Spray wax instead of regular wax

[Toros]

Originally Posted By: FastEddie
Originally Posted By: gofast182
At first I was annoyed by Toros' post but then I re-read it and can't really find much wrong with it.

I am a full time auto detailer with now 2 locations and actually like that post from Toros. How the heck is an average customer going to know if a spray wax is as good as a paste, liquid etc. That is why I test products on my beater car and a couple of my friends Tow Trucks to see how well they protect and last. And that is why I can say in my opinion, and the opinion of most full time "good" detailers, that spray waxes are no where near effective as the alternative. But I have done the testing to prove this, and the average consumer has nor the time or inventory for this type of test.


This is good stuff because it's honest, real world experience.

 

[Errtt]

I usually use a paste wax, but this year using some spray too - so guess paste when it's cool and I feel like taking the time, spray when I don't want to take as much time.
All on top of Optimum no rise & wax.

 

[PimTac]

Optimum car wax is a good example of the progress made in spray wax. While it may not have the durability of Collonite or FK, it does last quite a while, even better than some cheaper paste waxes. The time savings are key as you can wax a car in a fraction of the time versus a paste wax. Also, it gives one the ability to refresh the wax coat by using it while drying the vehicle.

 

[WylieCoyote]

I applied a synthetic polymer 'wax', followed by a layer of pure carnauba paste to my 2015 Canyon, and now I just maintain it by applying a 'wax as you dry' spray wax after each wash. Thus far, it's never stopped beading water.

 

[ChrisD46]

There are now synthetic polymer blends which contain carnauba wax for easier application and removal - curious if this may be the best of both worlds ?
Originally Posted By: WylieCoyote
I applied a synthetic polymer 'wax', followed by a layer of pure carnauba paste to my 2015 Canyon, and now I just maintain it by applying a 'wax as you dry' spray wax after each wash. Thus far, it's never stopped beading water.

 

[Cadenza]

Originally Posted By: ChrisD46
There are now synthetic polymer blends which contain carnauba wax for easier application and removal - curious if this may be the best of both worlds ?
Originally Posted By: WylieCoyote
I applied a synthetic polymer 'wax', followed by a layer of pure carnauba paste to my 2015 Canyon, and now I just maintain it by applying a 'wax as you dry' spray wax after each wash. Thus far, it's never stopped beading water.


I've made my own by adding Collinite 845 to a mix of Duragloss 601/105. It blends and applies very nicely and seems to make a very durable all-in-one.

 

[john_pifer]

Meguiar's #26 2-3 times a year, then Wax-As-U-Dry spray as I'm drying off the car/truck with an old, soft terry cloth towel after every wash. Great dirt & water repellency and shine. Car still looks clean and shiny even after a rain or 2.

 

[Cujet]

Possibly irrelevant, but I did some "on the fly" wax testing in taped off squares, on our Eurocopter EC-135.

The problem was the twin Turbomeca engines create an unusual exhaust deposit. It's a tan-brown color, quite unlike the carbon black of a typical engine. The exhaust stains the paint of nearly the entire tail almost immediately, and is rather difficult to remove, requiring 3M compound and a buffer after just a few hours of flight, low along the coastline.

I discovered a product called Rejex, and found that it absolutely prevented the exhaust from staining the paint, for about 2-3 months. In my testing, I tried about 20 different products, from typical high end detail waxes, to Meguiars products, including NXT (a favorite of mine for durability) . Not one of the other products protected the paint from exhaust stains, bird dropping stains, or bugs. The Rejex simply worked, remained really shiny, and beaded water for months, even after washing with very strong carbon removing soap.

I also have tried many of the commonly available spray waxes for quick cleanup after a flight, from Griots, to Meguiars, Turtle Wax, EZ Detailer and others. The only one that remains slick and beads water for longer than a week is EZ Detailer.

So while my testing was not a double blind, scientific study with peer reviewed results, it was sufficiently accurate to determine what products work in our environment.

In conclusion: Rejex produces an amazing shine, and if applied in multiple coats, will easily shine, bead water and repel bugs, exhaust and bird droppings, for about 3 months. NXT produces an equally nice shine and will bead water for about a year. But it is nowhere near as good at preventing stains or bug release.

I also found that Rejex works quite well on both the flat-painted rotor blades and the plastic windshields.

EDIT: I wanted to add that the various spray waxes do not seem to be additive in nature. In other words, their short lifespan does not seem to be enhanced by repeated applications.

 

[jimbrewer]

These days the line between "sealant" (mostly synthetic) wax and "spray wax" is beginning to blur. For me, Optimum spray wax is about as durable as an average sealant.

 

[PimTac]

A lot of people use sealants or coatings now. It make sense for many to use a spray wax as a top coat instead of applying paste wax. The idea of using spray wax while you dry is a great one.

I believe this is the big reason why spray waxes have gotten popular. Some will stick with paste wax as they are comfortable with that and that's fine, but sealants and coatings are the big thing now. Better and longer protection especially against uv rays and dirt and debris tend to come off easier with them on. The spray waxes add a sacrificial coat and also may add depth to the shine.

 

[PimTac]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
These days the line between "sealant" (mostly synthetic) wax and "spray wax" is beginning to blur. For me, Optimum spray wax is about as durable as an average sealant.




