I have found washing the car dulls the finish even if you buy a good soap that doesn't strip the wax. Washing leaves my tsx looking nice, but it isn't the same exact shine after waxing. I have tried adding a quick detailer after washing, but again not the same as a regular wax. Basically I have now decided to wax after many of my washes- can use a liquid wax and do the car in 20-30 minutes.

 

Maybe the wax your using is not as durable, after a few washes. I use Zaino Z2 or Z5, after washing the car..it looks like i just waxed it. Give Zaino a try..i bet you will love it.

<=== Look at the clouds on my hood.

 

Maybe it's not the product, but the process. Try polishing first (removes oxidation and minor imperfections) and then apply a wax/sealant. If time is a concern, you can try a cleaner wax or a polish with carnuba. QD/ID are great for in between washes to give the vehicle a "just waxed" look. It also acts as a sacrificial layer to prolong the initial layer of protection.

 

What type of QD are you using? Any respectable QD should keep a pretty nice sizzle between waxings. Also, if you are inclined to wax that often, maybe you should try a Wax-as-you-dry product. It may save you some time an energy.

 

 

I agree with everyone else, great suggestions. If time is an issue and you want to wax often, maybe look into a wax as you dry product like supercoupe said, or something like OCW (optimum car wax). OCW is super quick and easy to use.

 

Prep is key. So is using the proper products.........


This debacle was completed with Optimum compound/polish/Spray Wax.......

Thank god it only reached 93 today!!
And when I got done, with the STS, I had this to look forward to!

 

Dangit! Wrong pic! Timed out..........

 

I felt the way you do. I would wax my car and then the next weekend after waxing it, the shine would be gone. And, yes this applies to the beloved Meguire's NXT too. Regular wax is CRAP. Oh sure, regular wax looks great after you apply it, but let's see how that regular wax looks after just ONE wash. CRAP !!!

I now use Z A N I O. My time is too valuable to me. If I am going to take my time to apply something, I want to see the benefits of my labor for longer than just one week. ZANIO was the answer for me. You will have the same shine, wash after wash, week after week, as you had the day that you applied ZANIO.

 

Just out of curiosity, what were you using before Zaino (BTW, you mispelled it)? And please, don't get me wrong, I think Zaino is an excellent product. However, not my choice. I still believe it's the process and not the product. It's been mentioned in other threads, the surface has to be prepped and the way to do that is to clay and polish. Polish will add gloss and reflectivity in addtion to removing any surface blemishes. Applying an LSP will protect that surface. Granted not all wax/sealants are created equal, but with minimal upkeep (wash, QD/ID) you should be able sustain that look for a longer duration than what you're experiencing. I've used NXT, but it loses its slickness in a short period of time but still maintained it's shine. Not what I was looking for.

 

I last waxed with Clearkote Carnauba Moosewax about 3 weeks ago, and my car still shines nicely and is very slick.

 

Hawhyen51,

Before Zaino, I used NXT for several weeks. Then, I switched to OCW. Great stuff that OCW. The OCW got me hooked to polymer sealants. So, after seeing what OCW could do as a polymer sealant, I tried Zaino. Been using Zaino ever since.

By reading between the lines of your post, sounds like you have not tried Zaino. I am a frequent reader of the Autopia.org forum. So, I am familiar with the prep that you refer to. But, Zaino produces a shine that is not attributed to the prep. Please try Zaino sometime. Highly recommend an alcohol wipe-down before switching to Zaino.

 

Does the alcohol disolve the previous sealant/wax that is on the car? What is the dilution rate on that? thanks.

 

Inaccurate,

No, I haven't tried Zaino but I am familiar with their product line. Don't get me wrong, I think Zaino is an excellent product, but not my product of choice. I'm satisfied with the product I'm currently using so product use is not an issue. I believe surface prep is a key factor when performing an exterior detail regardless of whatever product one decides to use. I do think Zaino requires some prep for vehicles with minor surface defects i.e. Z-5/Z-PC to hide/remove swirls or Z-18 (claybar). Those are included in their kits with the exception of Z-PC. Now, should one decided not to use them, that's strictly a personal choice. BTW, you mentioned OCW. I use it as a QD/ID and as a stanalone wax. Great stuff, gotta love their polishes also.

 

A 50/50 mix will work just fine and should remove most waxes. I prefer clay/polish, then wipe down with alcohol/water solution to remove excess oils and residual dusting. Give me a chance to evaluate the surface for any areas I may have missed.

