waxing your car

There are many choices when it comes to car wax, paint sealants and paint protectants. When it comes to choosing, you will want to make sure your protection choice includes durability, looks and don’t forget, slickness. With these key characteristics in mind let’s move forward and take an in-depth look at the chemistry of paint protectants.

• Traditional Paste Wax – Paste waxes are usually older technology and are a hard wax substance that contains silicone and petroleum distillates to create a temporary shine. They are often difficult to put on as well as remove. In fact, the pressure it takes to remove the wax residue will also wear away part of the wax protection that would ideally be left on the surface for protection.



• Carnauba Based Wax – The true Carnauba Based Wax are soft, easy to use waxes that are usually a little pricey and known for looks, not longevity. These waxes are commonly called toppers. They are commonly used to top acrylic paint sealants that need a little shine. The carnauba works well on all colors but will show more on darker or deeper colors. The downfall of the protection is that pure carnauba melts at about 160 to 170 degrees so the look fades fast and the protection doesn’t hold up on hot sunny days, especially on dark colors, which tend to draw the heat. Basically, put it on when you want to look good but don’t expect it to last.



• Cleaner Wax – A cleaner wax is a one step product that has some polishing ability as well as a protectant. They work well for those who have a surface that is free of defects and plan on using further protection. The cleaner wax is generally about the same aggressiveness as a pre-wax cleaner. The problem with a cleaner wax is that because of the cleaners you are not able to leave as much protection on the paint surface so you will want to follow up with more serious protection that is not a cleaner wax.
  
  
• Synthetic Paint Sealants – Man perfected the Wax! Newer technology reveals synthetic paint sealants that offer serious, long lasting protection. Unlike traditional waxes, synthetic paint sealants can withstand temperatures over 1000 degrees which make them much more durable. When choosing a synthetic paint sealant you need to know the difference between the two basic types of synthetic paint sealants. While they both offer good protection, they will vary in shine and slickness. A quality synthetic polymer based paint sealant will generally offer your best protection, shine and slickness, while the acrylic based sealant will provide good protection but is not as slick and may need a little help from a carnauba topper for shine.

Now that you know the difference between traditional waxes and synthetic sealants, you can make an educated decision on what will work the best for your needs. There is no right or wrong choice, just make sure you protect your paint and keep it protected!