Car Sealants & Waxes

Your car's paint is quite fragile. A thin layer of clear coat right out of the factory, but it doesn't take much for that clear coat to wear down. Over time, surface scratches, oxidation, and even UV light can cause a car's clear coat to break down, thin out, and lose its shine. As time goes by, a clear coat is also less and less effective at actually protecting a car's paint job.

If you want to maintain your car's perfect exterior, you should use a car wax product. Car waxes work to enhance and protect the paint by smoothing out the painted surface, filling in swirl marks, and disguising surface scratches to leave your car looking new and shiny again.

How to Wax Your Vehicle the Right Way

Thinking of sending your car to a professional to get waxed? Don't waste that money just yet. Waxing your vehicle at home doesn't have to be a hassle. In fact, with a good DIY wax kit, you could have your car looking like new in no time at all.

Why Should You Wax Your Vehicle?

Perhaps one of the primary reasons why people love a freshly waxed car is the mirror-like finish you'll get to enjoy. The sheen makes your car look like it just came off the factory floor. But there's more to the reasoning than just cosmetic appeal.

Maintaining a wax coating on your paint job will actually help prolong the life of your car's color. The wax will protect against fading, discoloration, and the oxidation that usually happens with time. The wax provides a layer of UV protection, shielding the paint from sun damage.

On a molecular level, the wax polishes your car's clear coat. This brings out the color and makes the vehicle really glimmer. The result is a car that always looks clean and like new.

To maintain the look and protective qualities of a wax job, you should wax your car about four times a year. Of course, if you're sending your car off to the detail shop that often, the expense can really add up. Fortunately, you can achieve similar results with an at-home kit, as long as you follow the right steps.

Choose a Wax Kit

The right wax job begins with choosing the right wax kit. At Automotive Superstore, we carry two easy wax kits and multiple Meguiars brand products.

Bowden's Wax Pack BOWP

This wax kit comes with everything you need to start waxing your vehicle. It includes the Carnauba Body Wax, which delivers a great show car sheen on any car. It also gives you a circular applicator pad and a microfibre cloth that won't shed.

Kitten Cream Polish & Cut Wax Twin Pack

This Twin Pack comes with a jar of Cream Polishing Wax and a jar of Cream Cut & Polish. Each jar comes with an applicator sponge too. If your paint job is in rough shape, use the Cream Cut & Polish to rejuvenate it. If your car is less than eight years old or in good condition, use the Cream Polishing Wax instead.

Meguiars Ultimate Quik Wax

Meguiars is a name you can trust when it comes to wax. That's why we had to include one in this guide. Meguiars has both multi-step wax systems and one-step products. The Ultimate Quik Wax is as simple as it gets.

It comes in a spray bottle to make application simple. But, it still delivers the quality, long-lasting results that are synonymous with the Meguiars name. For best results, you will need to get a soft cloth for application and another for buffing clean.

Follow This Simple Process

You can achieve a perfect wax job at home so long as you use the right products in the right order. This simple process will get you going.

1. Start With a Wash

Your vehicle needs to be clean on the outside and free of dirt, dust, and debris before you can begin waxing it. Otherwise, the dirt and debris can get caught in your wax and become abrasive as you move your applicator across the vehicle's paint. That can damage the paint job, which is exactly what you want to avoid.

To avoid this, all you need to do is wash and dry your car right before you start waxing it. Dry it using microfibre cloths to ensure no dust or fibres get left on the paint.

2. Move to Shade

You should avoid applying wax in direct sunlight and in very hot temperatures. If your car's body is hot to the touch, move it to the shade and let it cool down before starting. This is because a hot car will end up baking the wax. That can do more harm than good whilst making it difficult to remove the excess wax from your vehicle.

3. Prepare Your Product

Most waxes these days are a simple one-step process. If you're using the Bowden wax kit, you only have a squirt bottle of all-around great body wax to keep track of. If you're using the Kitten Twin Pack, you have to choose between the Cream Polishing Wax (for paint in good condition) or the Cream Cut & Polish (for paint in rough condition).

In either case, you will need a sponge applicator or soft, open-weave cotton cloth in order to apply the product. If using a cloth, fold it into a square so that it forms a thicker pad that's easier to work with.

4. Wax

You'll want to apply the wax in circular motions. Work in sections so that you don't miss a spot. For instance, focus on waxing one entire door panel before moving to the next section of the vehicle.

Some people prefer to invest in a rotary tool that attaches to a standard handheld drill. This allows you to apply the wax more quickly and evenly across your vehicle. But if you go in quick circles with medium pressure, you can achieve the same effect by hand.

5. Polish

The final step is to let the wax dry on the surface for 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the heat (it will dry faster on hotter days). Once dry, polish the wax off using a soft and clean cloth. Again, go in circular motions, this time applying light pressure. Your goal is to remove excess wax and leave behind a shiny finish across your vehicle.

Keep Your Car Looking Great

Here at Automotive Superstore, we have a number of products to help you keep your car looking great. Have a look at all of our car care kits to keep your ride in great condition for years to come.