What is the best way to strip wax off a car?

[RWayne]

I was thinking about starting from scratch and am looking for a way to remove all previous layers of wax off my car and start fresh.

From what I understand Clay barring a car will remove some wax.

Is there any kind of car wash solution you can use that is highly effective in removing wax?

What is the best way to remove wax off of a car with out hurting the paint?

Is what I am trying to accomplish advisable?

[imacarnut]

[Murr1525]

I know what you are saying, but you actualy dont have to worry about it.

Just wash the car with a quality wash solution, like Gold Class, etc.

Then clay the car as usual. If any dirt is on/under the old wax, the clay will grab the wax and clay. If the old wax is completly smooth on the surface, it will get left behind, which is no problem.

Following up with a paint cleaner like the DC#1 mentioned above will clean the paint, remove old wax, and remove swirls if a swirl-removing product is used.

Then polish and wax as usual.

[RWayne]

The main reason I want to do this is two fold:

1. I read an article on the law of dimishing returns where it said that the paint on a car could only hold so much wax. After that what ever you put on pretty much wipes off with each new application say like over 3 or 4 coats.

2. I wanted to totally get rid of any previous layers of wax from non-meguiars products that I used before I learned about meguiars.

By the way, I love your icon of the Bus.
I am a Die Hard Steelers Fan also.

Lets Pray that Big Ben's cycle accident does not affect his performance this year.

[Murr1525]

1. Sure seems that way. I use a spray wax after washing, but that just tends to give the 'fresh wax' look back, rather than adding full coats of wax.

2. Between the clay and the paint cleaner, you will get anything old off.

Ehh, Ben will be fine. Peyton Manning fractured his jaw a couple years back and missed one play. Hockey players break their jaws often enough. Nothing career ruining about it.

Just have to figure out an icon for next season...

[RWayne]

How can you tell if you have wax on your car or not?
A few months ago I noticed I had some bugs on the hood of my car so I washed it then used the paint cleaner and took a buffer and covered the whole surface of the hood. It rained the next day and the rain still beaded up on the hood of the car in very small beads. Therefore I saw it as evidence of wax. I was really impressed I was not expecting that. I did not even put a top coat of polish or nxt on it either. the sun was dropping quick so I never got a chance to finish the job from the day before.

Isn't there any wax in paint cleaner at all?

What is the difference between Megs deep crystal paint cleaner and their brand of cleaner wax? Isn't it the same thing?

[Murr1525]

It can be kind of tricky really. The best thing is when you get into using a wax regularly, you will notice when the slickness and look starts to go. One of the good ways is when the Spray Wax starts being tough to remove, your base coat of wax is getting thin.

Beading isnt a great indicator of wax either. A completly clean surface will bead water as well, and some waxes dont bead water much.

In the Deep Crystal Paint Cleaner, and ScratchX, there is no wax.

The Deep Crystal is a paint cleaner only, and pretty good for being mild.

The Cleaner/Wax is a mild cleaner, and also contains polish and a wax. It is probably a little milder of a cleaner than the DC #1.

[RWayne]

How did you know that? Where did you learn that from? I am not questioning your character. I was just curious.

[Murr1525]

Well, I'll assume you are asking about the water beading part...

The simplest answer is that water will bead (stick to itself) when there is nothing else for it to stick to. Think of astronauts in space playing with liquids.

So if your surface is completly clean, there is nothing more than paint for the water to stick to, and that wont make it spread out nearly as much as dirt would.

Similarly, a well waxed car wont bead water well if it is dirty.

Incidently, Mike has mentioned in the past that the ingrediants in wax that cause beading arent as good for the durability. And the ingrediants that give durability dont cause beading.

[mattbuff5]

wash you car with a dish detergent aka Dawn... this will remove wax build-up

[sneek]

Originally posted by mattbuff5
wash you car with a dish detergent aka Dawn... this will remove wax build-up

That doesn't always work because some waxes like NXT and #21 are detergent resistant.. not sure if thats the right word

[mattbuff5]

never knew that... but i always do that only after clay bar-ing so hopefully i'm good to go then

[Murr1525]

While some waxes are detergent resistant, they probably would wash off if you added enough detergent.

The probelm is that it damages more than just the wax on your paint.

Much like dishsoap removes oil from your skin, it also removes oil from your paint, plastic, and rubber.

There is no reason to go backwards like that.

Why remove oils, then go back with cleaners/polishes/dressings and restore these oils.

Just use a clay bar/cleaner/polish from the start, and you will not remove any oils, and add them if they are needed.

Dont take steps back then a step forward, only steps forward.

[35th Anniversary SS]

Would cleaner wax be considered OK to use after clay and before a #83 - #80 combo? Using it as something that could clean after clay but prep for #83 - #80?

[Accumulator]

Originally posted by 35th Anniversary SS
Would cleaner wax be considered OK to use after clay and before a #83 - #80 combo? Using it as something that could clean after clay but prep for #83 - #80?

I wouldn't do that for a number of reasons:

-The wax will make it harder to evaluate the surface before you start polishing.
-The wax will make it harder for the #83 to do it's cutting as the wax will provide some slickness and protection to the surface (won't last long against the #83 though)
-The #83 will have to cut through the cleaner wax, it's extra stuff for the #83 to deal with
-The cut-through wax will contribute to the likelihood of "gumming up" the polishing pad, it's extra stuff being cleaned off the paint and ending up on/in the pad

In many/most cases you can just go straight to a product like #83 and let it cut through whatever's on the paint. But if you want a clean-slate approach use a paint cleaner or at least rubbing alcohol (wouldn't use the latter on fragile paints). I've never found Dawn to be an effective LSP-stripper and claying so aggressively that you remove the LSP is *too* aggressive IMO.