--- title: "How To Wax a Car" description: "A professional detailing job can be expensive. Learn the art of the wax so you can save some money and keep your car shining brightly." date: "2022-01-12" modified: "2023-09-29" authors: - name: "Corey Forde" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/corey-forde" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/cleaning-detailing/27319/how-to-wax-a-car" categories: - "Maintenance & Repair" - "The Garage" tags: - "Project Redwood" --- # How To Wax a Car ![]() My neighbors are hilarious. I consider a five-minute conversation with them as part of my Sunday morning routine as it’s inevitable that one of them will yell from across the street any time they spot me cleaning or waxing my cars. This almost always leads to a conversation about how impressed they are that the paint on both of my cars appears flawless, despite their respective 200,000-mile lives. When they ask about my secret to their luster, my response is always: Keep up with the wax. This is followed by a brief walk-through on how and why it should be done. Waxing your car is key for many reasons, and taking the time to do it right is just as important as staying on top of your regularly scheduled maintenance. I admit that if I didn’t have nearly a decade of experience professionally detailing cars, I’d probably neglect wax too. It can be intimidating for novice car-care enthusiasts. ![message-editor%2F1642176395936-depositphotos\_212569482\_l.jpg]() **Depositphotos** ## Everything You’ll Need To Wax Your Car: Waxing your car is an **easy** project that should take **two to four hours** depending on the size of your vehicle. Also, it can get messy, and you could potentially do more damage to your paint in the waxing process. I know this because I’ve done this. Learn from my mistakes. Here’s what you’ll need to do, know, and avoid to make this process go smoothly. ##### Safety First - Wax is flammable so watch it, yourself, and your car around any flames. - It can also cause skin irritation so make sure to wash, rinse, and repeat your hands as needed. - Lastly, don't consume the wax or cleaning chemicals. Some of them can smell good—delicious even—but it’s a bad idea. ![]() **Getty Images** ##### Tools and Parts - [Soft microfibers](). Preferably without edges to avoid scratches - Step ladder (optional) - [Disposable gloves]() (optional) - [Carnauba wax]() - [Applicator pad]() - [Automotive tape]() (optional) - Spray bottle with water or an [instant detailer]() Organizing the necessities here is crucial for saving time and going through the process properly. Put your microfibers in a bag or clean container separate from everything else and never allow them to touch the ground. If they happen to fall or touch a dirty surface, get a new one. Microfibers are able to pick up dust and debris that you can’t always see. You especially don’t want this to touch a car that you just stripped of all its protectants. ![message-editor%2F1642176434000-depositphotos\_83032970\_l.jpg]() *Wax on, wax off. , *Depositphotos** ## How To Wax a Car, Step by Step ##### 1. Clean and dry your car This article assumes you’ve followed our guides on[ how to wash your car properly](), and [how to clay bar a car](). Maybe even [polish](), if needed. You’ve followed those, right? If not, go check those out and come right back. Don't forget to [dry your car properly, too.]() ##### 2. Mask places you don't want to wax Using automotive tape, mask off any areas that you want to avoid applying wax such as window frames, headlights, taillights, badges, and other pieces of trim. ##### 3. Heat up your wax (optional) Do this if you have a harder compound. This can be accomplished by simply leaving it in the sun while you prepare. ##### 4. Apply some wax to your applicator pad How much you add is at your discretion. Adding too little will cause you to repeat the process more often. Adding too much can make removing it very time-consuming. ##### 5. Wax on Take the pad and go against the body lines in up and down strokes. Once finished, do a follow-up pass going with the body lines. Left and right strokes. Avoid circular motions. Work one panel at a time. ##### 6. Wax off Remove the wax with your towel. Go back to the panel you started with. Begin the removal process. Start going against the body lines, then flip your towel and do a follow-up pass following the body lines. ##### 7. Check your work Get low. Stand up high. Get close. Check from different angles to make sure you didn't miss anything. If you own a white car, you’ll want to do this twice. Or even three times. ##### 8. Double-check your work Take the instant detailer (or a spray bottle filled with water) that we talked about and hold it parallel about 10 inches above the hood of your car. Spray it a few times. Don’t soak the hood. Now, take a closer look at the paint. Can you see streaks of wax that you couldn’t before? If so, that means you’ve still got some work to do. Repeat this process until the car is free of wax. Once you're happy with the results, then congratulations! You're done! ## Video Waxing your car is an art form. It’s personal. And it’s likely helpful to see it done for real, so here's a video showing what the process should look like from Chemical Guys, makers of some of the best, most ubiquitous car detailing products out there. https://youtube.com/embed/Q7FvJcc3PXE ## Car Wax FAQs You’ve got questions. *The Drive* has answers! ### Author social links