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LINK TO THIS THREAD --> Mosca's article on cleaner wax
Hello, I haven't posted here in a while. No real reason, just some time off from the forums. It's been a rough year for the Mosca household, but nothing we couldn't handle, with the help of insurance adjusters. (Never in a million years did I think that my house would get hit by a tornado, let alone in December.)
Anyhow, here's my trick of the trade. After all these years as a self-professed fanatic, I have finally come full circle to a real appreciation for and recommendation of the regular use of cleaner waxes!
There are a few reasons why, and it certainly doesn't mean that I'm against getting out the G-100 and pads and #80 and having a day of it. But hear me out.
First, find and read Mike's excellent article, "A Lesson From White Paint". The link I gave is Autopia, I couldn't find the article here. There is a lot of GREAT information in that article, but the essence of it as it applies to cleaner waxes is this: "The paint on cars becomes stained and dirty when continually exposed to outdoor environments and inclement weather. Dirt and pollution, both in the air, and the water in the form of road spray on wet roads, accumulates in the pores of the paint. The paint on all cars used as daily drivers becomes cloudy and gray from exposure to outdoor environments and inclement weather, not just cars with white paint (it’s just more apparent on white paint). The average person cannot see this staining taking place because it happens slowly over time, and builds up evenly over the entire surface, so in most cases, there is never a contrasting section to tip-off the owner that their paint is becoming more cloudy and less clear. This staining effect grays your finish and hides the true color and beauty of the finish. This is especially true on cars with medium to dark colored finishes."
What I drew from this is that, contrary to our desire for "pure" protectants that have no cleaners in them but that will only serve to protect our finishes after we've polished them, we can actually maintain a better appearance over time by cleaning a little bit with each application of protectant!
Secondly: It's about basics, and how the basics are the backbone of any successful job. Clean materials. Proper technique. And the correct tools.
Now, clean materials, we agree. And proper technique, that's why we have these forums.
So, correct tools, right? OK. What makes us fanatics different from Joe Sunday, who waxes his car once in May and once in October? It's that we might wax our cars once a month, or more frequently; we'll wax for enjoyment if the weather's nice and the Pirates are on the radio!
And one thing that we often forget is that touches = swirls. No matter how hard you try, wash mitts and drying towels leave traces. What that means, to me, is that I need a different tool for my specific way of working. And since the wax is one of my tools, I need to choose a tool that will help to control swirl buildup; after all, I'm prone to touching my finish more than Joe Sunday! A good cleaner wax is perfect for this! Will you still get swirls? Sure. Eventually you will always get swirls. But if you use clean materials and proper technique and a good cleaner wax you can double your time between complete details.
A few more ancillary points: length of protection is a non-issue for frequent waxers. A-12 or #6 or ColorX (the strongest of the three) all last plenty long, as do the waxes with slight cleaners (GC and NXT). And appearance is generally excellent for these products. They are all within the "Meguiar's family look" of balanced brightness, gloss and depth.
So, that is my "trick of the trade". Save yourself time and energy with cleaner wax! Only your detailing friends will know for sure... but only if you tell them!
Tom
Hello, I haven't posted here in a while. No real reason, just some time off from the forums. It's been a rough year for the Mosca household, but nothing we couldn't handle, with the help of insurance adjusters. (Never in a million years did I think that my house would get hit by a tornado, let alone in December.)
Anyhow, here's my trick of the trade. After all these years as a self-professed fanatic, I have finally come full circle to a real appreciation for and recommendation of the regular use of cleaner waxes!
There are a few reasons why, and it certainly doesn't mean that I'm against getting out the G-100 and pads and #80 and having a day of it. But hear me out.
First, find and read Mike's excellent article, "A Lesson From White Paint". The link I gave is Autopia, I couldn't find the article here. There is a lot of GREAT information in that article, but the essence of it as it applies to cleaner waxes is this: "The paint on cars becomes stained and dirty when continually exposed to outdoor environments and inclement weather. Dirt and pollution, both in the air, and the water in the form of road spray on wet roads, accumulates in the pores of the paint. The paint on all cars used as daily drivers becomes cloudy and gray from exposure to outdoor environments and inclement weather, not just cars with white paint (it’s just more apparent on white paint). The average person cannot see this staining taking place because it happens slowly over time, and builds up evenly over the entire surface, so in most cases, there is never a contrasting section to tip-off the owner that their paint is becoming more cloudy and less clear. This staining effect grays your finish and hides the true color and beauty of the finish. This is especially true on cars with medium to dark colored finishes."
What I drew from this is that, contrary to our desire for "pure" protectants that have no cleaners in them but that will only serve to protect our finishes after we've polished them, we can actually maintain a better appearance over time by cleaning a little bit with each application of protectant!
Secondly: It's about basics, and how the basics are the backbone of any successful job. Clean materials. Proper technique. And the correct tools.
Now, clean materials, we agree. And proper technique, that's why we have these forums.
So, correct tools, right? OK. What makes us fanatics different from Joe Sunday, who waxes his car once in May and once in October? It's that we might wax our cars once a month, or more frequently; we'll wax for enjoyment if the weather's nice and the Pirates are on the radio!
And one thing that we often forget is that touches = swirls. No matter how hard you try, wash mitts and drying towels leave traces. What that means, to me, is that I need a different tool for my specific way of working. And since the wax is one of my tools, I need to choose a tool that will help to control swirl buildup; after all, I'm prone to touching my finish more than Joe Sunday! A good cleaner wax is perfect for this! Will you still get swirls? Sure. Eventually you will always get swirls. But if you use clean materials and proper technique and a good cleaner wax you can double your time between complete details.
A few more ancillary points: length of protection is a non-issue for frequent waxers. A-12 or #6 or ColorX (the strongest of the three) all last plenty long, as do the waxes with slight cleaners (GC and NXT). And appearance is generally excellent for these products. They are all within the "Meguiar's family look" of balanced brightness, gloss and depth.
So, that is my "trick of the trade". Save yourself time and energy with cleaner wax! Only your detailing friends will know for sure... but only if you tell them!
Tom
Mosca is right. Sorry to hear about the tornado damage. Hope everything is getting back to normal for your family.
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