Wax question...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
From: Macomb Michigan
Wax question...
I'll try to keep it short...
The week before we went to Mackinaw City for the show I used the swirl remover, polish, and butter wax from Adams. It rained all the way up there (about 4 hrs). Went to the local car wash, used their presoak, and high pressure soap and rinsed. Paint still felt smooth. It rained 3 or 4 times the day of the show, so I had to wipe it off 3 or 4 times too. After we got back home I washed it and it seemed like there wasn't any wax left on it. Some beeding but it didn't feel real smooth.
So I guess my question is when do you know your wax is gone and should it have come off that fast
The week before we went to Mackinaw City for the show I used the swirl remover, polish, and butter wax from Adams. It rained all the way up there (about 4 hrs). Went to the local car wash, used their presoak, and high pressure soap and rinsed. Paint still felt smooth. It rained 3 or 4 times the day of the show, so I had to wipe it off 3 or 4 times too. After we got back home I washed it and it seemed like there wasn't any wax left on it. Some beeding but it didn't feel real smooth.
So I guess my question is when do you know your wax is gone and should it have come off that fast
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 8,744
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From: The King of Bling
St. Jude Donor '10
You are correct, the product was pretty much gone. That is about all you will get from Adams or any Carnuaba based product. Usually beading, slickness and how you car is dries when you blow dry or rub a waffle weave across the finish are all good ways of judging if a product is still there. You will also start to notice dirt sticking to the finish more when your protection are gone. 
Former Vendor
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 14,104
Likes: 244
From: South Florida
I would also consider that the chemicals used in most car washes are quite strong. As such, it may have stripped the wax. This is why I carry my own bucket, and soap when traveling. I still bucket wash in the bays ... what are they going to do, ask me to never come back ??
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: New Port Richey Florida
Originally Posted by Killrwheels@Autogeek
I would also consider that the chemicals used in most car washes are quite strong. As such, it may have stripped the wax. This is why I carry my own bucket, and soap when traveling. I still bucket wash in the bays ... what are they going to do, ask me to never come back ??
You should see me at a hotel. I take the plastic trash cans from the hotel room and use one for soap and the other for a rinse bucket. A lot of the Marriott hotels will even pull a hose out for me if I ask nicely.
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 4,034
Likes: 11
From: Lewes DE
on the question: I agree that you shouldn't expect any more than that from a carnauba wax. Unfortunate but true. A few rains, and a trip to the spray wash, and they're gone.
Also I have to drive to NH from DE tomorrow - thanks for the tips on washing ! I'll take my Z7 and a mitt with me, and grab the waste cans !
Also I have to drive to NH from DE tomorrow - thanks for the tips on washing ! I'll take my Z7 and a mitt with me, and grab the waste cans !
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
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From: New Port Richey Florida
Originally Posted by ASPHALT ROCKET
I love the trash can idea.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Ponte Vedra Beach / London State: Dazed and confused
Originally Posted by Killrwheels@Autogeek
I would also consider that the chemicals used in most car washes are quite strong. As such, it may have stripped the wax. This is why I carry my own bucket, and soap when traveling. I still bucket wash in the bays ... what are they going to do, ask me to never come back ??
Local by-laws require car washes to re-claim or recycle water. This means they have two choices.
a) They can collect the water in tanks and pay to truck it away to a recycling centre.
b) They can filter and then recycle the water (dependant on how often the filters are cleaned/changed) will effect how much dirt content there is. Recycled meaning re-use the same water, which may include any road dirt/grit that is not filtered out is used to high-pressure (1,000PSI) wash your vehicle (somewhat similar to sandblasting) the final rinse is usually twice-filtered re-cycled water, this is to give the appearance of a clean surface on the vehicle.
c) To help clean the recycled water they use a chemical like Presidium Orthophosphate (TSP) and have the chemical formula Na3PO4. It is a highly water-soluble ionic salt. Solutions of it dissolved in water have an alkaline pH; this does a great job stripping your wax / sealant. TSP is generally not good for cleaning vehicles because it can corrode metal.
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Pro
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Atlanta GA
Originally Posted by TOGWT
Local by-laws require car washes to re-claim or recycle water. This means they have two choices.
a) They can collect the water in tanks and pay to truck it away to a recycling centre.
b) They can filter and then recycle the water (dependant on how often the filters are cleaned/changed) will effect how much dirt content there is. Recycled meaning re-use the same water, which may include any road dirt/grit that is not filtered out is used to high-pressure (1,000PSI) wash your vehicle (somewhat similar to sandblasting) the final rinse is usually twice-filtered re-cycled water, this is to give the appearance of a clean surface on the vehicle.
c) To help clean the recycled water they use a chemical like Presidium Orthophosphate (TSP) and have the chemical formula Na3PO4. It is a highly water-soluble ionic salt. Solutions of it dissolved in water have an alkaline pH; this does a great job stripping your wax / sealant. TSP is generally not good for cleaning vehicles because it can corrode metal.
I also liked the idea of a "travel kit" for washing and cleaning.
Thanks for sharing!
T.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,909
Likes: 4
From: Ponte Vedra Beach / London State: Dazed and confused
Quote:So I guess my question is when do you know your wax is gone and should it have come off that fast EOQ
Nearly all wax and sealant products exhibit water beading or sheeting initially (in fact so does a clean paint surface without an applied protection) this is due solely to surface tension, once the protection breaks down (abrasion from water, road dirt/grime and other airborne pollutants) it will cause a reduction in the surface tension and the beading will revert to its former level
Nearly all wax and sealant products exhibit water beading or sheeting initially (in fact so does a clean paint surface without an applied protection) this is due solely to surface tension, once the protection breaks down (abrasion from water, road dirt/grime and other airborne pollutants) it will cause a reduction in the surface tension and the beading will revert to its former level
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 484
Likes: 0
From: Macomb Michigan
Thanks everybody for the responses
I had a friend recently tell me that the presoak that the car washes use is very harsh and not wax friendly
and with the responses here kinda confirms that. Nice to remember that for this winter
FWIW- I used the Adams glaze after the first wash back home and it seemed to make the paint darker and ALOT smoother, kinda like when I had first waxed it but I'll probably end up waxing again hopefully before winter sets in
I had a friend recently tell me that the presoak that the car washes use is very harsh and not wax friendly
and with the responses here kinda confirms that. Nice to remember that for this winter FWIW- I used the Adams glaze after the first wash back home and it seemed to make the paint darker and ALOT smoother, kinda like when I had first waxed it but I'll probably end up waxing again hopefully before winter sets in
I used to use them for a big ice bucket