What
is the difference between a Car Wax and a Car Polish?
WAX - is a protective coating that is applied
to the exterior surface of an automobile to keep it from forming "Oxidation". Wax does not protect against
bird droppings, acid rain, tree sap, or tennis balls bouncing off the hood. The ONLY reason a wax is applied to the
exterior surface of an automobile is to protect the paint or clearcoat from forming oxidation. Period.
POLISH - is a cleaning "compound" that removes impurities from the paint which prepares it for "waxing", "sealing", or "protecting".
They are both very different and should
not be confused, although, the retail industry has mixed them up greatly in their advertising as having a wax
that polishes too. You can't have both at the same
time as they both do two separate jobs.
You need to be aware of what you're doing when working with polishes. Polishing agents remove oxidation, surface contaminants and also some of the clearcoat surface. If you don't know what you're doing you can create swirl marks on the painted or clearcoat surface. Fine polishing agents can create fine swirl marks.
Swirl marks can be hidden or masked when applied with wax but will return and become very visible once the wax wears off. Because Hot Body Wax® is a Cleaner/Wax and not a Polish it DOES NOT CONTAIN ABRASIVES. It will not damage the paint or clearcoat finish or create swirl marks. In fact, it will remove some of the swirls, depending on the severity, fill-in some swirls, and offer long-lasting protection.
What is the difference between a Natural Protectant and a Synthetic Protectant?
The ONLY reason you put a protectant on the exterior surface of an automobile is to "Protect" the paint or clearcoat from forming Oxidation.
There are TWO types of protectants:
Natural and Synthetic.
A Natural Protectant is anything that is grown "Naturally" on planet Earth. (Bees Wax, Montan Wax, which is a form of coal, and the Copernicia Prunifera plant grown wildly in Brazil; better known as Carnauba.)
A Synthetic Protectant is "Man Made". Polymers and plastics.
How
can I tell if the product I am using has polishing agents?
If
the label on the product says that it leaves a powdery residue it contains abrasives. Some conventional
polishes contain as much as 20% by weight polishing agents.
Why do most Car Wax and Polishing products contain abrasives?
The abrasive or "cleaning compound" is the active ingredient in the polishing product that allows it to work. The Compound is a mild abrasive substance which sands the surface of paint smooth allowing it to shine.
Conventional
polishes were designed for older enamel finishes to
remove oxidized pigments and colorants. Paint technology has
come a long way in the past twenty years; ridiculous as it is, alot of these polish
manufacturers still use the same old technologies.
Talk about not changing with the times.
How
can I protect the clearcoat on my car?
Keep the car out of the automated brush car washes.
These brushes strip the wax and dull the finish by creating "swirl marks".
Only use automotive car wash soaps with a soft, clean sponge or washmitt to wash your car.
Use clean chamois cloths for drying.
And apply Hot Body Wax® with a clean, dry cotton terry cloth towel and remove with a microfiber cleaning cloth.
Perform this task once every three to four months to the painted surfaces.
This will do two things. (1) Remove any oxidation and/or surface
contaminants that may have formed since the last time the vehicle was waxed, and,
(2) provide protection from the re-forming of oxidation and surface contaminants for the next three to four months.
What
causes swirl marks on my car's paint?
Swirl
marks are created by two major processes: (1) Applying a conventional
polish containing harsh abrasives and (2) using a too harsh of an
abrasive buffing pad, towel, or cloth.
Automated brush car washes are very notorious for creating swirl marks. The more you send your car through the automated car wash the worse these swirl marks will appear.
This dulls the finish.
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What
is the difference between liquid and paste wax?
Nothing. The
only difference between a liquid and a paste wax is the
thickening agents.
What
about using a polishing product that says "Clear-Coat Safe?
These
products generally contain finer polishing agents which cause
finer scratches and swirl marks.
How
do I remove swirl marks or deep scratches?
Hot Body Wax® will remove fine scratches
depending on the deepness or severity of the scratch
and hide some swirl marks without creating
new ones. If there are deep scratches, a random orbital buffer or polisher
with microfiber bonnet would be the best way to apply products with
polishing agents. It is best to go to a professional detailer
to minimize the possibility of having an uneven finish and/or burns in the paint or clearcoat.
Why
should I wax my car if it has a clear coat finish?
Clear
coat finishes contain additives to reduce scratching and marring
which protect the paint from environmental elements such
as acid rain, bird droppings, tree sap, etc. These additives
also cause water beading on new cars. After a couple of months, these
surface protectants are eroded by the environmental elements and oxidation begins to form, dulling the shine.
Hot Body Wax® will restore this protective layer while reducing the fading from exposure to the sun.
What
is the benefit of the UV inhibitors in Hot Body Wax®?
UV
inhibitors keep oxidation from forming and helps keep the color from fading. The UV inhibitors in Hot Body Wax® protects the paint from fading.
Can
I use an orbital buffer with Hot Body Wax® to wax my car?
