10 Tips For Waxing Your Car

Nothing complements your classic car's paint job like a perfectly applied layer of wax.

With winter out of the way, many car buffs are getting their cars back into road- and show-ready condition. If your paint is in good condition, achieving a high-gloss luster that complements your car depends on applying the perfect final layer of wax.

Follow these 10 tips to get the most out of your next wax job.

Thoroughly wash your car's exterior with car shampoo

This means opting for a hand washing or an attended professional car wash that uses soft towels and hands-on attention. Automatic car washes – with or without brushes – invite other people's dirt and grime under your wax job. Worse, rust particles that get buffed or blown off someone else's auto will get passed along to your own car.

Choose a high-quality wax

Some automatic car washes have a wax cycle that equates most reasonably to rinse water. Water might bead on your windshield for a day or so, but it offers no real protection for your paint job. The very best products come in liquid or paste form and contain as much carnauba wax as possible. Paste creates greater shine, while liquid wax tends to last longer.

Use the right tools for the job

Soft, clean 100 percent cotton clothes and sponges are best for applying and removing car wax. Natural sponges often contain dust, grit and grime that will dull your finished product. Unless you have the experience to use mechanical buffers, stick with doing things the old fashioned way.

Don't have the time or experience to create the perfect wax job? Let a professional handle the work by finding a classic car detailing specialist on Angie's List

Create the shine you want to seal in

Wax protects your car's appearance - it shouldn't be relied on to create it. After your car is squeaky clean and completely dry, use a polish it to get the desired shine. Use a medium-grit polish for any scratches you can feel. For deeper scratches or scuffs, you may need to use a rubbing compound. Otherwise, use a fine grit polish.

Detail your trim

Before applying wax to the body of your car, take a few moments to wipe down any unpainted bits of trim with a quality protectant. Perform this step before you wax to allow for easier removal of any wax that gets on chrome trim. Spray the protectant directly to your sponge, wipe on and use a clean, white cloth to wipe it off again.

When it comes to applying wax, less is more

Apply a thin layer of wax over a small section of your car. The reason is simple. It's much harder to get a thick layer of wax off your car. You're creating a thin layer of wax to seal out any water or dirt, not playing with Plaster of Paris.

Work one small section at a time

It's much harder to remove wax that has started to dry. Working in small sections allows you to rub your thin layer of wax off before that starts to happen.

Wax your car in the shade when possible

Applying and removing wax is a time-sensitive activity. While some brands are meant to be left on for a few minutes before being buffed away, most waxes can be removed as soon as they're applied. Nothing dries wax as fast as direct sunlight, so do waxing in the garage or in an adequately shaded, covered area.

Apply and remove wax in straight lines

Many people will use a swirling motion, but that can be leave streaks that may appear in your finished product. Using straight lines will make any travel marks harder to detect. After removing your wax, wipe the car down one last time quickly to create a glass-like appearance.

Wax your car every two months

When using a liquid wax, you may want to repeat the process every four to six weeks. However, you can alternate paste and liquid applications to keep from having to do things so often. Using a car-specific soap during washing can also help preserve your wax job.

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