How to Apply Car Wax

Waxing your car was an important step in the car washing process where I grew up out West. Car wax is not something people have in their garages at home here in New York where I now live. In California, cars are much more than just cars. Car owners accessorize their cars much more there than they do here. They put on shiny rims and lighted license plate holders. It is a way to express yourself. It is who you are. A car is a way to get around on the East Coast. Even if you do not pimp out your car and just use it to get around in California, the sun can eat away at your car pretty quickly. Car wax is, therefore, a necessity there to protect your car. As my dad would say, waxing your car will help it depreciate less because it keeps the exterior looking fantastic. 

How do you know when it is time to wax your car? Most car experts say it depends on what kind of car wax you use and how flawless you want your car to look. If you are a perfectionist, you could be waxing your car all the time under those rules. If you read the directions on the tub of car wax, it will tell you that when water does not bead on your car, it is time to wax. 

You can get your car waxed one of two ways. You can do it yourself (or make one of your kids do it, in which case, there are three options for getting your car waxed) or take it to a detailer and have the professionals do it. It seems to me that when I have professionals wax my car, it lasts a lot longer than when I do it. It could be that they are using better car wax or that I just have bad technique. But here is how the experts tell you to apply car wax. Start with a freshly washed car. Do not wax in the direct sunlight or if it is too cold. Make sure you do not feel any grit when you run your hand over the paint. If you do, you can apply a non abrasive cleaner meant for car surfaces to smooth it up. Dip a damp cloth or sponge in the car wax and apply it to the car surface in small circles. Make sure you remember where you have applied it, as you cover the entire painted surface. Remove the wax (in the order in which it was applied) with a cloth or cloth diaper. To avoid streaking and build up, shake out your towel every so often. Use a new clean cloth to polish the entire surface and make sure there are no spots of wax left.