Should the wax be applied while the car is still wet after washing or should it be dried first?Should it be applied with a dry or wet cloth? How many minutes should the wax be let to dry before removing? I have the Formula 113 wax.

 

The car must be dry. You can do the whole car at once, I did. Remember to use it sparingly.

 

I applied some a couple weeks ago. The car was mostly dry but I applied it with a wet rag, as that is what my friend to me to do. But, I couldn't find any info on the internet saying to do it this way. If I wax it again, doing it correctly this time, will I end up with too much wax on the car? Should I wash it with dawn a few times before attempting to wax again?

 

There should be directions on the package....

Here's the quick rundown:

Dry car.

Apply wax sparingly with a damp rag or damp applicator pad.

Let wax dry/glaze over for about 5 minutes.

Wipe dried wax off with a clean, dry towel, turn the towel frequently to keep it clean.

Buff with a fine cloth.

 

With the 113 you can wait longer than 5 mins, with no problems.

 

I wax my car alot. In fact I have three bottles of Mothers Carnauba on it since last fall. Thats alotta wax.

I called Mothers 1-800-soemthing and asked. They say wash the car then towel or chamis dry it. Then apply to section with a damp sponge then immediately buff off the wax from that section -- DO NOT LET IT DRY.

Supposedly if it dries the material especially silicone based stuff has a mild abrasive characteristic about it. That is **** for my clear coats. So I do a fender, a door, a hatchback, etc. Had no troubles to date.

Pure Carnuaba has no abrasives -- watch out for polishes and wax combos.

my .02 cents worth.
RP.

 

And your point. Formula 113 is different than any other wax. So don't give him directions for other products. Granted your way won't hurt anything, but neither will letting it sit. In fact with 113 you can do it in direct sunlight, which all other waxes say not too.
Also, you won't find a PURE Carnuba wax on the market from my knowledge they all contain a trace amound of abrasives in them, even the Megs Carnuba wax.

 

first I apply way with an orbital buffer at least 2 coats and also, Palric damn man that is a fine looking car wowww...

 

1. Do not wash your car in dawn or any other dish soap. It will leave a white film on the car that will be hard to remove. It is for dishes not cars. There are plenty of over the counter washes you can buy. Turtle wax has a good one.

2. Don't wax your car in the sun. Makes the wax bake and hard to buff.

3. Cream or soft wax is easier to apply then paste, especially for starters. Apply with a dry cotton towel or pad. Let it dry to a clear or white paste look.

4. Invest in a good orbital buffer. Learn to buff. Keep the buffer moving or you will burn the paint beyond repair.

5. Do a section at a time. Take your time. Patience is a virtue.

6. You can't have too much wax on. But also learn to use rubbing compound and how to apply and remove it. I compound my car onceevery 2 months and wax it twice a month. I wash my car twice a week but my car is black.

 

Palric ,
That is the FINEST formula I have EVER seen ANYWHERE . That car is BEAUTIFULL !

 

1. Do not wash your car in dawn or any other dish soap. It will leave a white film on the car that will be hard to remove. It is for dishes not cars. There are plenty of over the counter washes you can buy. Turtle wax has a good one.

He was asking if he should use Dawn to remove what he already did and start over. After the car has had all wax removed, do not use Dawn again until you are ready to strip the finish and start all over again. That's the only time to use it.

2. Don't wax your car in the sun. Makes the wax bake and hard to buff.

Again, he did mention that he is using 113. Most waxes are not to be applied in the sun for the above reasons, but I heard the 113 is easy to apply and remove even in the sun. The car will like it better if done in the shade, though.

3. Cream or soft wax is easier to apply then paste, especially for starters. Apply with a dry cotton towel or pad. Let it dry to a clear or white paste look.

I disagree. While in the military, we learned to polish our boots by applying the polish and while it was still wet, buff. You can't buff a dry substance. While it's still wet, you can buff it which will give you even coats and a consistant looking shine.

