How to maintain a freshly waxed car

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Mike Phillips

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How to maintain a freshly waxed car


One of the most, if not THE most asked question about any car wax, (or paint sealant or coating), goes like this,

Question: How long will blank wax last?

The answer to that question comes in different parts, there is no definitive, single answer to the above question because there are too many variables that affect how long a wax will last.


First part of the answer
From a technical point of view, the first part of the answer goes like this,

How long a wax will last starts with how well the surface is prepared to accept the wax.
What this means is a quality protective car wax is formulated to bond or stick to car paint, not a layer of roadgrime or dirty stained paint. So making sure the paint is clean is your first goal if you want the wax to last.


Second part of the answer
From a technical point of view, the second part of the answer goes like this,


How long a wax will last depends upon how the paint is cared for or touched after the wax has been removed.
That is to say, there are factors that we control that have a HUGE affect as to how long a coat of wax will last. Washing and if needed, using Detailing Clay to remove any above surface bonded contaminants that didn't come off during the washing process dramatically affects gloss, (gloss comes from smooth paint), and longevity, (how long a coating of wax will last).


Washing Carefully
For example, washing the paint carefully using a pH balanced, non-detergent car wash soap using a clean, soft, high quality wash mitt that's gentle to the touch and using both of these tools using expert technique will maximize how long a coat of wax will last.

Expert technique could be something as simple as NOT scrubbing the paint over and over again while moving the wash mitt over the surface but instead only making a few passes with the wash mitt over a section of paint to loosen the hold of any dirt so it can be flushed off the surface with water.


Pinnacle Bodywork Shampoo, non-detergent and pH balanced and Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay and Pinnacle Clay Lubricant
PinnacleLine02.jpg




Not washing carefully
Washing with a detergent wash and a tatty mitt, sponge or brush and not focusing on the task at hand, that is to say, scrubbing the paint or simply not paying attention and being careful or worse, taking your car to any type of car wash where you let someone else "touch" the paint. Washing like this will act to remove any coating of wax faster than washing carefully.

The above is just off the top of my head but I think it makes the point.


Maintaining your car's finish
After any detailing session where you've invested your time, energy and perspiration to restore the finish on your car just as important as the prep steps are how you maintain your end-results.


Most of the popular brands of car care appearance products are available in a chemically-matched line of products which are formulated to be a system approach for maintaining not just the vehicle, but the results created by the product line. Pinnacle offers a system approach to car care.

An example that most brands offer are the maintenance products such as a spray detailer and a spray wax or spray sealant of some type.

By using maintenance products correctly like a spray detailer to remove light dust, fingerprints and smudges, or a spray-on wax to restore the just-waxed-look, you automatically extend the time a coat of wax will last. Whether a person correctly uses these types of products or not is also a factor as to how long a coat of wax will last, that is correctly applying these products and more important carefully removing them using a premium quality microfiber towel.



Pinnacle Crystal Mist Carnauba Detail Spray and Pinnacle Souveran Liquid Spray Wax are two products that are designed to enable you to take care of the results you create using Pinnacle Polishes and Waxes along with microfiber towels that are clean, soft and gentle to delicate clearcoat finishes.
PinnacleLine05.jpg





If your goal is truly a show car finish, then after washing and drying your car's paint you'll need to inspect the paint for things like swirls, scratches, water spots and oxidation and if discovered, after the washing and claying steps, but before applying an type of protective wax or sealant you'll first need to remove any paint defects.

Carefully and correctly polishing the paint perfectly prepares the paint to accept the wax while taking your car's finish to its maximum potential. Depending upon the condition of the paint, (which you diagnose when you inspect the paint after washing and drying), you may only need a non-abrasive paint cleaner like Pinnacle Paintwork Cleansing Lotion or you may need to machine apply a medium or light polish like the Pinnacle Advanced Swirl Remover and/or Pinnacle Advanced Finishing Polish.


PinnacleLine03.jpg





Then after the paint is perfectly prepared to accept the wax the fun part is actually applying the wax, assuming the waxes are as well formulated as the waxes in the Pinnacle line of products.


Pinnacle Signature Series II, Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax and Pinnacle Liquid Souveran
Pinnacle66Vette13.jpg




Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax is a true finishing wax, that is there are no cleaning agents or abrasives in the formula, it's totally focused on bring out the best shine, depth and gloss out of your car's paint. Pinnacle Signature Series II is also a true finishing wax that creates the deep wet shine that both enthusiasts and perfectionist work towards. The Pinnacle Liquid Souveran Car Wax is liquid version of the Souveran Paste Wax that closely mimics the look of Souveran Paste Wax only blended with synthetic polymers for longer lasting paint protection. All three of these products are incredibly easy to apply and remove by hand or machine.


You don't have to own a show car to get the show car look, you simply have to use a system approach to your detailing process using premium quality products from start to finish and you can't help but reach the success you're after.

