How long can i leave on wax?

A

amolai

New member
Hey everyone. this is my first post on here. Im pretty new to auto detailing. i have recently purchased a Mothers three step cleaner, polish, and wax set.



i have a 05 wrx and its only 5-6 months old. i have done the polish and was wondering when i do the wax, can i put a thin layer of wax on and leave it to haze for a long time? how long can i wait? can i do more than 2-4 feet at a time?



Any help is appreciated!
 
i did a search and didnt find anything stating how long wax can be kept on before buffing out. No one?
 
Each product is different. I'm not familar with the Mothers stuff. Some can be left on for hours, some Wipe On/Wipe Off. Do a panel and let it sit for a few minutes, if it haze's up then see how easy it is to wipe off. Hopefully, someone who use's that product will chime in. What does the bottle say?
 
its called "Mothers California Gold" Caranuba Wax Paste. It says to put on a thin layer and let it dry to a haze, then buff off. doesnt give specifics
 
what i was really wondering is if i could go ahead and do like both driver side doors, fender, and side skirts all at once and then buff out all once.
 
Then do just that, put on one panel, go to another panel and apply, come back remove from previous panel. Do the whole vehicle that way.
 
amolai said:
what i was really wondering is if i could go ahead and do like both driver side doors, fender, and side skirts all at once and then buff out all once.
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You might get away with that.
 
ok that sounds good. the Phase 1 that was included was a Oxidation remover and paint cleaner. Should i go ahead and do that before i wax? Im fairly new to detailing. should i get a claybar also? ive had my car since October 05. and its been washed regularly but never waxed
 
Yes, clay it, use lots of lube/QD. Go ahead with the Phase 1 than apply the wax. Actually you could get away with the Phase 1 since your car is so new. How's the Paint looking?
 
The setting time of waxes can differ from product to product. Synthetics are more forgiving and they can left on for a longer period of time. Heavy carnaubas are usually very hard to remove after around 10 minutes.



So it really depends on the product. In your case, the classic 'old' Mothers Cali Gold is a very easy product. If you put on a nice, thin layer (remember, this is not mud, not a face mask, or whatever), it will come off very easily. The layer thickness should be close to a lightly foggy window. Just a thin almost transparent layer. When you finished the application, wait a bit and do a swipe test after a few minutes. Swipe the wax with your finger. If it comes off easily without smearing the wax is dried and ready to be removed. When it still smears, it needs further drying. Experiment and find out when it is optimal to remove your wax. If you are in trouble (applied too thick, let it dry too long, etc.), and the wax is hard to take off, you can always help with 1-2 spritz of a quick detailer, such as Mothers Showtime.
 
John Styrnol said:
Yes, clay it, use lots of lube/QD. Go ahead with the Phase 1 than apply the wax. Actually you could get away with the Phase 1 since your car is so new. How's the Paint looking?
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when i give it a good wash i feel the paint for any left over junk that wasnt removed from the wash. paint looks really good and feels really smooth. but would claybar make a big difference? i keep the car in the garage also so its not really exposed to much to the elements.
 
Bence said:
The setting time of waxes can differ from product to product. Synthetics are more forgiving and they can left on for a longer period of time. Heavy carnaubas are usually very hard to remove after around 10 minutes.



So it really depends on the product. In your case, the classic 'old' Mothers Cali Gold is a very easy product. If you put on a nice, thin layer (remember, this is not mud, not a face mask, or whatever), it will come off very easily. The layer thickness should be close to a lightly foggy window. Just a thin almost transparent layer. When you finished the application, wait a bit and do a swipe test after a few minutes. Swipe the wax with your finger. If it comes off easily without smearing the wax is dried and ready to be removed. When it still smears, it needs further drying. Experiment and find out when it is optimal to remove your wax. If you are in trouble (applied too thick, let it dry too long, etc.), and the wax is hard to take off, you can always help with 1-2 spritz of a quick detailer, such as Mothers Showtime.
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Thanks for the advice. ill try to get some before and after pics up this weekend. :bigups Also, is it better to apply wax with a applicator pad or with your fingers? i read on Nasioc (wrx forum) that some people apply it with there fingers.
 
