In my article on cleaner/waxes and finishing waxes it fell into the finishing sealant catagory.
The difference between a cleaner/wax and a finishing wax
Have you ever been confused as to which car wax to use? There are so many car waxes on the market and all of them claim to be the best? Some say they’ll last through 52 car washes? But are you waxing your car just so it will make it through 52 car washes? Or are you waxing your car because you want the paint to look good again? Like it did when it was new?
Or what if you’re taking your special ride to a car show or on a cruise? Do you really need a car wax that will bead water after 52 car washes or is there something better that will really make your car’s paint *POP* especially if hundreds and even thousands of people will be looking at it all day long while it’s on display?
2- basic groups of car wax
Let me see if I can remove just a little bit of the confusion… There are two basic groups most car waxes and paint sealants fall into, these would be,
• Cleaner/waxes or Cleaner/Sealants
• Finishing waxes or Finishing Sealants
A cleaner/wax or cleaning/sealant would offer some level of cleaning ability using either chemical cleaning agents, solvents and/or some type of abrasives and often times a combination of all three. Cleaner/Waxes are also referred to as One-Step products or All-In-One products. Cleaner/waxes can be used to restore neglected paint to good to excellent condition depending upon how bad of condition the paint is in and the cleaning ability or strength of the cleaning agents in the cleaner/wax.
A finishing wax or finishing sealant would not contain any ingredients with the intended ability to clean or abrade the paint. Products in this category should only be used on paint in excellent or brand new condition or neglected paints that have been previously cleaned and polished and thus restored to new or excellent condition.
Besides dividing products into two groups by whether they have the ability to clean the paint or not, paint protection products are also divided into two other groups or categories and that's
car waxes or
paint sealants.
Car Wax
Contains some kind of naturally occurring waxy type substance, for example
Carnauba wax.
Paint Sealant
Made from
synthetic or all
man-made ingredients.
So from the above, we can have,
Cleaner/Waxes
A product that cleans, polishes and protects and contains natural protection ingredients like Carnauba
Cleaner/Sealants
A product that cleans, polishes and protects and uses all synthetic protection ingredients
Finishing Waxes
A product that offers no cleaning ability with the focus on maximizing beauty with the protection based upon naturally occurring ingredients.
Finishing Sealants
A product that offers no cleaning ability with the focus on maximizing beauty with the protection based upon synthetic ingredients.
And one more group which would be a
hybrid product which contains a combination of both natural and synthetic ingredients.
If we use the loose definition above for car waxes and paint sealants, (For the wax group the primary protection ingredients are naturally occurring waxy substances and for the sealant group the primary protection ingredients are man-made or synthetic substances), then since hybrid products use a combination of both it would seem normal to call them and place them in their own category with both words, wax/sealant used to describe the category.
Let's take an in-depth look at the two basic groups, (the hybrid products will also fit into either the cleaning or finishing group).
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.
Finishing Wax or Finishing Sealant
A finishing/wax is much different than a cleaner/wax. A finishing wax either doesn’t offer any cleaning ability at all, or at least not enough to be a usable feature of the product.
A finishing wax is just that, it’s a wax or paint sealant used to add the finishing touch to a car in which the paint is in excellent condition to start with and/or in situations where the owner has just cleaned and polished the paint to perfection and the next step would be to apply a finishing wax.
If you use a multiple step approach to polishing your car’s paint, that is you use a dedicated compound or SMR, which stands for Swirl Mark Remover, to first remove any defects like swirls and scratches, and then follow this with a polish to further refine the paint to show car quality status, then what you want next is a finishing wax, not a cleaner/wax.
Frosting on the cake
Assuming the paint on your car is truly in excellent condition, a finishing wax will take your car’s paint to it's highest level or it's
maximum potential. An analogy would be like frosting on a cake. Cake is good! But frosting on cake makes the cake even better.
If you were to use a cleaner/wax after using a dedicated cleaning and polishing process that would be what we call
working backwards because you’re going back to the cleaning step and you’ve already done this step when you used the compound or swirl mark remover. What you should be doing is
working forwards towards the goal, which is a show car finish. Thus you want to use a finishing wax.
Application Method
- Wipe-on, work in and then immediately wipe off with no drying time.
- Wipe on, allow the product to dry and then wipe-off.
Since finishing waxes and paint sealants should really only be applied to a finishes in excellent condition, there's no need to aggressively work the product over the surface like you would a cleaner wax. With a finishing wax or sealant you would apply and spread the product out of a section of a panel and then work the product gently for 2-3 passes over each square inch just to evenly cover the paint. You would not work the product like you would a cleaner wax with the idea of trying to remove defects.
Finishing waxes and paint sealants are either wiped on, spread around and then immediately wiped off. On detailing discussion forums, these types of products are referred to as WOWO products.
Some manufactures recommends their products need to dry before removing, for these types of products you would apply and spread the product out to create a thin even coating and then allow this coating to fully dry before removing.
No wrong choice
It's important to note that one category isn't better than the other as both categories of products play important roles in the car world. The focus of this article was to explain these two different categories so anyone confused about waxes in general would have a better understanding of the two basic groups. And then the ultimate goal would be to help people to actually choose and use the correct wax for their application and goals.
How to pick the right wax for you and your car
The way you pick the right wax for your car's paint is you first evaluate your car's paint and then you evaluate yourself.
Is your car brand new? If so they you probably want a finishing wax.
Is your car older and the paint is looking dull and lifeless?
