Properly Wax Your Car: A Guide

Wash the car

• Wet the car’s surface, then scrub thoroughly with car soap and sponge.
• Wash only a few square feet at a time before rinsing the suds off with your hose-attached car washing brush.
• Rub your hose brush over every surface after washing to remove any remaining debris.
• Pay extra attention to the hood, front grill and windshield, because bug stains have likely collected there. Use bug remover spray on these spots as needed, letting it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing with soap and rinsing.
• Be sure to wash in all cracks and crevices. Don’t miss any surface.
• Give the whole vehicle a final rinse once everything is clean.

Polish the car

• Ensure you complete all the following steps on a cloudy day or inside a garage.

• • Waxing doesn’t work well in direct sunlight.
• Allow the car to almost fully dry, and then apply a two-inch circle of car polish to your random orbit sander or buffer’s polishing pad.
• Press the sander or buffer, loaded with polish, on the vehicle, and then switch it on, spreading the polish into a milky haze before applying more.
• Polish a few square feet at a time, and then use your car brush to scrub and rinse off the polish. Scrub firmly to avoid leaving any haziness behind when the water dries.
• Polish and rinse the whole car this way, including the headlights, taillights and windows. Then let everything dry.

Remove watermarks

• Inspect your car all over for watermarks after it’s fully dry.
• Use a slightly damp chamois towel to wipe down every surface with watermarks until they disappear.

Apply paste wax

• Rub your microfiber cloth or heavy-duty shop towel in a circular motion over the surface of the wax with moderate pressure. Don’t saturate the cloth.
• Rub the wax-infused cloth firmly over a two- or three-foot-wide section of your vehicle’s paint, spreading it very thinly, but ensuring full coverage.
• Allow the wax to dry for a couple of minutes, then use your sander or buffer with a buffing pad to smooth the surface.
• Continue this process over the entire vehicle, applying wax in small sections, letting it dry briefly, and then buffing off the excess until the area is smooth and shiny.

It’s best to apply wax in a shady area or in the garage, as the heat can cause the wax to dry too quickly, making it hard to buff out cleanly.

“This often results in streaks, hazing or uneven coverage,” says Koukia. “Direct heat from the sun also affects how the wax bonds to the paint, reducing its effectiveness and longevity.”

For best results, only wax when the car’s surface is cool to the touch. “If you must apply a wax under direct sunlight, work in small sections at a time,” says Joey Sanchez of Chemical Guys.

Wax and buff hard-to-reach areas

• Examine all hard-to-reach areas of the vehicle, like the roof, rear-view mirrors, door edges, etc. Make sure to wax all these because you may have missed them during initial waxing.
• Allow the wax in hard-to-reach areas to dry, then buff off the excess with a clean microfiber cloth or shop towel.

Remove wax dust

• Use a fresh tack cloth on the vehicle’s surfaces to collect the wax dust generated by the buffing process.
• Pass the tack cloth lightly over the whole vehicle’s surface. Don’t press so hard that you smear the wax dust and ruin your sheen.
• Swap the tack cloth for a fresh one if you notice it becoming saturated with wax.

Final inspection and re-coating

• Inspect the whole car carefully when you think you’re done, buffing out any remaining wax streaks. It’s important to get all of the streaks to ensure an even, protective layer across the paint. “Buffing off the wax reveals your car’s full shine and leaves the most pristine finish possible,” says Sanchez. “Although wax itself, if left on the vehicle for too long, won’t damage the paint, leaving residue behind can cause haze or patchy shine. It’s worth the extra few minutes for a flawless finish.”
• Enjoy your freshly washed, polished and waxed car. Re-coat after four to six months, or as soon as you notice the wax coating starting to wear through.

FAQ

How often should I wax my car?

The rule of thumb is to wax every two or three months, especially if you are using traditional paste or liquid waxes. With newer synthetic waxes or paint sealants, you can typically go four to six months between applications and still maintain strong protection and shine. “But if you live in a harsh climate or wash your car frequently, you might need to wax more often,” says Koukia.

Can I wax over old wax?

Technically, yes, but it is not the cleanest approach. “Layering too much without a clean base can reduce how well it bonds to the surface, trap dirt or cause uneven buildup,” says Koukia. “I recommend stripping the old wax using a wax remover or clay bar every few waxing cycles so that you can start fresh.”

About the Experts

• Parham Koukia is the lead detailer and operations manager at Panda Hub in Toronto. He has spent more than a decade mastering the art of car detailing after turning his passion for automobiles into his profession.
• Joey Sanchez is an associate manager at the Chemical Guys online auto detailing supply retailer, and gives expert advice and hands-on tutorials through the brand’s popular social media channels and viral videos.