Spot on. OCW is really a synthetic polymer sealant with carnauba wax in it. The lines are really blurred in many cases.

 

[TTK]

Originally Posted By: Toros
There is very little scientific data here or on most any forum to support that spray wax is any more or less effective than paste or liquid wax. What's the proof? Water beading and how long it keeps beading after application? Slight visual improvement, shine, luster. ....whatever. Beyond that it's entirely anecdotal evidence. When folks start adding how it smells to the discussion it makes it even less scientific. I have zero problem with any of that but no one here has proven the standard line of "spray wax is only good for interim waxing and you must apply paste wax."
Why doesn't five consecutive spray waxings not provide the same or better protection than two paste wax applications over an extended time frame? How do we know that paste wax protects any better than a name brand spray wax...especially some of the newer, more advanced products?

Unless you have the letters D and R before your name or P,H and D after your name....it's nothing but opinion. You all know some version of the expressions regarding those.

I agree totally. We know very little about the "protection" of any wax/sealant product by any scientific measurement that I am aware of. Water beading is about all I have seen as any type of indicator, and the fact is that clean unwaxed paint will bead water also. Keeping the finish looking nice for a rather short period is about all we are going to get from any of the commercial product commonly found. If you expect more than that you will likely be disappointed.

 

[JustinH]

I have an always garaged Sonata, and it gets washed with a pressure washer foam cannon every two weeks, and gets whatever spraywax is on sale with a clean towel.

Beads water just fine every time and the headlights look new, when most headlights around here look brown or yellow.

 

[john_pifer]

Originally Posted By: JustinH
I have an always garaged Sonata, and it gets washed with a pressure washer foam cannon every two weeks, and gets whatever spraywax is on sale with a clean towel.

Beads water just fine every time and the headlights look new, when most headlights around here look brown or yellow.


Headlight lens deterioration has more to do with age and weathering. My 2007 Tacoma headlight lenses stayed clear for the first 6 years I had the truck, because it was always garaged. But for the last 4 years it's lived outside because it won't fit in my current garage, and they started clouding up a couple of years ago. And I've always waxed them.

 

[jrvn]

I used a ZAINO Polish/sealant deal at the beginning of the year, then I use an ArmorAll Wax-it-Dry(carnuba wax) product after every wash and it works and looks great. Im getting to be a real fan of these wax it dry products makes the job much easier than drying,then applying,then buffing out. The longevity is also very good the paint will bead water for months. https://www.amazon.com/Armor-All-Wax-Ounce-Bottle/dp/B000A81BT6

 

[PeterGreen]

Just bought a gallon of Griot's spray wax from an internet site. I know it is not as good as paste wax, but I use it when I don't have the time to do a full paste wax job. Keeps the shine a little longer in between,.

 

[RTexasF]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
These days the line between "sealant" (mostly synthetic) wax and "spray wax" is beginning to blur. For me, Optimum spray wax is about as durable as an average sealant.


You hit the nail right on the head. The majority of products called spray wax contain no wax at all. It has been decades since I used a paste wax and have no use for it. Optimum spray wax does everything I need it to do, contains carnauba, and does not cease to exist on a surface in a few weeks time. Our cars are garaged so that does help. If they lived outside the Collinite 845 would be my choice and touched up with Optimum.

 

[97tbird]

I did that exact combo (Collinite 845 + OCW) for our cars last year, despite them being garaged. They've held up really well...
Time to repeat I think...

 

[ChrisD46]

My New Sonata stays outside - I've tried MeGuiar's Ultimate Liquid Polish with touch ups using Lucas Slick Wax and Turtle Shell Ice Spray Wax. I like that you can use all these products on trim , rubber , etc. plus the ease of application but none of them seem to last that long for a car housed outside . *Would the Collinite 845 provide a "tougher" , longer lasting finish than the Ultimate Liquid Polish ?
Originally Posted By: RTexasF
Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
These days the line between "sealant" (mostly synthetic) wax and "spray wax" is beginning to blur. For me, Optimum spray wax is about as durable as an average sealant.


You hit the nail right on the head. The majority of products called spray wax contain no wax at all. It has been decades since I used a paste wax and have no use for it. Optimum spray wax does everything I need it to do, contains carnauba, and does not cease to exist on a surface in a few weeks time. Our cars are garaged so that does help. If they lived outside the Collinite 845 would be my choice and touched up with Optimum.

 

[Cadenza]

If RTexasF gives advice, it's worth heeding, at least for me.

I was up against caring for four new cars in the last several years and I was clueless about preserving them and approached this website as my principal source of information to do that. I spent several days combing through the BITOG archives on finish care (and care car in general) and RTexasF comes up over and over as the voice of achievable and reasonable auto detailing in a fashion I could get a hold of quickly. For me that turns out to be Duragloss sealants (thanks Satin Silver) topped with one of several Collinite products and maintained with Optimum spray wax. That process may be too simple for those willing to spend lots of time and money finding their own regimen, but it's what I've come to and it works brilliantly for me.
I'm not schmoozing any individual or product, I just hope to be able to pass on what works for me, gained from the experts here.