When to use cleaner wax?

Seems like I always chime in on these cleaner-wax ("c-w", I'm feeling lazy) threads...somewhat random thoughts follow:



If serious marring removal isn't required, a c-w topped with a straight wax can give some mighty nice results. I've known people who've kept their cars *VERY* nice with just OTC combos of this nature.



I have a scad of c-w, and some of them are really great products. I get a bit :rolleyes: when people label all c-w as [crap].



It can be a fine line between c-w and polishes with some protection in them. *I* think of the following as c-w because they clean paint and leave some protection behind: AIO, VM, 1Z MP and WPS, Autoglym SRP, etc. Then there are the c-w that everyone thinks of from Meg's and Mother's. Almost all of these contain *some* abrasives, but they're often so mild as to be functionally nonabrasive on most clearcoats.



There are some polishes containing wax that *are* functionally abrasive. 1Z Ultra/Extra is mighty aggressive but it leaves wax behind. Their PP is a medium-strength abrasive that leaves enough wax to last until at least the next wash (usually longer than that). And Meg's #66 is in this category too. We might not think of these as c-w, but they work fine in that role.



Some c-w like TOL's Snap Seal are really great for cleaning off tar, just a happy mix of ingredients that work great for that specific job.



Some c-w leave awful staining, as Setec Astronomy pointed out. But others (e.g., AIO, VM, the 1Z stuff) work great on trim. IMO the Meg's c-w are among the worst when it comes to staining.
 
turbomangt said:
At my shop, I only do high end detailing, no dealer work, I never do a quick wax, as its called. all cars go through the hand wash/ clay bar/deep cleaner/ (optional compound if nessessary) then seal. I teach this stuff, so you don't need to remind me about what a cleaner wax is, its a short cut, I'm just not fan of shortcuts, (unless I'm doing my wifes car !LOL) gary
Click to expand...



Gary - Just a ?:

Isn't a "cleaner wax" just another form of a "polish"?? Part of it cleans/polishes the finish and part of it leaves a bit of protection? Clearcoat cleaners are really one of the 1st steps in removing oxidaton, scratches and other imperfections from the finish and some have more protective capabilites than others. So in a sence, you are/could be using a "cleaner wax" in a heavy to light defect removal/high end detail.
 
Accumulator said:
It can be a fine line between c-w and polishes with some protection in them. *I* think of the following as c-w because they clean paint and leave some protection behind: AIO, VM, 1Z MP and WPS, Autoglym SRP, etc. Then there are the c-w that everyone thinks of from Meg's and Mother's. Almost all of these contain *some* abrasives, but they're often so mild as to be functionally nonabrasive on most clearcoats.



There are some polishes containing wax that *are* functionally abrasive. 1Z Ultra/Extra is mighty aggressive but it leaves wax behind. Their PP is a medium-strength abrasive that leaves enough wax to last until at least the next wash (usually longer than that). And Meg's #66 is in this category too. We might not think of these as c-w, but they work fine in that role.
Click to expand...



Wow, somebody was reading my mind, I logged on to ask if 1ZPP = Mothers/Meg cleaner waxes. Do you think 1ZMP is closer?
 
any cleaner wax is going to have some type of abrasive system along with chemcial cleaners. They are good general purpose products WITH limited durability.
 
Malachi said:
.. I logged on to ask if 1ZPP = Mothers/Meg cleaner waxes. Do you think 1ZMP is closer?
Click to expand...



Yeah, the MP (or their WaxPolishSoft) is much closer to "regular"/OTC cleaner wax but either of the 1Z products will still be quite a bit more aggressive...sorta like the Meg's #66 maybe. But IMO most people would probably be better off with the PP because even "very light" marring is usually a lot tougher to get out (by hand/PC) than people expect.
 
Can I use cleaner wax and top it off with DG 105 sealant? I read somewhere that a sealant on top of a wax is a no no.
 
The object is to make the car look great before you put on your LSP, be it cleaner , polish , glaze, or cleaner wax. Many people will put on a coat wax after the cleaner wax . Keep in mind that KAIO, and ZAIO are cleaner sealants. Good cleaner waxes/sealants are Pwc, Pws , Color X, Duragloss 101 , KAIO and ZAIO and Mothers cleaner wax, there are many others.
 
