Blush or Hazing with Ultimate Liquid Wax

[SailorMan]

I've been using ULW for about a year now - I like its luster and longevity but find that several hours after application that a blush or haze forms. On my Arctic Silver Porsche and Alpine White BMW 328i, the effect has been only slightly noticeable owing to the light colors. Last week I replaced my white Bimmer with a brand new Jet Black one which I polished with ULP then waxed with Ultimate Liquid Wax. The car looked perfect initially, but within a few hours a splotchy blush appeared; it's easily removed with a light wipe of a microfiber towel but reappears quickly. In the coatings world, blush often is due to the migration of low-molecular-weight species that fail to cure into the polymer matrix of the coating and migrate to the surface. Is the haze I see on my cars analogous? What might I do to eliminate or diminish this behavior?

[Murr1525]

Can you mention how you have been applying it?

[SailorMan]

I apply the stuff by hand to the entire car prior to buffing. I don't remember seeing this phenomenon last fall (when it's far cooler and less humid around here); perhaps environmental influences are at work or, since I'm working with the same bottle, the product has deteriorated.

[Murr1525]

It almost sounds like you are missing some residue as you are buffing it off.

I usually buff off the Ult. Wax with a damp cloth followed by a dry one, and seems to go pretty easily.

[Michael Stoops]

The product can be a bit sensitive to temp and humidity and we're finding that you can almost always alleviate this issue by applying it to a panel at a time and then wiping off almost immediately. As you've noticed, the issue is easier to see on darker colors, but this short duration dry time should fix the problem.

[SailorMan]

Thanks Michael. I'll use that approach the next time I try ULW. However, since the haze/blush has reappeared relentlessly for the last 5 days (the car is only a week old), I plan to wash the car thoroughly tomorrow and apply good ol' NXT 2.0, which - if I recall correctly - has sufficient cleaner to remove the "old" wax and still leave a nice shine. Based on my earlier, "low-humidity" experience with ULW, I'll experiment with it again, but for now, I simply want my new car to look . . . . . new.

[SailorMan]

I took a different approached than that described above. I simply washed the car with car wash soap and - of course - water and dried it with microfiber towels. Washing removed the haze and it has not reappeared after 7 or 8 hours; perhaps migration of fugitives was complete a week after waxing, washing extracted whatever species produces the effect or (and I hope this is not the case) weather conditions lacked the combination of heat and humidity that causes the issue. I recall that with my Boxster, which is never driven in the rain thus is washed relatively infrequently (I "dust" it with UQD once or twice a week), the hazing phenomenon ended about a week after waxing.

In any case, I just gave the car a coat of UQD and it looks great, at least for now.

[smack]

Thanks Michael. I'll use that approach the next time I try ULW. However, since the haze/blush has reappeared relentlessly for the last 5 days (the car is only a week old), I plan to wash the car thoroughly tomorrow and apply good ol' NXT 2.0, which - if I recall correctly - has sufficient cleaner to remove the "old" wax and still leave a nice shine. Based on my earlier, "low-humidity" experience with ULW, I'll experiment with it again, but for now, I simply want my new car to look . . . . . new.

Im with you on the NXT 2.0. It is pretty bubba proof and gives outstanding results. The Ultimate wax on the other hand is finicky but gives even greater results. Just comes down to how willing you are to get that extra pop.

[wifpd4]

A couple of comments. After using ULW for a year and still getting blue haze, I can understand your frustration. And now that you've added a black car to the fleet you may need a DA buffer. Makes everything easier and you can put ULW on so thin, which may help.

[BillE]

One thing I discovered (from reading here on MOL), was to do the vehicle in sections.

I do half the hood, do the other half, then wipe off the first half. Do a fender, go back and wipe off the other hood half...on and on.

After one go around, I repeat the process. Not so much as to apply a second coat, but to insure that I haven't missed any spots.

If I do get some blushing (actually from NOT removing all of the product), a quickie wipe with UQD on a MF, takes care of it.

I DO use a DA to apply UWL...so thin that you really can not see it.

Just my results...

Bill