Waxing a Car
Once you have your car completely cleaned and washed, you will want to wax it to give it a great shine. No matter what type of wax you use, you should never apply a heavy coat. In fact you should use the least amount possible. It is better to apply several thin layers rather than one thick coat. When you care about your car and want it to look its best, you won’t care about the bit of extra time that this process takes.
You can wax the car by hand or by using a dual-action polisher. When you wax by hand you are better able to get into the small areas that such a device cannot reach. However, it is great for waxing large areas in a short amount of time, so it is likely that you will use both methods. A polisher will also apply the wax more evenly can you can do with your hand.
The best way to wax a car by hand is to use a foam wax applicator pad. You don’t need to wet the pad because the car needs to be completely dry before you start. Making the pad wet will also make the some waxes sticky and hard to remove. Instead prime the pad with the type of wax you are going to use by applying some liquid wax to the applicator. This will help you to spread the wax more evenly. Use long even strokes when applying the wax and overlap the strokes with each new one. If you use circular notions when applying liquid wax, it will leave streaks in the finish.
To wax a car using a polisher, use a setting of 3 or 4 for the best results. Prime the foam pad with just enough wax to moisten it and spread the wax on a small area of the car before you turn on the polisher. Also, only turn it on when the pad is in direct contact with the car. Use overlapping passes by first going from side to side and then from front to back.
Read the instructions on the wax you use because some waxes need to be applied and then removed. If this is the case, allow the wax to dry and then remove it one panel at a time. If you are using natural wax, though, you shouldn’t let it dry too much because it will harden and will be very difficult to remove. You can reapply some of the wax, which will soften up the previous layer, but you have to wipe it off immediately. Polymer waxes are the easiest to use because they do come off easily once they dry.