 

I use Pinnacle products- their Bodywork Shampoo is a great product for a wash and doesn't strip the wax- although I think any wash will make the wax not quite as sharp. I must admit I am lazy about where I wash and probably don't rinse off the suds quite as good as I should so if you have some left over soap that will also dull the look. I highly recommend Pinnacle prouducts esp the Crystal Mist. Their products are overpriced but very good.

 

As Hawhyen51 stated, a 50/50 mixture is fine. The concentration is not critical. I use the 70% Isopropyl Alcohol (common rubbing alcohol - NOT the green stuff although) straight from the bottle.

He is some advice I have not read on any forum. Rather, I discovered this ugly truth on my own. Zaino is very sensitive to having a naked surface to adhere to. EVEN Zaino's own ZPC will interfere will proper adhesion of the Z2.

I found this by doing ZPC, followed by Z2. The next time I washed the car, I noticed poor waterbeading in comparision to what I should had seen for a Z2-treated surface. So, I did an alcohol wipedown and reapplied Z2. Bingo - the awesome beading was present.

And, the next time I used ZPC, I automatically knew to do an alcohol wipedown. Then applied Z2, and the awesome beading was there. So, I now always do an alcohol wipe before applying Z2. The only time I will Not do an alcohol wipe is if I am reapplying Z2 on top of a previous application of Z2 and NOTHING has been applied to the surface in between. Z6, Z7 and Z8 are ok, and these obviously do not interfere with the Z2 adhesion.

 

Does alchohol have any effect on the clear coat? Can it substitute for using a claybar? Thanks for all the great info!

 

A claybar will remove imbedded contamination from the paints surface. Here's a thread explaining how clay works. Alcohol will not harm clearcoat. As always, if you are in doubt of a product, apply it to a small inconspicuous area.

 

What is the recommended way to apply the 50/50 blend of alcohol/water to effectively wipedown the car and obtain the clean slate for detailing? Do you prepare it in a spray bottle and then spray and wipe it off or more of a foam applicator dipped into a bowl of the mixture and then wipe down?

Any light scrubbing involved or more of a wipe off of the mixture?

Clay before or after the wipe down?

Thanks for the helpful information here.

 

These are the steps I use:
1. Wash
2. Clay (as required)
3. Polish/Pre-Wax cleaner (as required)
4. Wipe down w/alcohol solution (optional)
5. Seal (wax/sealant)
6. LSP ( optional - top off with a nuba if using a polymer)

If I'm going to use a new product, I would prefer working from a sterile surface to allow bonding. That being the case, I would clay (as required) then polish. The type of polish you use will depend on the severity of the surface defect. If the surface is free of swirls, I would use a polish with little or no abrasives. I'll use the alcohol solution to wipe down the area I worked on to remove any excess oils and residual dusting. This allows me to evaluate that section to determine if further work is required.

Application of the alcohol solution: I usually spray it on a MF towel and wipe the general area. Avoid scrubbing as it will more than likely cause some light scratching. I don't do this often and I rarely use it to remove layers of wax, claying and a polishing will take care of that. This is not a general rule, some of the other guys will probably have a different procedure or may not use it at all.

 

I agree with Hawhyen51.

DO NOT SCRUB WITH THE ALCOHOL !!!!! The alcohol is stripping all waxes from the surface. So, please be kind to the surface while it is "unprotected". I highly recommend using a high-quality microfiber. I just pour the 70% alcohol directly onto the microfiber until it is soaked (until dripping). Then, I pour some alcohol directly onto the surface, and GENTLY guide the soaked microfiber across the surface (as if GENTLY mopping). No scrubbing required. You are only looking to "smear" or spread the alcohol along the surface. The alcohol quickly and easily dissovles all previous waxes and sealants. Do one panel at a time. After spreading, rinse the surface with the water hose as you GENTLY mop the surface with another microfiber under the running water to rinse it off.

The previuos directions was to alcohol-prep the whole car. Sometimes, you might need to do just one panel. In the case of doing just one panel, I lightly dampen the microfiber with the alcohol. Then gently wipe the dampen microfiber across the surface.

 

Also, you will need approx
12 bottles of the 16 ounce bottles
OR
6 bottles of the 32 ounce bottles
of alcohol to do the whole car.

Well, that is the amount I used