The bare hand application is for 'exotic' waxes such as Victoria Wax, Swissol or Zymol. There is some point in that methodology but it is better not to expose yourself to various chemicals which may be absorbed through the skin.



As for contaminants, you'll be surprised if you put your hand in a plastic glove/baggy and then feel the paint. The thin plastic foil will tell you more... Just try it and chime back. Claying is almost always beneficial.
 
After posting the "don't leave it on too long" conventional wisdom over at MOL, I got called on it by Mike Phillips. So I experimented, leaving waxes on a long time before buffing (as in over an hour). As long as I didn't put them on goofy-thick, they came off with no problems at all. From Collinite 476S/Meg's #16 to Souveran, a properly thin application wiped off easily...and even when I really put Souveran on *thick*, it came off with no problems at all. I even left a heavy application of 476S on overnight, no problem. Sorta surprised me, after all, I've been doing this for decades and I thought that "everybody knows you can't leave it on too long or it'll be tough" :nixweiss Just a FWIW...
 
It was an empirical observation for me: I applied Victoria Wax Concours by bare hands and left it on for 45 minutes. Usually I let it set for 3-5 minutes and it comes off creamily, richly. Not this time however. It was hard and crusty. No MF was able to remove it completely, just with liberal amounts of QD. So, products are different and you have to figure out their best setting time for optimal removal.
 
Bence said:
The setting time of waxes can differ from product to product. Synthetics are more forgiving and they can left on for a longer period of time. Heavy carnaubas are usually very hard to remove after around 10 minutes.
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This is very good information. Most synthetic products can be left on the surface much longer than carnauba waxes.



Another factor to consider when working with wax is the amount of relative humidity. During a damp day you will find that most waxes will usually take a bit longer to dry compared to a windy dry day.



You need to be very careful not to get too far ahead of yourself when working with carnauba waxes. Do a few small sections first, just to see how quickly the wax dries. Then proceed accordingly.
 
My experience also has been the differences between Liquid and Paste Carnauba's. Liquids can stay on for a very very long time compared to Pastes.
 
Bence- Roger that about products being different :xyxthumbs



Never tried the Victoria, good to know which ones can cause trouble if left on too long.
 
It seems that Victoria Wax follows these threads closely, and I got this beautiful response from David Wyllie Sr.:



"I noticed that you got on the topic of how long can you leave wax on before buffing.



When Victoria Wax is left on too long it is almost impossible to buff with a microfiber or any other soft cloths. We have requested that if a long time has passed, just re-apply another application of wax over the crusty dried up wax. Then buff as usual. There is a higher concentration of wax left to buff, and some people love that new effect.



My thoughts on wax and effortless buffing: Not all waxes are created the same, many products use a little amount of a silicone fluid and a powerful reactive bonding chemical, amino-functional, to achieve a slick friction free layer on the surface. This layer of silicone has attached itself to the surface without including the other raw materials like the waxes, UV protection and anti-static that was included in the original formula. This type of product would wipe off effortlessly, even if left on for a month or more. All the expensive raw materials used in the formula end up being buffed away and then washed out in the laundry. Also, in rare cases a very small amount of raw materials does adhere to the silicone layer, but will be removed usually at the first or second car washing.



Sad to say, I have seen people who purchased very good and expensive waxes for their cars, only to see them cover the car completely with it at one time. A bad mistake, weekends could be lost trying to buff off the mess. Many people have lost interest in car care because of this practice. Please help them understand that there are easy ways to right a wrong. If applying Quick Detail or applying more wax helps these people, great. I would never think of going too far ahead of myself in applying anything. Because when I was younger, and stupider, I did exactly that. What a mess.



It is okay to use something I say, if you believe in it. But there are many others out there that see it in a little different way. The only thing that we have going for us, is most of our customers keep their cars for 20, 30 or more years. If we can get to them early enough before too much exposure to the sun happens, they love the wax."



I think it is a little deeper insight how 'old-fashioned' (in a positive way), hand-applied waxes behave.



Thanks, David! :bigups
 
Bence- That *was* interesting! Both as insight into Victoria wax (not common around my locale) and as a sign that they're a) following these threads and b) quite interested in their customer relations.
 
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