Question on theory of cleaner/waxes

[jima]

I have a question concerning cleaner/waxes. They certainly are a step saver, but I have a question regarding them that I do not understand. When the cleaner portion of the product is removing oxidation , surface contaminants, etc., where do the remnants go? Since it is a one step process, wouldn't the loosened contaminants remain on the paint surface only now mixed in with the wax? If not, how are they removed?

[roushstage2]

Re: Question on theory of cleaner/waxes

I have a question concerning cleaner/eaxes. They certainly are a step saver but I have a question regarding them that I do not understand. When the cleaner portion of the product is removing oxidation , surface dontaminants, etc., where do the remnants go? Since it is a one step process wouldn't the loosened contaminants remain on the paint surface only now mixed in with the wax? If not, how are they removed?

I would think they would be removed with the towel you wipe the surface off with.

[jima]

Re: Question on theory of cleaner/waxes

So the residue that is removed would "float" to the top where it can be removed by the towel, while the wax component binds to the paint?

[PorscheGuy997]

Re: Question on theory of cleaner/waxes

Here is my explanation:

The wax has a cleaner in it which removes a small amount of the paint - by small, I mean that you could use the product for the lifetime of the paint and it would still be fine. The removed paint which contains the defects being removed are then transfered to the applicator.

[roushstage2]

Re: Question on theory of cleaner/waxes

So the residue that is removed would "float" to the top where it can be removed by the towel, while the wax component binds to the paint?

The cleaner wax that you are rubbing into the paint is chemically cleaning the paint. Acutal contaminants (tar, sap, etc...) on the paint would be removed with a clay bar.

[Mike Phillips]

Re: Question on theory of cleaner/waxes

It can be a hard process to understand, most people ask the question like this...

How can a cleaner/wax be removing oxidation, stains, swirls and scratches while at the same time leaving behind a coat of wax?


Or something like that... but it works. In fact it works very well as our A12 Cleaner/Wax has been on the market since 1973, at the time of this post that's over 34 years. If it didn't work we probably would have stopped selling it in say... 1974, or 1975 etc. But it's the number one selling cleaner/wax in the U.S. and has been most of the 34 years it's been available.

Also to note that when you go to any Hard Parts Auto Store like Kragen, Autozone, Pep Boys, etc. most of the waxes on the shelves are cleaner/waxes. They might not say CLEANER WAX on the front label but the average person working on the average car, (a daily driver), needs a cleaner wax because the paint on their car is going to need to be cleaned and because the average person is not a serious enthusiasts, that means they don't know that much about what they're doing and they also don't want to do more than wash their and then wax their car, so no claying, no dedicated paint cleaners to prepare the surface for wax therefore they need a cleaner/wax.

They don't know they need a cleaner/wax because as stated above...

the average person is not a serious enthusiasts, that means they don't know that much about what they're doing and they're not in the the "Detailing Thing" enough to want to learn more about what they're doing so they tend to limit their knowledge and purchases to the basics...

• Wash the car
• Wax the car
• Maybe apply a tire dressing, maybe some type of interior dressing...

A well made cleaner wax will clean the paint and leave behind a protective coating. The first Meguiar's product I ever used was their cleaner/wax back in the 1970's.


A lot of people don't know this, after reading this they will. Meguiar's didn't introduce the Consumer Line until 1973, this was brought about by word of mouth advertising, which resulted in a critical mass of customer demand. Before that all we made for the automotive industry were products for auto manufactures and the refinishing industry, that is the places where fresh paint was applied to a new car or a repaired car after a wreck, we call this the Professional Industry, or market because it's made up of people that are professionals in the industry, i.e. people that are paid to work on car 5, 6, and sometimes 7 days a week.

Here's the first Consumer products Meguiar's introduced in 1973,

Cleaner/Wax Paste


Cleaner/Wax Liquid


Cleaner/waxes come in really handy when you're working on big things, like 40' Motorhomes, can you imagine doing a three-step process all the way down a 40' Motorhome, than doing the front and then going down the other side?

How about large boats? Which would you rather do,
Multiple-Step Process and get great results
One-Step Process and get great results

The trick is to find the cleaner/wax that really does work great.