Washing your car frequently is very important to keep your car clean and shiny. Whether you are washing your car manually using the 2-bucket wash method, using automatic car washes or even waterless washes, many people wax their car afterwards to give it the ultimate shine.
Waxing your car takes a lot of work, so it is important to know if washing your car will remove the wax.
Washing your car will not remove wax if you’re using a car wash soap. Although, frequent washing could cause your wax to fade quicker than normal.
On the other hand, if you’re using a soap that isn’t designed for cars, such as dish soap, it will probably remove wax.
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Does Water Wash Away Wax?
Water itself does not wash away the wax of your car. However, the soap or shampoo you use for pre wash with a foam cannon or foam gun can be hard on the surface and remove most of the wax during the deep cleaning.
This is quite common if you are trying to remove stubborn stains like tar, bird droppings or tree sap stuck on your paint
If you have just waxed your car during detailing or washing, you may like to consider a dedicated car wash soap that will clean your car but at the same time does not wash away the wax.
Read on if you want that car wax to last for a longer time even after washing.
Do Pressure Washers Remove Wax
If you plan to use pressure washers to clean your car, especially for undercarriage wash, do note that you have to avoid very high-pressure ones with PSI that are above 1800 and use the correct nozzle type that has a wide setting.
For those pressure washers with PSI below 1800, always stand a meter away from the car and point the nozzle at a 45 degree so that you do not damage the car wax or sealants during the wash process.
What Is Car Wash Soap?
Almost every soap you use is designed for a specific purpose. Hand soap is for your hands, while dish soap is for your dishes, and laundry detergent is for your laundry.
All these soaps are made up of different chemicals for their specific use and some of harsher than others. You probably wouldn’t want to use strong laundry detergent on your skin.
Car wash soap is the same idea. It is designed with the proper chemicals and strength to clean your car against any road grime and debris without any negative effects and protect your paint finish.
Therefore, a normal car wash soap won’t remove wax from your car because it has been designed for use on automotive paint and have the perfect strength to effectively clean your car without stripping the wax.
What Soap Should I Use To Wash A Car
There are many different car wash soaps on the market, but many of them are cheap and poorly designed.
For car wash soap, I use and recommend Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash.
Meguiar’s is a trusted name in auto detailing and this product effectively removes dirt and grime without stripping wax. It is a high-quality product at an affordable price.
It is less likely for you to remove the car wax if you are doing a quick wash with clean water, car wash soap and gentle microfiber towels.
However, you do have to be careful of the following soaps that can easily remove your car wax during washing
Soaps that Remove Car Wax
There are many different soaps that will remove wax from your car. Although sometimes you want to strip wax from your car, it can often happen by accident when using the wrong type of soap.
Here are two types of soaps that will remove wax from your car.
Household Soaps
Household soaps, such as dishwashing liquid and laundry detergent, will remove wax from your car.
These soaps contain harsh chemicals that are intended to clean grease and other types of tough dirt. Therefore, they will easily remove wax from your car.
You should avoid using these soaps even if you intend to strip wax, as they can have other harmful effects.
Car Wax Remover
If you’re trying to remove wax, you should use a wax removing car soap. These car wash soaps will help you remove the wax from your car if you want to start afresh.
They are safe to use on your car, unlike household soaps, but will still remove the wax.
Clean Slate Surface Cleanser by Chemical Guys is a great car wax remover that is safe to use and removes all the wax from your car.
It is a very strong cleaning tool which can even remove some very fine swirl marks. You should only apply this directly onto your washing mitt directly and only apply to on clean car surface without any dirt and contamination
How Long Does Car Wax Last?
Determining how long car wax lasts depends on many different variables, such as weather and driving conditions.
This also depends on the type of wax you are using.
In general, you can expect a carnauba wax to last anywhere from 1-4 months, while a synthetic wax can be expected to last for 4-12 months.
Remember, this depends on the conditions the car is exposed to. Use your best judgement to determine if your wax will last on the lower or higher end of those ranges.
[Related Article: 10 Best Electric Buffer For Car Waxing And Buying Guide]How Often Should You Wax Your Car?
Waxing your car provides essential protection to your car’s paint, so it’s important to keep it properly waxed.
For minimum protection, you should wax your car at least 2 times per year for any type of car wax.
You should wax more frequently if using a carnauba wax or your car frequently experiences tough conditions, such as sunlight, road salt or water spots.
To determine if your car needs to be waxed, check to see if water is still beading up on the surface. If it isn’t, your car needs re-waxed.
Another thing to take note of is before putting on a fresh coat of wax, you should check for any leftover wax before applying a new layer.
Differences Between Carnauba and Synthetic Car Wax
There are two main categories of car wax available on the market.
Carnauba wax is the most popular type of car wax. It is natural and provides an intense shine and warmth to a car’s paint.
Synthetic wax, also known as paint sealant, is less popular but still used by many people. Although it doesn’t provide the best shine, it lasts much longer.
While traditional carnauba wax provides the best shine, it does not last as long as synthetic wax. Although synthetic wax lasts longer, it won’t give you the same level of shine as a carnauba wax offers. Both types of waxes prove the same amount of protection.
Benefits of Waxing Your Car
There are many benefits of waxing your car often. Car wax not only improves the visual appearance of your car, but also prevents your car’s paint from becoming damage.
This is a shortlist of car wax benefits, but you can read the entire list in the article: 11 Benefits of Waxing Your Car.
Protects Against Sun Damage
One of the greatest benefits of waxing your car is protected against sun damage.
Older cars often have flaking and faded paint due to the clear coat layer becoming damaged by the sun.
Car wax helps prevent this by providing a protective layer against ultraviolet rays from the sun. This keeps your paint in great condition for many years, which can have a positive impact on the value of your car.
Makes Your Car Shiny
Everyone knows that waxing your car will make it look glossy and clean.
Natural oils in the wax help add shine to the paint job, giving it a fantastic, new appearance.
Car wax also fills in some imperfections in your paint, leaving a more uniform and glass-like appearance on the surface of your car
Shields Dirt from Your Paint
Waxing your car helps shield dirt from sticking to the paint by making the surface smooth and uniform and provides paint protection
It fills in some imperfections and rough surfaces on your paint, making it more difficult for dirt to grab onto the surface.
IT also helps prevent dirt from becoming embedding in your paint, which will need to be removed using a clay bar system.
