The most common time to begin car waxing is during the summer months. People emerge from the cold of winter, and think that their car looks rather drab beside the flowers. But winter can be tough on some cars, and giving them a good wax during this period can really help to give them a new lease of life. However, waxing during the cold weather can be difficult, particularly if you have an older car, or are using a good quality car wax. Knowing the right temperature to wax your car will help to keep the vehicle shiny and looking brand new.
Waxing during Summer
Car waxing often takes place during the summer months, when there is more daylight available, and you have more time to spend outside in the sun. Waxing during dry weather is important, as unless you are using a high-quality paste, the wax needs time to dry out before it is fully able to protect the car. If you wax your car during the summer, there are some temperatures you should avoid. Any day above 80 degrees will not be a good day to try and wax your car. Try not to place your car in direct sunlight while waxing, and avoid intense heat. The best time of day to wax the car during summer is definitely in the evening, so that the car has several hours of darkness to fully dry before being exposed to the mid-day sun.
Waxing during Winter
You should probably apply more wax during the winter time. It is a good idea to apply a full coat of wax before the very beginning of winter, as this will help to protect your car from early frosts. You should also wax during dry periods before snow or rain showers, in order to protect your car from moisture and cold. Car wax should ideally be applied when the temperature is between 60 and 80 degrees, but wax will still be liquid at around 50 degrees, and can be put onto the car. Before waxing, do a little bit of car detailing to make sure the surface is completely clean, and then spread the wax over in small, quick circles. Once you have added the wax to the car, try and place it in some sunlight, or near a heat source.
Now is a good time to practice your car buffing technique, as you need to move the wax around the body of the car, keeping it warm through the movement you are creating. During the cold spell, your car wax will not dry as normal, so allow a few more hours for the wax to fully dry before you use your car.
Related Questions and Answers
Will a Car Wax Buffer Take out Small Scratches?
A car wax buffer is a machine that spins a buffer pad in an orbital pattern and is used for applying and removing paint care compounds such as polish, rubbing compound and wax. Small scratches in your paint's surface can be easily and quickly removed using a car wax buffer using a polish or rubbing compound. However, extreme care must be used when using one of these machines because the increased pressure and speed of motion these machines allow and produce can easily ruin the paint on your car. If you're unfamiliar with the proper method of using a buffer, you should practice on an area that isn't conspicuous and use very minimal pressure.
Will Clear Coat Wax Give a Better Shine?
You've seen advertisem*nts for clear coat wax. This is a type of wax that is especially designed for use on paint jobs that are sealed with a clear coat. This type of wax product can deliver a deep and lustrous shine to your car's clear coat sealed paint. Traditional paste waxes were originally formulated using Brazilian Carnauba wax. This wax actually distorts the color of finishes it is applied to. Clear coat wax is specially formulated to be perfectly clear and not distort your car's underlying paint color. Carnauba based waxes may cause a warmer shine and luster to come from your paint job, but clear coat waxes will allow the real color to shine through.
Do I Have to Use a Specific Car Wax for Black Cars?
You want to know if there is a special type of car wax for black cars. Specifically, you're curious whether you should use a carnauba, a synthetic or a black color-matched wax on your black color. Black colored wax is great to use if your black painted car has fine swirls or scratches in it, because the pigment in the wax will fill the swirls and/or scratches. If there are no imperfections in your car's paint, then what type of wax you use will depend on what you're more comfortable with, and even how much time you have to detail your car. If you have plenty of time, a carnauba wax will give a warm luster to your car. If you're in a hurry, a synthetic spray on wax will go on and wipe off quickly.
Car Wax vs. Polish: Are they the Same?
The car wax vs. polish argument has been going on for a number of years and can lead to a great deal of confusion. Car wax is used when there are no imperfections in your car's paint finish to bring out a warm and brilliant luster. Buffed properly, a good quality carnauba based wax will give your car's paint that perfect "wet look" everyone looks for. Polish is a combination of a very light rubbing compound and a wax mixed into a single product. If your car has fine swirls, tiny scratches or water spots, using a polish after washing will erase those imperfections.
