Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

[dknight211]

Hi everyone,

This is probably a weird question, but I'll ask it anyway

Are there any benefits or dangers of leaving wax dried on a car but not removed?

I use mostly Gold Class and sometimes Deep Crystal if I can't find Gold Class. I wax about once every 2 weeks. My car is parked outside all the time, so it sits in the hot sun all day and gets soaked wet by the night dew every night. So my main goal is to preserve the paint finish and with looks/appearances a far second.

I never apply Gold Class or Deep Crystal wax in direct sunlight or when the car surface is hot. If I apply Gold Class or Deep Crystal and let it dry, but don't remove it, are there any benefits or dangers?
Obviously, because the wax hasn't been wiped off, it appears whirly and hazy, but it's a white car and it's not that noticeable ... and a good appearance is not my goal with waxing ... protecting the car finish is.

So I guess my question would be:
Does leaving dried Gold Class or Deep Crystal wax unwiped provide any additional protection from the elements, or does it make it worse (i.e., dried, unwiped wax in the sun = bad)

Thanks!!

[tcope1]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

Not removing it just negates shine and would also make it difficult to remove without washing the vehicle again. I'd think leaving the wax on would provide a little more protection but let me ask you... what is the point in protecting the paint if you can't enjoy it?

There is really no need to wax every two weeks. It won't do any harm but your really just wasting time. You really only need to wax every 2-3 months. Applying it every 2 weeks and you'd really only be removing the current layer of protection and putting on a new... especially if you're using a cleaner/wax.

Also, you can only be so careful. Waxing a vehicle can always lead to microswirls if the paint is not 100% free from grime and dirt. Even the act of washing the vehicle can eventually lead to swirls.

[speed3blackmica]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

since this was your first post, let me start by saying welcome to MOL. its okay to ask even the stupidest questions here. we wont make fun of you, only help.

anyway on to your question..


there is absolutely noooo point whatsoever to just let the wax haze and dry on the car and never wipe it off..after the wax has bonded to the paint, the rest if just excess product..it needs to be wiped off..your just going to make a bigger mess for yourself..you said you use gold class wax, gold class wax offers excelent gloss and very great protection..its a win-win wax...your really getting any more protection by leaving dried product on your car, in fact your probably getting less because your not even allowing the bonded wax to cure properly...just apply your coat of wax, wipe it off, apply a second coat and you will be bulletproof..well, not really lol but you'll be protected very very well

[Murr1525]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

If anything, more stuff will stick to the surface ,and be harder to wash off next time.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

By not removing the wax, the potential is there to have the wax trap all sorts of particles. Then when you try to wash your vehicle. You will be removing all the dried wax plus all these particles that were trapped in the wax. Talk about a difficult task. Plus how many swirls you would be inducing to your paint. This way seems like a huge mess.

I would go with the traditional way of removing wax after it dries.

Welcome to mol.

[dknight211]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

Thanks for all the advice everyone! It's been very helpful!

I will indeed just wax and wipe off and switch to a waxing once every 1-2 months.

Thanks!!

[searle]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

As well, if your top priority is durable protection, switch to using NXT-2.0 since Meguiars is very clear that it provides the greatest protection.

[Calais]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

As well, if your top priority is durable protection, switch to using NXT-2.0 since Meguiars is very clear that it provides the greatest protection.

Or grab some M16 on ebay!!

[Blueline]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

[akimel]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

There have been a couple of threads in the past that have addressed your question, dnight (no, it's not a dumb question at all, and you aren't the first to ask it). Always the answer has been that there is no benefit to not removing the wax residue but there may be disbenefits to not removing it soon after hazing. I remember one particular thread (but cannot find it) where the practice of applying a wax but not removing the wax for purposes of winter storage was discussed. All the MOL experts expressed their disapproval of the practice.

Wax your car as frequently as you want. If you want to wax it every two weeks, go for it! If you want to wax it less frequently, that's fine, too. No one can prescribe a rule for you, given all the environmental variables that affect wax durability. But I can tell you that the majority of MOL members wax their favorite vehicle at least once a month. This frequency may not be required for protective purposes, but folks like keeping their vehicles looking good. The important thing is to adopt a wax regimen and to stick with it.

Gold Class is favorite among many MOL members here, so there's no reason for you to switch if you really like the look it provides. On the other hand, NXT is even more popular among the brethren, provides solid protection (Meguiar's says it provides the best protection of all their waxes), and looks great on white cars. You might also like to know that Meguiar's is coming out with a new Gold Class paste wax sometime this month or next month. Look for it.

You may find this article helpful: Your Daily Driver: A Simple Wash & Wax Regimen.

Welcome to MOL.

Cheers,
Al

[Andrew C.]

Re: Benefits / dangers to not wiping off wax?

Wipe it! Honestly if you wax every two weeks you are completely fine even if your car is sitting outside. Every two weeks is more than enough to keep your car protected.