Then you need to evaluate yourself? Do you want to do a multiple step process? Or do you simply want to wash and wax the car and then move on with life? If you want to do a multiple-step process the you're going to want a finishing wax, if you want to reduce your time and investment to the bare minimum then you want a cleaner/wax.
As stated previously, in most cases, a cleaner/wax, cleaner/sealant, hybrid cleaner/wax or hybrid cleaner/sealant, needs to be worked over and into the surface. These 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.
Summary
The waxes and paint sealants in both of these groups can be great products, it just a matter of matching the right product to the condition of the paint on the car, your goals and how much time you want to invest into the project.
List of Paint Protection Products
Here at Autogeek we care a great selection of both finishing waxes and cleaner/waxes, below you'll find a list for both types.
Cleaner/Waxes
Menzerna Sealing Wax APO 60
Collinite Paste Sapphire Auto Wax #73SS
Mothers California Gold Original Formula Carnauba Cleaner Wax
Poorboy’s World Polish with Carnauba (BLUE)
Poorboy's World Polish with 100% Carnauba
Collinite Liquid Sapphire Auto Wax SS216
Cleaner/Sealants
XMT 360 All In One Cleaner Wax
Griot's Garage One-Step Sealant
Klasse All-In-One Polish
Duragloss Polish & Cleaner 101
Finish Kare 215 One Step Cleaner & Surface Sealant
Finish Kare 2180 Ultra Poly Wipe Sealant Conditioner
Optimum Poli-Seal
Mother's FX Synwax Paste
Mother's FX Synwax Liquid
Mother's Reflections Advanced Car Wax
Finishing Waxes
Griot's Garage Best of Show Wax
Griot's Garage Carnauba Wax Stick
Finish Kare 2685 Pink Paste Wax
Collinite Paste Fleetwax # 885
Collinite Marque D’Elegance Carnauba Paste Wax #915
Collinite Super DoubleCoat Auto Wax #476
Meguiar's Gold Class Car Wax Liquid
Dodo Juice Supernatural Wax
Dodo Juice Supernatural Wax Machine Stick
Dodo Juice Banana Armour Hard Car Wax
Dodo Juice Blue Velvet Hard Car Wax
Dodo Juice Diamond White Hard Wax
Dodo Juice Hard Candy Hard Wax
Dodo Juice Light Fantastic Soft Wax
Dodo Juice Orange Crush Soft Wax
Dodo Juice Purple Haze Soft Wax
Dodo Juice Rubbish Boy’s Juiced Edition Carnauba Wax
Dodo Juice Austintacious Soft Wax
P21S 100% Carnauba Wax
P21S Concours Carnauba Wax
S100 Carnauba Paste Wax
Mothers California Gold Pure Carnauba Car Wax
Poorboy's World Natty's Paste Wax
Poorboy's World Natty’s Paste Wax – BLUE
Poorboys World Natty’s Paste Wax – Red
Dodo Juice Supernatural Wax, 250 ml. Refillable Hardwood Pot
Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax #845
Finishing Sealants
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant 3.0
Klasse High Gloss Sealant Glaze
Duragloss Clear Coat Polish (CCP) #111
Finish Kare 218 Poly Wipe Sealant Conditioner
Griot's Garage Paint Sealant
Four Star Ultimate Paint Protection Boosted with Polycharger
Finish Kare 1000P Hi-Temp Paste Wax
3M Perfect-It Show Car Liquid Wax
3M Performance Finish
Meguiar's M21 Synthetic Sealant
NXT Tech Wax - Liquid
NXT Tech Wax - Paste
Liquid Glass Auto Polish
Mother's Power Wax
Poorboy's World EX-P Pure Sealant
Hybrid Cleaner Waxes/Sealants
Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #6 Cleaner/Wax
Duragloss Total Performance Polish (TPP) # 105
Meguiar's M20 Polymer Sealant
Meguiar's ColorX
Meguiar's M66 Quick Detailer
Meguiar's D151 Paint Reconditioning Cream
1Z Einszett Metallic Polish Wax
Finish Kare 2685 Pink Paste Wax
Hybrid Finishing Waxes/Sealants
Pinnacle Liquid Souveran™ Car Wax
Wolfgang Füzion Carnauba Polymer Estate Wax
3M Perfect-It Show Car Paste Wax
Mothers Reflections Advanced Top Coat
Poorboy's World EX Sealant with Carnauba
DP Max Wax
Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #26 Hi-Tech Paste Car Wax
Meguiar's Mirror Glaze #26 Hi-Tech Liquid Car Wax
Dodo Juice Blue Velvet PRO Hard Wax
Duragloss Wet Look Paste Wax
1Z Einszett Glanz Wax
Poorboy's World EX Sealant with Carnauba
Spray-on Waxes and Sealants
Wolfgang Deep Gloss Spritz Sealant
Duragloss Aquawax - 22 ounce
Duragloss Aquawax - 128 ounce
Meguiar's X-Press Liquid Wax
Meguiar's Ultimate Quik Wax
Meguiar's NXT Generation Spray Wax
Optimum Opti-Seal
Optimum Car Wax
Mother's California Gold Spray Wax
Mother's Reflections Advanced Spray Wax
Stoner Bead Max
Stoner SpeedBead One-Step Quick Wax
Wheel Waxes
Wheel Wax Glacier Polish & Sealant
Question: How many car waxes do you need?
"Car waxes and paint sealants are to men like shoes are to women, you can never have too many" - Mike Phillips
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