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Re: I'm lost in wax vs sealant debates. What do I do after Ultimate Liquid Wax?
When someone first dives into this hobby it can be very confusing, partly due to all the different products available today and partly due to how different terms are often used in a variety of ways. Let's see if we can summarize a few things for you here:
Carnauba wax vs synthetics: carnauba waxes make use of natural carnauba wax for the primary protection ingredient but they can contain other types of waxes as well. And since naturally occurring carnauba is literally as hard as a rock there must be some sort of solvent ingredient in the product that makes the carnauba spreadable on the paint. There are usually a variety of polymers found in these waxes as well, but don't read too much into that. The term "polymer" is an incredibly broad term and in simplest form means nothing more than a long chain of bonded molecules that are very similar in nature. DNA is, therefore, technically a polymer but obviously nobody's wax has actual DNA in it! Silicones are usually polymers as well, and these are the primary type of polymers found in carnauba waxes as they tend to make spreading and removal of the product much easier. They may or may not add shine or slickness, depending on which silicones are used. Synthetics, on the other hand, are usually just that - pure, man made synthetic products that behave quite differently on the paint surface. The polymers used here are selected for their durability (usually via a strong cross linking bond of the long molecular chains) and as such these pure synthetics (often called "sealants" in the hobby) tend to be much more durable than typical carnauba waxes. It is certainly possible for a product to contain a combination of these two design philosophies, but that's not very common. Our M20 Polymer Sealant, however, is one such product. Further, since both types of product - carnauba and sealant - are designed to do basically the same thing (ie, protect the paint) there is no real need to use both on the same vehicle. Even so, some people like to apply a sealant first for durability, and then they top off with a carnauba for the look they get. Keep in mind, however, that this can be a very subtle appearance change, not everyone will see things the same, and more importantly not everyone likes the same thing. This makes the selection of any wax a very subjective and personal selection. If all you're looking for is durability, then our Ultimate Wax is the right choice since it's our longest lasting, best protecting paint protectant (AKA "wax"). But if you actually prefer the look of a carnauba, then maybe Gold Class or M26 is a better choice for you.
Maintenance of either product: what's really important here is not so much which product you choose as a quick detailer/quick wax for routine dust removal between washes, but that you do it at all. It is perfectly safe and acceptable to use a carnauba formulated QD/QW over a synthetic sealant, or to use a synthetic QD/QW over a carnauba wax - you aren't going to do any real harm or damage. But think about this: if you're using a synthetic sealant like NXT Tech Wax 2.0 or Ultimate Wax, part of the reason you selected that product is likely the hydrophobic properties contained in them. If you then later apply a carnauba QD/QW over that synthetic, you may actually detract from some of that hydrophobic effect. Likewise, if you perceive that a carnauba wax gives you a certain look that you're after and you apply a synthetic QD/QW over it, you may lose some of the visual effect that you like. Of course, you will be picking up some added hydrophobic effect, so it's a trade off. But in all honestly, all of this is over thinking things a bit; you won't strip the existing wax by using a maintenance product that differs in design intent, and unless you've got a very highly trained eye you may not see the difference without doing a true side by side comparison. Bottom line - "find something you like and use it often" as my predecessor in this position likes to say!
Washing: all of our car wash soaps are pH neutral and bio degradable, meaning they won't strip wax and they won't kill your lawn. Gold Class has some ingredients that will help to maintain the gloss level of a nicely prepped and waxed vehicle, while Ultimate Wash & Wax contains some dispersed wax that will leave a bit of added gloss enhancing behind. Again, if you use UWW over any wax, it's not going to "fight" with whatever was there before the wash.
Of all the things we as enthusiasts tend to stress over, the above really should be the least of our concerns. Far more important is exactly how you maintain the finish overall - are you always using clean, high quality microfiber towels and an appropriate number of them for the task at hand? It's rare that you can do a proper QD wipe down of a dusty car with a single towel, and a rinseless or waterless wash usually requires several towels to safely clean the car. Personally, I've used as many as 9 on a two seat convertible with a canvas top - not a lot of paint on a car like that, but if I'm doing a waterless wash on a truly dirty car, I'm not taking any chances. If you're bucket washing, are you using quality wash mitts and drying towels, along with the two bucket method and Grit Guards? Are you washing your wash mitts and drying towels after each use? Are you scrubbing the paint to clean it (if so, STOP!!!)? If you're doing all of the above correctly and carefully, you'll find that your paint will look great for a very long time following a full detail session, perhaps as long as a few years. Yes, years. As an example, my daily driver got a full buff out 6 months ago during the Christmas break, and that was the first time I'd done so in 5 years - it simply didn't need it because I'm beyond picky in my maintenance routine. That also means if I don't have a chance to wipe the car down for a few days, I'll hold off until I have time to either do a proper waterless wash or break out the hose and bucket. And, yes, that means at times the car is actually {gulp} dirty for a few days. Hey, it happens!
