Cleaner/Wax or Cleaner/Sealant
Now a cleaner/wax is just that, the formula will contain a blend of chemical cleaners and often times some type of abrasives, either diminishing or non-diminishing.
Together the chemical cleaners and the abrasives will remove oxidation and road grime from the surface which will restore clarity and richness of color. At the same time they’ll leave behind a layer of protection to help lock in the shine and of course protect the paint from the elements.
When you go to your local auto parts stores, most of the retail waxes on the shelves do in fact fall into the cleaner/wax category as they are targeted at the average person and the average person is driving what we call a
Daily Driver, that is the car they drive back and forth to work each day and most of the time it’s parked outside. Over time, the finish quality deteriorates and in order to restore it with just a
single product you’ll want a cleaner/wax.
A cleaner/wax is also what we in the detailing industry call a
One-Step product or an
AIO.
AIO stands for
All-In-One. AIO products will do
multiple processes in one step, that is they will,
- Clean the surface
- Polish the paint to a high gloss
- Leave behind a layer of protection
The problem for the average Joe Consumer is that most retail products don’t specifically state what type of product they are? The tell you how to apply it, how long to let it dry and then how to remove it but they leave it wide open as to what the product is and how its best used.
A cleaner/wax is best used on a neglected finish because a neglected finish needs to be cleaned. Cleaner/Waxes, or All-In-One products are designed for a large market which includes do-it-yourselfers and detailers that want to restore a bright, shiny finish to the paint but want to do it in one-step. Their goal is to get a great looking finish without having to invest the time and effort associated with a multiple-step approach which usually includes,
- Dedicated compounding or paint cleaning step
- Dedicated polishing or glazing step
- Dedicated sealing step using a finishing wax or finishing paint sealant
Keep in mind besides the above 3 steps that are the norm for a multiple-step process, there's also,
- The washing and drying step
- The claying step if the car is parked outside a lot and has built-up above surface bonded contaminants. (Most daily drivers need to be clayed).
If we add the above two steps, (washing & drying step and claying step), together with the multiple 3-step approach that would make the average car detailing session 5 steps at a minimum.
- The washing and drying step
- The claying step if the car is parked outside a lot and has built-up above surface bonded contaminants. (Most daily drivers need to be clayed).
- Dedicated compounding or paint cleaning step
- Dedicated polishing or glazing step
- Dedicated sealing step using a finishing wax or paint sealant.
Because the majority of people in this world look at their car as a
mode of transportation instead of an
extension of their personality, its' easy to understand that most people
want and only
need a one-step cleaner/wax.
A cleaner/wax doesn't need to be used, and in most cases shouldn't be used, on a car in which the paint is in excellent condition, for example a brand new car or an older car in which the paint has been properly cleaned and polished. For finishes on both of these types of cars the paint would be better served using a finishing wax or finishing sealant.
Another example would be a brand new paint job after the regular 30 days air-cure waiting time. Brand new paint should look great after you pick it up from the painter but most painters will tell you to wait at least 30 days before sealing the paint with either a wax or paint sealant.
After the 30 days have passed, a finishing wax should be used not a cleaner/wax because theoretically, the paint is supposed to be in excellent condition so you shouldn't have to use any product with cleaners or abrasives in it.
Application Method
In most cases, a cleaner/wax type product needs to be
worked over and into the surface. Cleaner/waxes are not wipe on, wipe off products. Part of the cleaning action comes from
you either working the product over the surface and engaging the cleaning ingredients with the paint or
you running an electric polisher and the polisher is engaging the cleaning ingredients against the paint. The worse condition the paint, the more you'll need to work the product.
