How long to let wax cure when applying/removing by hand?

K

Kalon

New member
Should I wait 5-10 mins or more? I use NXT 2.0 liquid...





And I assume you SHOULD NOT let polish cure at all? Immediate removal?



Does letting the polish cure make it more difficult to remove by hand?
 
Don't let abrasive polishes sit on your car. As soon as you are done buffing that application, wipe it off.



*Most* sealants/waxes are ready to be removed when they pass the "finger swipe" test; swipe your finger through the residue. If it leaves a clean, dry surface, and the stuff you remove feels like dry powder, it's ready to be removed. There are some waxes that must be removed prior to them drying all the way, but I doubt you would have any of them. You're pretty safe with the finger swipe method to determine when to remove the residue.
 
it depends on what you mean by "cure".



To most of us, cure means for the product in question to completely bond with whatever surface it is on. So, supposedly, it takes around 12 hours for many products.



What I think you are referring to here is "dry" or "haze".



Follow the directions on the back of the bottle. When using NTX 2.0 liquid, I apply it to the whole car, then let it dry while I do something else, like work on interior. Then I come back and wipe it off.



Some waxes you simply apply and remove very quickly. Other sealants are very stubborn and you dont want to let them sit that long.



And depending on what you mean by "polish", yes, it does not need to sit on the surface any more after you have finished polishing with it.
 
NXT can sit for a good while. If you're not super slow, you can easily do the whole car then go back and buff it off. If it's too hard to remove, you iether waited too long or didn't spread it thin enough. you can go real thin with waxes in general which results in using less, less work, more even coating etc..
 
Personally on my own car, I only wait about 2 mins after applying most nuba' waxes. I haven't seen a increase in performance, by waiting a hour to remove..etc.



Some sealants need a little more time, especially in a humid environment.
 
You guys have SO much knowledge here. I like how you don't give quick answers. All of you seem to give answers that come from many cars and experience. I'm thinking maybe 15-20 mins then remove. I just can't do it now cause in NOLA it likes to rain all the time. No one here cares about their cars...it's swirl mark city down here lol.
 
GS4_Fiend said:
Just wait an hour for the NXT so it can bond to the paint.
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The set-up time for NXT can vary from 10 minutes to an hour, depending on temperature and humidity. The chemists at Meguiar's recommend 15 minutes. In my area I find 30 minutes to be about right.



Smoothfinish said:
So that the sealant will bond to the paint better.
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This doesn't sound quite right. I think the point is that NXT, like most waxes and sealants, needs time for its solvents and oils (and whatever) to evaporate before being wiped off; otherwise one will experience problems, like streaking. And leaving NXT on too long, before wiping off, can itself cause problems, like streaking--hence the usefulness of the swipe test.
 
Kalon said:
Should I wait 5-10 mins or more? I use NXT 2.0 liquid...





And I assume you SHOULD NOT let polish cure at all? Immediate removal?



Does letting the polish cure make it more difficult to remove by hand?
Click to expand...



I always found reading the instructions to be the best guide.
 
akimel said:
This doesn't sound quite right. I think the point is that NXT, like most waxes and sealants, needs time for its solvents and oils (and whatever) to evaporate before being wiped off; otherwise one will experience problems, like streaking. And leaving NXT on too long, before wiping off, can itself cause problems, like streaking--hence the usefulness of the swipe test.
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It really depends on the waxes chemistry. E.g a high solvent paste wax will flash off (the solvents evaporate) leaving behind an irregular layer of "unworkable" wax that is hard to buff off.



What usually happens is that the solvents are a mix of a fast evaporating solvent, and a slower evaporating solvent, as well as some PDMS fluids. So after it hazes, the wax is still "workable" and you can buff it off with ease.



Net/net, do a swipe test which will tell you if the product has set up to the point where it makes sense to remove it. As for the curing of the amino silicones, that should be mostly done within a few hours.
 
Put it on thin and even, ask me how I know. If is a humid day; don't rush it. Use the swipe test.



Most summers in MN are muggy, NXT can take 45 min to pass the swipe test.
 
I've found that by applying very thin coats of wax or sealants I can do the whole car before I start thinking about buffing it off and I've never had a problem. Even with Collinite or Meg's #16 that have a bad, and undeserved rep, for being difficult to remove.
 
scary bill said:
Real men don't need instructions..
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Or maybe "real men aren't afraid to think outside the box" :D



After a discussion with Mike Phillips, I experimented with letting Souveran (a W-O-W-O type of wax) set up for varying lengths of time. Worked fine, and even made for a slight increase in durability. All a matter of doing a thin, uniform application.



There are limits though...leave some #16 residue on a car for a few weeks, in hot weather, and you'll remember it :o
 
Accumulator said:
Or maybe "real men aren't afraid to think outside the box" :D



After a discussion with Mike Phillips, I experimented with letting Souveran (a W-O-W-O type of wax) set up for varying lengths of time. Worked fine, and even made for a slight increase in durability. All a matter of doing a thin, uniform application.



There are limits though...leave some #16 residue on a car for a few weeks, in hot weather, and you'll remember it :o
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I've *heard* that 476 is the same way...
 
Accumulator said:
Or maybe "real men aren't afraid to think outside the box" :D



After a discussion with Mike Phillips, I experimented with letting Souveran (a W-O-W-O type of wax) set up for varying lengths of time. Worked fine, and even made for a slight increase in durability. All a matter of doing a thin, uniform application.



There are limits though...leave some #16 residue on a car for a few weeks, in hot weather, and you'll remember it :o
Click to expand...





I like to "experiment" also. It sure is fun to play with my "toys" and such.
 
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