How to wax your car step by step: a workshop guide

Here is how to wax your car: wash and dry it, clay it if needed, apply a very thin coat of wax in the shade, let it cure until a light haze forms and buff it off with a clean microfibre cloth. Waxing gives the paint a protective layer that beads water and makes it harder for dirt to stick. The thinner you work, the easier the buffing and the sharper the result.

Below we go through the whole job the way we do it in the workshop. Waxing a car is not difficult, but the order and the amount decide if the result is deep gloss or a greasy, streaky haze. Which wax suits your car is covered in our guide to the best car wax. Torn between wax, sealant and coating? Read Choosing wax, sealant or ceramic coating to decide.

Which wax to choose: paste, liquid or spray

Paste wax is the classic choice for deep gloss and gives you the most control. Liquid wax spreads faster, also with a machine polisher. Spray wax is the quickest route: spray, wipe, done. As a rule of thumb, you refresh a paste or liquid wax roughly every three to four months, while a spray wax gets used more often.

The wax category has all three forms. Bilt Hamber Finis-Wax is a paste wax based on T1 carnauba, without abrasives. Bilt Hamber Double Speed Wax goes on in one step: spread a thin coat, wait a few minutes and buff to a gloss. Shiny Garage Carnauba Spray Wax is a spray wax for in between, with four to six weeks of gloss according to the manufacturer.

How to do it

1. Wash and dry. Start with a thorough wash and dry the paint completely. Wax sticks badly to dirt. Tip: do not prepare with a wash-and-wax product. Bilt Hamber itself says not to use them before Finis-Wax.

2. Clay, and polish if needed. If the paint feels rough when you run your hand over the roof inside a plastic bag, bonded dirt is still on the surface and washing will not remove it. How to deal with it is covered in how to clay bar your car. Pitfall: throw away clay that has hit the floor, or you drag grit across the paint. If the paint is dull or finely scratched, polish first, because wax is not a polish.

3. Shade and applicator. Park in the shade and let the paint cool down, otherwise the wax dries too fast. Take a clean, soft applicator such as the Bilt Hamber Foam Applicator Pad or another from the applicators and foam pads category. Work one panel at a time.

4. Apply thinly. Spread a very thin coat in light, overlapping circles. You should hardly see anything on the paint, and that is right. Pitfall: more wax gives no extra protection, only dusty buffing and a greasy haze. That goes for Bilt Hamber Hydra-Wax too, the finishing wax for paint in good condition.

5. Let it cure. Wait until the wax forms a light haze. With Bilt Hamber Finis-Wax that is around five to ten minutes, with Chemical Guys White Paste Wax around twenty minutes. Always follow the product instructions. Do the swipe test: draw a clean finger across the wax. A clear streak means you can buff, a smear means wait a little longer. Cool or humid weather takes longer.

6. Buff off. Use a clean microfibre cloth, fold it in four and turn it often to a clean side. Remove leftovers from gaps and edges as well. Pitfall: a dirty cloth smears the wax around instead of lifting it.

How often should you wax your car?

A few months is a good guide for paste and liquid wax, and a car parked outside that sees a lot of salt, dirt and sun needs it more often. Here is how to tell: if water no longer beads on the paint when you wash, the layer has worn off. A spray wax tops up an existing layer in between but does not replace it.

Common waxing mistakes

• Applying too much. Thin is enough, thick only makes buffing harder.

• Working on warm paint. Wax in the sun sets before you can buff it.

• Waxing dirty or rough paint. Wash first, clay if needed, then wax.

• Using a loaded cloth. Switch to a clean side often.