Use of cleaner wax

[v8mustang]

I just bought a new car and was going to use Deep Crystal Cleaner then Deep Crystal Wax. However I see some people are using cleaner/wax then wax again. Is there a difference? Is the Deep Crystal Cleaner safe to use? I do not have a lot of time and no garage so the polishing step will have to wait for a month. But what exactly does polishing do that waxing doesn't? I'm just a little confused with how safe all this is in regards to the paint and clearcoat. Any help would be appreciated.

[Murr1525]

Re: Use of cleaner wax

The Deep Crystal Cleaner is certainly safe to use. Though it is discontinued, so you probably wont find it again.

Just think of the Cleaner/Wax as the Deep Crystal Cleaner, Polish, and Wax in one step. You may get a little better results from individual steps (more cleaning ability, more polishing oils), but that is 3 steps instead of 1.

Many people will just Wash, then Cleaner/Wax, which is perfectly ok. But Meguiars recomends for a complete detail that you:

1. Wash
2. Clay if needed
3. Clean
4. Polish - Optional
5. Wax
6. Wax - 2 thin coats are best

So as you can see, a lot of steps. But if the car is in decent shape, you can go:

1. Wash
2. Clay if needed
3. Cleaner/Wax - ( I actually prefer ColorX)
4. Wax

And that will still cover all of the recommended steps, in less time/effort.

As far as what the steps do (keep in mind this is Meguiars breakdown, other companies may use different terms):

1. Wash - Remove loose dirt
2. Clay - Remove dirt, etc bonded onto the surface
3. Clean - Remove dirt from the pores/imperfections of the paint. If strong enough of a cleaner, remove swirls, scratches
4. Polish - Add polishing oils to the surface, which will fill imperfections to add gloss, and help prevent paint drying out.
4. Wax - Add a sacrificial barrier on top of the paint for the weather to wear off instead of the paint. Also can add gloss, help make future cleaning easier, etc.