synthetic waxes (artificial waxes produced by chemical processes).
Hybrid waxes (combination of natural and synthetic waxes).
and division according to consistency:
solid, in the form of a paste, i.e. the so-called hard wax
liquid
a) Waxes in the form of milk
b) Spray waxes
Now let's consider what wax you need. First of all, we need to answer a few basic questions:
How many kilometers do I drive per month?
How do I wash my car, how often and what products do I use?
Is the car you want to take care of a car for short weekend trips or for everyday use?
NATURAL WAXES
We recommend natural hard wax for vintage, weekend, exhibition vehicles and detailing enthusiasts. This is the least durable wax and resistant to weather and road conditions, but it allows us to extract expressive depth from our paint.
For natural waxes, it is recommended to use cleaners, i.e. cleaning products usually with a milky consistency, which remove the remains of old wax from the varnish, degrease and increase the depth and slipperiness of the varnish, improving its appearance even more.
Natural wax is a pleasure to apply. It is usually easy to break in. Leaves a pleasant and delicate scent. In order for the natural wax to last for several weeks, you should use only cosmetics with a neutral PH and avoid washing with products at car washes. If you use a cleaning agent with a different pH than neutral, the wax may flow out along with the dirt.
SYNTHETIC WAXES
What about the car we use every day? If we use the car in snow, dirt, rain, etc. and cover a significant number of kilometers, it is worth using synthetic wax. We usually do not use any cleaners for synthetic waxes, and surface preparation involves degreasing the varnish using the so-called isopropyl alcohol. IPA.
The chemical ingredients contained in synthetics help protect the paint coating for a longer period of time (from a month to even a year) than natural waxes and are more resistant to aggressive cleaning agents and weather conditions.
The application of synthetics is more difficult and unpleasant due to the difficulty in breaking in and the unpleasant chemical smell. Their great advantage is the ability to mask imperfections and micro-scratches on the paint. This is because they contain a huge amount of fillers and additives.
HYBRID WAXES
Hybrid waxes are the golden mean between natural and synthetic waxes. Hybrid waxes are a combination of synthetic and natural wax. Depending on the proportions of both, it protects the paint for a long time while giving it the appropriate shine and depth. The composition includes natural carnauba, polymers and color and fragrance additives. In short, a hybrid has the properties of both waxes.
HARD WAX, SPRAY, OR MAYBE MILK…?
SPRAY WAXES
This is a good choice if you care about time and results. How should they be used? Before using them, you can also use a cleaner, just like with hard wax. Spray the clean, cool and dried varnish in a shaded place, spread the product over the element, and then wipe it with a microfiber cloth so that no streaks remain.
Spray waxes are an ideal solution as a supplement to the wax coating or as an additional layer on top of previously applied hard wax.
These are usually synthetics or hybrids. As a result, they provide great water repellent effect, high durability and gloss. However, please remember that they will not replace hard wax. They should be treated more as so-called Quick Detailer, i.e. agents for quickly refreshing the paint.
Waxes are also available and can be applied to clean but wet paint (we avoid the drying step). This type of wax binds perfectly with water, creating a hydrophobic, waxy coating on the varnish.
WAX IN THE FORM OF MILK
Currently, they are less popular than hard ones, and the level of paint protection is much lower. However, a dozen or so years ago, due to the low purchase cost and availability in virtually every supermarket and automotive parts store, they were very popular. They started to get pushed out by the spray waxes. Why?
Their durability is lower or the same as spray waxes, but their application is more troublesome. In short, these are waxes that are neither the most practical nor the most durable. One thing is certain, they contain a lot of fillers that mask scratches and leave a shine on the paint.
NOT THE CHEAPEST, NOT THE MOST PRACTICAL, NOT THE MOST PLEASANT, BUT THE MOST DURABLE… HARD WAX
Hard waxes are the most well-known and most popular type of wax. Natural hard waxes containing carnauba, i.e. the best natural wax, are available practically only in solid form (except for Quick Detailers spray containing carnauba particles).
They are most often chosen by automotive enthusiasts and detailing fans. They are characterized by the highest durability and resistance to weather conditions. Providing unique depth and slipperiness of the varnish.
That's all about waxes :). Now it's time for ceramic coatings. In the next article you will learn everything about the increasingly popular ceramics. If you have any questions, please contact us. We remain fully at your disposal.
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