4. Invest in a good orbital buffer. Learn to buff. Keep the buffer moving or you will burn the paint beyond repair.

5. Do a section at a time. Take your time. Patience is a virtue.

6. You can't have too much wax on. But also learn to use rubbing compound and how to apply and remove it. I compound my car onceevery 2 months and wax it twice a month. I wash my car twice a week but my car is black.

Yes you can have too much wax on. Wax is naturally yellow. In a thin coat it appears clear. If you look at a thick quantity of it, like in the paste can, it's yellow. Add too much yellow to a red car and it'll look orange. A white car will start to look yellow and not look a good as it should. A black car will be basically unnoticed, but don't add too much wax to a car.

Using rubbing compound is a waste of time, energy and clear coat if it's not needed. The compound removes thin layers of the finish. That's how it removes scratches and imperfections. Use rubbing compound only if it's a necessity. It does a nice job the first time you use it to clean up small scratches under the door handles, etc, but do not use it unless you need it.

 

Well said Scott.

 

And we should believe you why?, Just cause you have one of the cleanest original IROCs.

 

And your point ?

Doesn't matter much to me what you use for wax or polish just stating my preference for Carnauba -- open forum and all that.

One thing I wanted to make clear -- if you let your wax dry it will pick up dust and other potential abrasives that you will rub in with your hi-speed orbital unit. Won't matter much on the first application but after the 20th or 30th -- assuming you have the car that long -- it will eat at the finish and that finish is not very thick.

I always figured it was better to buff while the wax/polish is still damp and still pliable enough to soften the contaminants -- rather than after they have hardened and bonded together to become a potential scouring agent.

It's your paint dude. I'll stick with carnauba.

RP.

 

when u take the wax off use an old flannel shirt or some sort of flannel material. it really pourous and it helps grab up all of the wax.

 

Don't use flannel! Use a 100% cotton towel. Nothing else. Flannel is made from wool which is abrasive and will scratch. 100% cotton will not scratch!!

Mark, your quote from me was not from me was actually me quoting someone else. The statement that you quoted was one I disagree with. I just wanted to clear that up. I don't want people to think they can have a good looking car (like mine ) by following those procedures.

As for applying the polish or wax, I have found that if the applicator is wet with detail spray and then sprayed again on top of the polish on the applicator, then applied to the car, it gives an outstanding shine.

 

Sorry "scottmoyer", I misunderstood the "Dawn" statement. If he meant it is as you said then I agree with you. I thought he was talking about a 1st wash and then begin to apply wax. My bad!

I saw the formular 113 statement but I was really talking about everything but 113. Again a misunderstanding. Sorry.

Also I just don't really like the hard paste stuff. Maybe it is me being lazy but I seem to have more trouble with it. At our shop we have a real nice cream combo 50-50 wax/compound and a 100% cream wax. Depending on the severity of the car we chose which to use. I do let the wax dry or should I say semi dry. I am not that guy you see driving around with his wax on his car white as can be, showing everyone that he is in the middle of a 2 day wax job. I just do my cars in sections and as I complete applying a section I then buff. This system has worked for me at home and in the detail shop.

I have a black car so too much wax doesn't show up on my car. I never knew anyone could turn a white car yellow but you live and learn. Hell if my white car started turning yellow I would start removing wax with - probably compound. When I had a white car this was a nice way to return to the original finish, especially after a harsh northern winter.

Also I think "Mark A. Shields" was just being sarcastic or dry humor and agreeing with you. See the smiley face?

In conclusion I did not mean to sound like the definative expert on waxing cars. I was just speaking on what works for my car. We all are just trying to help the guy but in the end he has to find what works for him.

BTW: "scottmoyer" you do have one clean a$$ car. My car is also pretty clean so maybe we are both right. PEACE

:hail: :hail: :hail:

 

I am, by far, not an expert. These are tips that work and things that I have learned along the way. I know Mark was kidding, but I wanted to let him know he was not quoting me in his quote. As far as the waxing expert goes, I still learn something new at the car shows I attend. I have yet to find the perfect product and I probably never will. Most products claim protection and the "Wet" look today, so I try them all and make a decision based on my own findings. As of now, I like the 113, and Meguire's Gold Class. The Gold Class doesn't last, so we'll see how the 113 hold up.