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3 Tips For Waxing Your Car

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Waxing your car is not just for appearances, but it can actually provide a protective layer on top of your car. This helps to protect it from sun damage, reduces how badly you get body damage from hail and ice, and can limit the fading of the paint job. Here are some tips to follow if you want to wax your own car.

Wash the Car Thoroughly

Before waxing your car, the surface needs to be washed. Wash and wax the car on a day when it is cloudy or overcast, instead of on a hot day. You don't want the soapy water to dry prematurely on your car, or it will lead to spots and streaks that make it more difficult to wax the car. If you can't avoid washing it on a hot day, move the car to a shaded area or keep it in your garage. Only use soap that is meant for washing cars, as it helps remove dirt more efficiently. Use extra-soft cloths when drying the vehicle.

Buff the Vehicle

Once the vehicle is fully clean and dry, you can start to buff it. This is good to do prior to waxing as it smoothes out the body surface and makes it easier to spread the wax evenly. Buffing is done mostly on worn or scratched areas of the car's body, as these areas need to be nice and smooth. Get some buffing compound and put it on all scratched areas of the car or areas that don't seem as smooth to the touch as the rest. Using a circular motion, work in the compound with a buffing pad. Continue working the compound into the scratched area with the pad. The buffing pad should always remain flat against the car's surface.

Apply the Wax

You will now be able to add the wax to the vehicle. Work in small sections at a time, pouring a small amount of wax on the vehicle, then using a clean and soft pad to work it in circular motions, similar to the technique used when buffing the car. Continue moving along the body of the vehicle in small sections, overlapping them slightly so you don't miss any spots. You will start to see a polished, shiny surface on the areas that have had wax applied.

For a professional job, consult a local auto body repair shop like Westside Fender/Body & Refinishing to have your vehicle waxed.


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