I use Mothers Carnauba Cleaner Wax on all of the relatives' cars. I used to use cleaner wax on my mom's car, but I didn't like the look of it on the silver paint. I used the Mothers 3-step wax system on it, which includes a pre-wax cleaner, sealer and glaze, and a pure carnauba wax. The paint looks perfect. The water beads still and it has been about a month and a half.



Now on my brother's car, I used the cleaner wax. I washed, clayed and used the cleaner wax with a PC and wax pad. It took me about 2 hours to do that.



If you are in a rush and don't have a lot of time, use the cleaner wax. If you have the time, go all out and do everything.
 
hXc drummer23 said:
I use Mothers Carnauba Cleaner Wax on all of the relatives' cars. I used to use cleaner wax on my mom's car, but I didn't like the look of it on the silver paint. I used the Mothers 3-step wax system on it, which includes a pre-wax cleaner, sealer and glaze, and a pure carnauba wax. The paint looks perfect. The water beads still and it has been about a month and a half.



Now on my brother's car, I used the cleaner wax. I washed, clayed and used the cleaner wax with a PC and wax pad. It took me about 2 hours to do that.



If you are in a rush and don't have a lot of time, use the cleaner wax. If you have the time, go all out and do everything.
Click to expand...



Ok thanks. I have mother's cleaner wax, and I was thinking of using DuraGloss 105, which is a sealant after using the cleaner wax. I was wanted to know if the DG will bond to the cleaner wax? Or is there anything wrong with doing so?
 
Something that hasn't been mentioned - I use Megs liquid "cleaner wax" on wheels. I have tried the Wheel Wax and honestly can't tell any difference except in the wallet. Now, on really bad wheels I have to polish with a powerball first before waxing. On later details, I just give them a wipe of AW or Majestic Solutions Showroom Shine after washing.
 
Mothers liquid cleaner wax for medium cleaning...love it but it makes alot of powder.



For light non-abrasive cleaning i use a waterless type product with no abrasives.



Use the waterless 90% of the time as i don't wanna get my car wet and so far so good.
 
Accumulator said:
IMO the Meg's c-w are among the worst when it comes to staining.
Click to expand...



What staining are you talking about? I have the Meguir's cleaner wax just for some spot treatments on my car, which is blue. Will it discolor it?
 
coupelover said:
What staining are you talking about?
Click to expand...



Sorry, didnt' mean to be confusing. I mean white stains on black plastic/rubber trim. Most cleaner waxes (incl. the Meg's) are pretty awful in this regard. No, it won't stain paint or brightwork.
 
I use Meguiar's CW every so often on my 93 Saab to get the bad oxidation off the hood, roof and trunk. It did leave a difficult-to-remove residue on black parts - until I found that TW Ice removed the Meg CW stains in a flash. Ice removed the stains from both hard plastic and soft rubber (like around the windshield wipers) with little more than a wipe. The car hasn't looked that new in 5 years. Two coats of DG AW on top of the Meg CW gave a nice shine with minimal effort.



The condition of the paint on that car is pretty bad. My next move will be a full treatment with DG 106/105/AW once my PC arrives in the mail!! It won't likely be up to full autopian standards but it will look much nicer and stay shiny longer. :cool:



RG
 
The only times I use CW are when I have to do the bed of a truck, if I am doing the underside of a hood and maybe the top of a commuter van or something that just needs protection and not so much correction. No sense in putting all that work into something that will never be seen.
 
mose said:
The only times I use CW are when I have to do the bed of a truck, if I am doing the underside of a hood ... No sense in putting all that work into something that will never be seen.
Click to expand...



I'll play Mr. :argue (in a good-natured way ;) )... I've found that by polishing the out-of-the-way areas a little bit they then retain less dirt and moisture. Those areas usually aren't cleared and they come from the factory with a pretty rought texture.



*Then* something like a cleaner wax can be good for periodic cleanups prior to topping with something like Collinite (I do the latter so I don't have to redo them for a good long time). Guess that isn't so much of an :argue after all!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top