When used correctly, you can get up to 30 applications of wax out of a single jar of Pinnacle Souveran Paste Wax. That means it will cost you less to wax your car than it will to buy just a single gallon of gas at today's gas prices.

As for dust issues, I've done multiple tests over the years comparing and testing for dust attraction to car paint and without miss, any product I've used causes paint to attract more dust than using nothing at all. This has to with the static electricity already in the paint itself and increased by the wipe-off of the wax using a microfiber towel. For the most part, it's the process, not the product that causes dust accumulation.


After using this classic 1966 Corvette Stingray for a series of videos last week I came in the following Saturday to polish and wax the entire car using Pinnacle Natural Brilliance. A classic 1966 Corvette deserves a finish worthy of it's name and using good technique and simply following a simple process of washing, (wiping clean in this case as you don't introduce water to classic, restored cars), claying, polishing and then waxing the results speak for themselves...

Pinnacle66Vette14.jpg



See more before and after pictures here,

1966 Corvette Stingray - Machine Polish & Machine Wax



Key thoughts...
When washing or wiping-down a freshly waxed finish, focus on the task at hand, don't scrub the paint and use the highest quality products you can obtain anytime you "touch" the paint.

Don't use detergent soaps, ONLY use soft wash mitts...
Use a non-detergent car wash shampoo, only use wash mitts that are new or like new, DON"T use a wash mitt that is tatty looking, shows sign of wear or has been used for things like washing fender lips, wheels and tires, front or rear bumpers, etc.

If you have a show car finish with a fresh coat of wax or a paint sealant, you should really be using a new or almost brand new wash mitt, something that looks and feels soft and gentle.

Spray Detailers and Spray Waxes - Maintenance Products
Use spray detailers and spray waxes when you can to maintain the finish which will extend the amount of time between having to use a normal car wash apply a normal coat of wax.



:xyxthumbs:
 
Thanks for all your hard work and your very well thought out posts, Mike.
 
Thank you for the compliments...


Time for a little story...
I had a guy show me his black Corvette after paying a pro detailer $300.00 to buff it out and remove all the swirls and scratches and he was asking me if I thought he was within his rights to ask for his money back because just a few weeks after paying to have his Corvette detailed it was now filled with swirls and scratches again and the water wasn't beading up like it did after he first got it back.

The first thing I asked this guy was,

"How do you wash the car?"


He answered me and said,


"I run it down to the 100% Hand Car Wash"


I explained to him that while the lettering on the sign invokes the mental image of a high quality, careful hand wash to the delicate and scratch-sensitive clearcoat finish on his black Corvette that that's just a dream, not reality.

100HandCarWash.jpg




The wash mitts at a hand car wash become worn and tatty and they are dropped onto the ground all the time. They are not replaced often and chances are they are used and used and used until there's no life left in them.

So when he shows up to have his black Corvette washed it gets the same treatment the dirty Honda or Ford Escort gets and that is the source of the swirls and scratches in the paint on his Vette, not the work done by the detailer.


Seriously... do you actually think when you pull up to a hand car wash that the workers notice it's --> YOU <-- and your special car?

Do they empty their buckets of used car wash soap with all the dirt in it from the last dozen or so cars they've washed and make a fresh solution using a premium quality, non-detergent car wash shampoo?

Do they put their worn, tatty wash mitts aside and break out the brand new, premium quality wash mitt?

Do they bring up their level of quality and professional technique because you and your car are different from all the other cars that they see day-in and day-out?​


I think they just continue washing with whatever they've been using and treat your car just like the mud encrusted 4x4 that they washed before you arrived.


Take ownership of the car wash process
I then told him if he really wants to maintain a show room new finish on a black Corvette that he'll have to take ownership of the washing process or pay a professional to come to his house and wash the car like a pro.

He was saddened to hear this as he told me he just retired and in his mind that meant he didn't have to "work" any longer, work meaning washing his brand new black Corvette.

He thought, like a lot of people think, that a nice looking clear coat finish should simply hold up and always look nice no matter how it's cared for and that's not reality.

Paints have changed
Clear coat paints are scratch-sensitive, this means the tend to be harder than traditional single stage paints but still scratch and swirl easily. In order to maintain a nice looking finish a person has to be careful and use the highest quality products they can obtain anytime the paint is "touched"


Silver Metallic for people that don't want to be bothered by swirls
I recommended to him to sell the black Corvette and buy a silver metallic Corvette as it will be much harder to see the swirls and scratches in the paint and then he could continue taking the car to the 100% Hand Car Wash and be happy.


Educate your customer
On that note, I just answered two e-mails from people asking for recommendations for car detailing projects they have coming up for customers and in both cases the cars were neglected and thus filled with swirls and scratches. Both people contacting me were going to do multiple-step buff-outs to restore a show car shine.


I asked them if the owner has changed?
By this I mean, if the owners of these cars let them go so long that they are now swirled out messes, what has changed that means that the same thing won't simply happen again after these two detailers return the cars with a show car shine?