Absolutely!
In fact, most detail shops use Hot Body Wax® with orbital buffers. It is imperative not to use a
too harsh of an abrasive pad when buffing with an orbital buffer, though. You must use a cotton terry-cloth
bonnet with your orbital buffer. This will result
in a very high gloss finish in just a few seconds without causing burns in the paint or clearcoat.
What is the difference between an "Orbital Buffer" and a "Polisher"?
The Orbital Buffer "oscillates" or duplicates the motion of your hand as if you were hand waxing the surface of a car. The Orbital creates 1700 oscillations per minute but without the heat or friction that is generated by a high-speed polisher. A cotton, terry-cloth bonnet is typically used as the primary "applicator".
Glazes, Polishes, and Compounds are activated by friction. It is the heat that assists the "Polishing Agents" to work effectively.
Because the Orbital Buffer does not generate enough heat or friction to effectively activate the product, a Polishing machine is used. Polishing machines do not oscillate the pad. They "Spin" the pad. A colored-foam or wool pad is typically used as the primary "applicator".
Different color foam pads designate or represent different textures or abrasives.
Color representation designated by the color of the pad IS NOT universal. Depending on the manufacturer of the pads the color representation may vary.
Typically, Black = Aggressive, Yellow = Moderate/Aggressive, Green = Moderate, Blue = Fine, White = Ultra Fine texures.
Because the pad is spinning as fast at 1200 to 2500 revolutions per minute (rpm's) it is now generating enough heat to "Activate" the product.
If you don't know what you're doing you can "melt" the clearcoat - creating an severe look of "unevenness" in the clearcoat.
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What Is Oxidation?
Oxidation is a form of rust that forms on painted and clearcoat surfaces. It is caused by being
exposed to a combination of UV rays emitting from the sun and oxygen. This baked on oxidation, dirt and
grime needs to be cleaned off which will reveal the shine that is hidden underneath. A regular application of
Hot Body Wax® will keep these contaminants from forming and adhering to the paint or clearcoat.
In
the paint manufacturing terminology, however, oxidation is the
reaction of polymers in paint with oxygen. This process takes
place on all surfaces continuously. Surface oxidation was a
major issue with the older enamel paints that were not clear-coated,
not because of paint oxidation, but because of the oxidation
of colorants/pigments which affected their appearance by making
them look dull.
By
using a polish that contains abrasives, the top oxidized layers
of the colorants or pigments of enamel paints are removed. This
exposes the fresh unoxidized colorants and pigments and the original
gloss. This removal of paint is evident by the change in the
color of the rag used in this process.
To
keep the pigments or colorants from oxidizing and changing color,
auto manufacturers add a thin clear paint system with UV protectants
on top of the older enamel paints. Removal of clear-coat paint
with a polishing product containing abrasives reduces the thickness
of clear-coat and its UV protection which leads to eventual
failure of the paint system.
What
conditions should I avoid when using Hot Body Wax®?
There aren't any conditions to avoid when
using Hot Body Wax®. This product can be applied in the direct sunlight without the damaging effect
normally associated with light and heat exposure. Hot Body Wax® WILL NOT bake into the finish or
"ball-up" making it difficult to spread-out evenly and move across the surface of the section being worked.
Although, for best results, Hot Body Wax® should be applied with a clean, dry, cotton terry-cloth
towel and removed with a clean, dry Microfiber cleaning cloth. The cotton, terry-cloth towel has texture
and will assist the product in removing oxidation and surface contaminants while the stitching in the
Microfiber cleaning cloth is tightly woven together and will work very well at removing the wax cleanly and thoroughly.
You can apply Hot Body Wax® in a garage or other enclosed areas since it contains no harsh chemical
solvents which can be very difficult to work around. Hot Body Wax® has a great "fruity" scent.
What
should I do if I get Hot Body Wax® on my trim?
No
problem! Since Hot Body Wax® contains no chemical dyes, it will not turn trim white.
It is the dye in waxes and polishes that turns black trim white. In some very rare cases a white haze will form on black
trim with Hot Body Wax®. If this does occur, simply wait for the wax to dry and use a fingernail brush or toothbrush
to remove the excess. You will see that the white haze will powder and blow off very easily. Hot Body Wax® has no
abrasives so it will not cause
damage to moldings or trims. In fact applying Hot Body Wax® on
these surfaces will protect them as well. I apply Hot Body Wax® to the windows and everything!
Why
is there some haziness after I wax my car with Hot Body Wax®?
Depending
on the temperature and the humidity, although this is a very rare occurrence, you may see some haziness.
You will also notice an excessive amount of left over wax on the surface if a Microfiber cleaning cloth was not used to remove it.
Lightly buff the surface with a Microfiber towel and you will see the increase
in gloss right away. It is very important to use the correct tools when performing a task.
Conditions
to avoid:
Auto surface temperatures below 55°F.
The warmer the temperature the better Hot Body Wax® performs.
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