How Do You Wax / Polish Your Car?


How do you Wax/Polish you Car


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I would say Polish- I think all refersto the polymer coating or teflon coating ,that is to be done by machine,else it will leave swirl marks all over the surface.(Lasts upto 6 months)

Wax- Liquids, It just acts as a layer (Temporary),for 2 weeks - 1 month depending on contact with external agents, it also wears off.Can be done at home.
One thing i felt was, Wax can guard teflon for quite sometime,but the teflon layer though degrades slowly.

I use microfibre towel to do waxing , I do at 1 month interval.
Vishnu,

Polish is a fine abrasive paste that is used essentially to remove a thin layer of paint from the surface of the vehicle, revealing a fresh layer. It shines paint, but doesn't protect and shouldn't be used often.

What you are thinking of is sealant. Another TAI-ger has written an excellent article on this: http://www.theautomotiveindia.com/f...ride/17576-why-paint-sealant-better-read.html

Wax can be liquid or paste. Yes, it is just a clear layer to protect your paint and deepen its shine. However, it can last a lot longer depending on the wax and how effectively it was applied.
 
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Yes and no. While they are used in similar methods to accomplish a similar task, they are somewhat different. Essentially, Polish is a finer grit (Less abrasive/rough) than rubbing compound.
 
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I pressure wash my car once a week (on other days a cleaning guy does it with a bucket). I pressure wash mostly to clean the hard to reach places and in the wheel arches etc. When I pressure wash, I use Amway car shampoo. My car has MGA teflon coat but off late I am noticing that the same shine as before isint there. I read in a previous post that Amway washes off teflon. Is this correct? I so, should I use normal hair car shampoo to wash?

Also, what polish can I use to restore the shine? I park on the road, so I can MOP and I cant use a 230v polisher (and add to that there is not much point spending too much on this either).

Just offhand, I searched car polish on Amazon and I found this
3M IA260166326 Auto Specialty Liquid Wax (200ml): Amazon.in: Car & Motorbike

There are no instructions on how this is applied on the website.



So what should I do?


Ameyam
 
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I use liquid wax mostly. Once a month. After washing and drying I take out four microfibre cloth, spray the wax and rub a bit with one cloth, then rub even more for the shine with a new cloth. Repeat the process until satisfied. Neighbours think I am crazy. But it's a good way to work out too. Think of the benefits it's giving to your heart.
 
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I pressure wash my car once a week (on other days a cleaning guy does it with a bucket). I pressure wash mostly to clean the hard to reach places and in the wheel arches etc. When I pressure wash, I use Amway car shampoo. My car has MGA teflon coat but off late I am noticing that the same shine as before isint there. I read in a previous post that Amway washes off teflon. Is this correct? I so, should I use normal hair car shampoo to wash?

Also, what polish can I use to restore the shine? I park on the road, so I can MOP and I cant use a 230v polisher (and add to that there is not much point spending too much on this either).

Just offhand, I searched car polish on Amazon and I found this
3M IA260166326 Auto Specialty Liquid Wax (200ml): Amazon.in: Car & Motorbike

There are no instructions on how this is applied on the website.



So what should I do?


Ameyam
Well, first of all, how much pressure are you using? Keep in mind that too much pressure can erode your clearcoat. If you're only using this for the underside and wheel arches though it shouldn't be a worry.

Earlier in this thread it was mentioned that you should not be using regular hair shampoo to wash your car as it can also damage the paint.

Polish would only make things worse in the long run, as it is an abrasive paste that removes a fine layer of paint, resulting in a temporary shine. If you wish to reseal your paint coat, I'd go for a layer of Sealant or Wax, depending on the balance of durability and gloss you want. Even claying your paint could go a long way.
 
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Viru,


what I am using is the 12V no name variety that is connected to the accessories socket in the car and comes with its own storage tank. Its 40W (I think) and doesn't have too much pressure. It doesn't have a pressure gauge though. I use the spray setting for the wheels and turn the nozzle to created a sharper stream for the body work. Initially I had tried spray for body work also but it doesn't clean too well, so I use a stream setting. Its quite sharp though, if you spray on your hand, you do feel its sharpness


I haven't used hair shampoo till now. I am using Amway car shampoo


If you see the 3M polish I listed, it does say liquid wax. But I am not sure. If there is something better I can purchase, please point me in that direction. Also suggest method of application- whether I should just hand apply or use the cheaper 12V polishing machine. 230V machine is out of the question as I don't have a socket to use it


Ameyam
 
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If it stings in the palm of your hand, it's typically too much pressure. But that's an interesting product! Where did you purchase it? I might be interested in buying something similar.

Good deal!

Yes, I noticed, but keep in mind that Polish and Wax are two entirely different things, Polish being the abrasive, outdated paste. Wax is more of a glossy layer on your paint to deepen the shine while providing a certain degree of protection. As far as waxes go, ones with natural Carnauba extracts are considered superior, but even some resin based waxes can be very cost effective! Personally, I use Turtle Wax Liquid Hard Shell Shine, but other forum members have good experiences with other brands as well.

As far as applying wax goes, you will almost always get a better coat with your hands. It's all about the technique.
 
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You will get the best wax coat with your hands, not only does it give you a much more even coat (since you can feel your way around the panels), but I personally find it a very pleasurable activity (Maybe I'm a bit weird)! It's almost impossible to leave a decent coat with a rotating pad.

Here's my most successful technique so far:

Wash your car very thoroughly with a mild car shampoo and dry with a chamois/microfiber beforehand. Then slap on some clean gloves (I prefer Nitrile) and massage the wax in panel by panel as your work your way around the vehicle. By the time you get back to the panel you started at, the wax should be hazing and you can gently wipe off the excess with a chamois/microfiber. I like to go over with a second coat of wax as well to ensure I don't miss any spots.

Good luck!
 
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I do Polish and wax my car myself by hand. Though opted for 3M exterior annual package. :stupid:

Below are the list product which I am currently using.

#1. Meguiar’s NXT Car Wash
#2. Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish
#3. Meguiar’s NXT Tech Wax 2.0 Paste
#4. Meguiar’s Ultimate Quik Wax

And new arrival is Collinite 845 wax.

Whenever complete car wash I do apply (or 3 month once) polish first then waxing. For applying wax using Meguiar’s form applicator pad and wipe the wax using microfiber cloth.
 

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