If the answer is "nothing" then I recommended that they simply do a one-step process and this would be matching their services to the owners of the cars.


Like explained here,

A few tips on starting a part-time detailing business


The point being it doesn't do the detailer any good to restore a show car finish on a car that's not going to be washed carefully. The hard work they perform won't last and chances are good the owners have unrealistic expectations in that they probably figure, like the Corvette owner above, that if they pay for a quality detail job that afterwards, something MAGICAL happens and now they can treat the car/paint any old way and it SHOULD stay looking just like the day the detailer returned the car back to them.

It doesn't work that way and it's the detailer's job to educate their customer and then match their services to their customer even if it means doing a less complicated buff-out.


The only exception to the above is if the car owner then hires the detailer to regularly maintain the car via a Maintenance Plan where only the detailer washes and waxes the car into the future.


:)
 
Thanks Mike!
Love your posts. Very appreciative.

Chris
 
Is it good to use otc mineral spirits to remove the the prior wax and polish before you wash, clay bar,seal and wax your new black vehicle?
 
Is it good to use otc mineral spirits to remove the the prior wax and polish before you wash, clay bar,seal and wax your new black vehicle?

no need for mineral spirits before washing unless you've got some stubborn tar and you need to do some spot treatment. Washing with regular car soap and some OPC (paint safe all purpose cleaner) should be enough to strip your car. Claying will probably remove anything else.

just to be clear, you are removing your wax/sealant. Polish doesn't really form any type of lasting coating on a car.
 
Thank you, yes I want to strip it before I clay it so I can inspect the black GL. I do have spider webs and marring from the wife taking it to the gas station car wash....ouch, I know what that did. I will be using the flex pe14 and the 3401 with tangarine pads and all pinnacle products. This will be the first time I detail via machine; I am going to junkyard tomorrow morning to pick up some 2 hoods, fender, quarter panel and a trunk lid for 50.00. I am taking nothing but black, if you take what you want off the car and carry it past the finishline its yours but if you drop it you have to start over again.
 
A very cool and informative thread Mike!!

Thanks for putting this all together.....:props:
 
It is always good to remind people about the basic care needed and not letting some terms like "hand wash" mean something it is not.

When you say "non-detergents" are you trying to state it means not using a household cleaning product such as laundry or dishwashing products but obviously a product intended to clean paint. I ask because even the word "detergent" and "ph balanced" (some use to mean balanced for the surface intended as on leather it may slightly acidic) cannot be what it seems.
 
Thank you, yes I want to strip it before I clay it so I can inspect the black GL. I do have spider webs and marring from the wife taking it to the gas station car wash....ouch, I know what that did.

Just washing with a car wash soap or even dish washing detergent will reveal to you more than enough to get a good idea as to what you're going to need to do.

I mean you either have a swirled out mess or you don't, to the degree or depth of the swirls in the paint and what it will take to remove them will be figured out when you do your Test Spot.

Test Spot - The story behind the story...



I will be using the flex pe14 and the 3401 with tangarine pads and all pinnacle products. This will be the first time I detail via machine; I am going to junkyard tomorrow morning to pick up some 2 hoods, fender, quarter panel and a trunk lid for 50.00.

I am taking nothing but black,

Wow!

You are getting serious about this! Love to see your dedication!



if you take what you want off the car and carry it past the finishline its yours but if you drop it you have to start over again.

Take a really strong buddy...


:D
 
It is always good to remind people about the basic care needed and not letting some terms like "hand wash" mean something it is not.


Exactly.

The words, HAND CAR WASH imprints an image and an idea into the brains of the masses making them think they are getting Spa-like treatment for their car, as in a careful hand wash. Consider what the pay scale is for someone that works at a car wash and what a new paint job costs.


When you say "non-detergents" are you trying to state it means not using a household cleaning product such as laundry or dishwashing products but obviously a product intended to clean paint.

I ask because even the word "detergent" and "ph balanced" (some use to mean balanced for the surface intended as on leather it may slightly acidic) cannot be what it seems.


What I mean is don't use a cheap car wash or dish washing soap.

You tend to get what you pay for in this life so if you want a quality car wash then go with a brand you trust with the idea being that they know their business and the product will work as claimed.


Good comments and questions...


:)
 
I know my post probably adds little but since joining the autogeek crowd I have taken a different approach to cleaning my old cars with thin paint.I would wash my car incorrectly using filtered well water and mits.Not truly knowing what I was doing.I`ve been blessed to learn from the best of the best here in Florida (Mike Phillips of coarse and Robert Diterlizzi.)I only use detailer spray with distilled water with Carnauba from Pinnacle to clean my garaged cars.I often talk to owners at car shows of what I`ve learned from Mike and Robert.
Thank you autogeek to allow me to learn and use your products:buffing:.
 
Regular car washes and mix in some spray wax during the drying process about every other week and you shouldn't have any problems.

Sent from my SPH-M930 using AG Online
 
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