When someone first dives into this hobby it can be very confusing, partly due to all the different products available today and partly due to how different terms are often used in a variety of ways. Let's see if we can summarize a few things for you here:
Carnauba wax vs synthetics: carnauba waxes make use of natural carnauba wax for the primary protection ingredient but they can contain other types of waxes as well. And since naturally occurring carnauba is literally as hard as a rock there must be some sort of solvent ingredient in the product that makes the carnauba spreadable on the paint. There are usually a variety of polymers found in these waxes as well, but don't read too much into that. The term "polymer" is an incredibly broad term and in simplest form means nothing more than a long chain of bonded molecules that are very similar in nature. DNA is, therefore, technically a polymer but obviously nobody's wax has actual DNA in it! Silicones are usually polymers as well, and these are the primary type of polymers found in carnauba waxes as they tend to make spreading and removal of the product much easier. They may or may not add shine or slickness, depending on which silicones are used. Synthetics, on the other hand, are usually just that - pure, man made synthetic products that behave quite differently on the paint surface. The polymers used here are selected for their durability (usually via a strong cross linking bond of the long molecular chains) and as such these pure synthetics (often called "sealants" in the hobby) tend to be much more durable than typical carnauba waxes. It is certainly possible for a product to contain a combination of these two design philosophies, but that's not very common. Our M20 Polymer Sealant, however, is one such product. Further, since both types of product - carnauba and sealant - are designed to do basically the same thing (ie, protect the paint) there is no real need to use both on the same vehicle. Even so, some people like to apply a sealant first for durability, and then they top off with a carnauba for the look they get. Keep in mind, however, that this can be a very subtle appearance change, not everyone will see things the same, and more importantly not everyone likes the same thing. This makes the selection of any wax a very subjective and personal selection. If all you're looking for is durability, then our Ultimate Wax is the right choice since it's our longest lasting, best protecting paint protectant (AKA "wax"). But if you actually prefer the look of a carnauba, then maybe Gold Class or M26 is a better choice for you.
Maintenance of either product: what's really important here is not so much which product you choose as a quick detailer/quick wax for routine dust removal between washes, but that you do it at all. It is perfectly safe and acceptable to use a carnauba formulated QD/QW over a synthetic sealant, or to use a synthetic QD/QW over a carnauba wax - you aren't going to do any real harm or damage. But think about this: if you're using a synthetic sealant like NXT Tech Wax 2.0 or Ultimate Wax, part of the reason you selected that product is likely the hydrophobic properties contained in them. If you then later apply a carnauba QD/QW over that synthetic, you may actually detract from some of that hydrophobic effect. Likewise, if you perceive that a carnauba wax gives you a certain look that you're after and you apply a synthetic QD/QW over it, you may lose some of the visual effect that you like. Of course, you will be picking up some added hydrophobic effect, so it's a trade off. But in all honestly, all of this is over thinking things a bit; you won't strip the existing wax by using a maintenance product that differs in design intent, and unless you've got a very highly trained eye you may not see the difference without doing a true side by side comparison. Bottom line - "find something you like and use it often" as my predecessor in this position likes to say!
Washing: all of our car wash soaps are pH neutral and bio degradable, meaning they won't strip wax and they won't kill your lawn. Gold Class has some ingredients that will help to maintain the gloss level of a nicely prepped and waxed vehicle, while Ultimate Wash & Wax contains some dispersed wax that will leave a bit of added gloss enhancing behind. Again, if you use UWW over any wax, it's not going to "fight" with whatever was there before the wash.
Of all the things we as enthusiasts tend to stress over, the above really should be the least of our concerns. Far more important is exactly how you maintain the finish overall - are you always using clean, high quality microfiber towels and an appropriate number of them for the task at hand? It's rare that you can do a proper QD wipe down of a dusty car with a single towel, and a rinseless or waterless wash usually requires several towels to safely clean the car. Personally, I've used as many as 9 on a two seat convertible with a canvas top - not a lot of paint on a car like that, but if I'm doing a waterless wash on a truly dirty car, I'm not taking any chances. If you're bucket washing, are you using quality wash mitts and drying towels, along with the two bucket method and Grit Guards? Are you washing your wash mitts and drying towels after each use? Are you scrubbing the paint to clean it (if so, STOP!!!)? If you're doing all of the above correctly and carefully, you'll find that your paint will look great for a very long time following a full detail session, perhaps as long as a few years. Yes, years. As an example, my daily driver got a full buff out 6 months ago during the Christmas break, and that was the first time I'd done so in 5 years - it simply didn't need it because I'm beyond picky in my maintenance routine. That also means if I don't have a chance to wipe the car down for a few days, I'll hold off until I have time to either do a proper waterless wash or break out the hose and bucket. And, yes, that means at times the car is actually {gulp} dirty for a few days. Hey, it happens!
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