Wash and Wax

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Sep 13, 2010
Messages
474
Location
Central Texas
What should I use to wash and wax my 2013 Fiesta daily driver. I used to compound my TR4A and wax with Blue Coral. Half a day job that lasted about 6 months.

I have been using turtle or AmorAll wash and wax. Any suggestions? I don't want to get too deep into it, but want to keep it in decent shape. I am guessing no compounding. Maybe paste wax for longevity. I don't mind the extra effort if I am not doing it every week.
 
The wash and wax stuff maybe lasts a few hours. If you do a spray wax, maybe a couple weeks or a month.

I'd wash it with maybe Meguire's Gold Class soap, make sure you use 2 buckets and grit guards. Then use Groit's Garages 1 step sealant. Has a light cleaning/polishing ability and says it protects for a year, so should be able to do 6+ months ok.
 
I do a thorough wash and wax every 6 months with Turtle wax, Mothers, Meguiars or anything I find. No special compounding or polishing. Light rinses or washes every few weeks as needed. By around 5-6 months the wax isn't beading up water very well. 15 yrs of outdoor storage and it still looks pretty good. Just keep the organics and bird poo off the car each day. Keeping out of the sun helps.
 
I wash and nu finish my black CTS (parked outside) approx once a month because it gets dirty fast. I'll try meguiars ultimate polish or whatever is on sale when nu finish is gone. My escalade (garage kept) I wash and nu finish approx 3-4x a year
 
Last edited:
Here in Az cars dry too fast for one to completely towel one off. As such, I've jumped on the Rinseless car wash and wax band wagon. And I love it! The cars easily look as good as a bucket and hose wash job and the time factor is roughly half. I'm currently alternating between Duragloss and Griots Garage products and they're both very good. They both bead rain (when it happens here) well. (If ) I wax my cars they get whatever spray wax I have handy - currently that's a Turtle wax product.
The cars don't seem to be suffering..
 
Rinseless wash is awesome! Great for touchups or if it's not too dirty. I use Optimum No rinse wash & wax.

OP: checkout autogeek.net . Great store/info.
 
Originally Posted By: HoosierJeeper
The wash and wax stuff maybe lasts a few hours. If you do a spray wax, maybe a couple weeks or a month.

I'd wash it with maybe Meguire's Gold Class soap, make sure you use 2 buckets and grit guards. Then use Groit's Garages 1 step sealant. Has a light cleaning/polishing ability and says it protects for a year, so should be able to do 6+ months ok.



This is my current process, although I use ONR in the wash water instead of 2-bucket method. If you have time/money, add in clay bar between the wash and wax; if you use nanoskin its very easy! I did my Mustang in about 2-3 hours from start to finish this way recently.

Haven't done my truck yet this year, to my shame. Even just following the wash with D156 works pretty well. Although this year I've only had time for a couple washes; used some Meguiars carnuba wash and wax soap from Costco which I've never seen anywhere else. Worked pretty well and left a very nice gloss!
 
I wash with Meguiar's D111 and lately I've been using D156 detail spray as a drying aid. It's not perfect but it's good enough that I can see how, if one keeps up with this regimen, they could justify never having to formally wax the car.
 
I just ordered some Pinnacle Wash and Klass All In One. Just got a house with a garage/driveway and this seems to keep it simple without 8 steps, foam guns and blowdriers.
 
I usually apply a "real" wax, usually Megquiers a couple times a year and a wax as you dry spray wax every time I wash it.

I've been toying some of the quick detailers with wax as well for quick cleanups and for removing bird droppings. Seems an improvement over the basic quick detailers. Not sure about replacing an actual car wash with one though.
I also like the idea of the rinsless wash and wax when it's not dirty, just dusty.
 
Been using the Optimum no rinse wash & wax weekly and have been really happy with the results.
I figured if I keep doing this, then get down and do a hand wax about every 6 months. I'm getting down near the last 1/4 of Surf City Garage Barrier Reef wax. Stay or change I dunno yet.
But now thinking of doing the same thing except monthly (between the 6 month hand wax), using the Turtle Wax ICE spray.
So weekly Optimum no rinse wash & wax, spray Turtle Wax monthly, but hand wax with else every 6 months.
But then I'm not good at sticking to plans... always changing up something.
 
I'm a fan of Allbrite products. I wash my cars once a week. Once a month, I wash with their A10 Car Wash Soap and follow it up with their One Step Polish Wax and then their Cherry Dazzle Wax. The next 3 washes will be with their Wash & Wax. Once a year, I go the whole nine yards with their Ultra Coat Paint Sealant.
 
You maybe able to extend time between waxing by using a wax-as-u-dry and using a claybar or claymitt (faster) prior to waxing. No need to compound every 6 months. There's only so much clearcoat. The clay will remove contaminates that washing won't get and will remove prior waxes. Then continue to use your favorite wax. Additionally continue to use your wash-n-wax, but when drying use a wax-as-u-dry. As you can imagine you'll continually be maintaining wax on areas that have begun to lose it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top