What does waxing do? Pros and cons of car wax

At Soft99, we’ve been working with waxes for 70 years. Waxing, protecting, polishing – it’s in our DNA. Still, sometimes it’s worth going back to the basics: to wax or not to wax? We say yes! But let’s take a closer look.

Like everything, car wax has both strengths and weaknesses. From the perspective of a professional detailer, wax may lose out to more advanced, but also more expensive ceramic coatings. On the other hand, for beginners, wax can sometimes be harder to apply than the increasingly popular spray coatings. Nevertheless, waxes have a huge fan base. It’s important to consider as much information as possible when deciding how to protect your vehicle.

Below we describe the pros and cons of car wax: some obvious, but also a few less obvious aspects.

Advantages of car wax

• Effect, shine, satisfaction
• Paint protection, easier maintenance
• Saves water, time, energy

Effect

No need to explain much here. Everyone wants their pride and joy to shine. A well-waxed car is a gem among other vehicles that were merely washed. Some detailers believe that despite the advances in chemical technology, it’s hard to beat the glow of a good natural wax, based on Carnauba. And there's a lot of truth to it. Waxes like Soft99's Authentic Premium are successfully used by exhibitors at various car shows, and the “show-car shine” is almost synonymous with natural car wax.

Protection

The world of waxes is broad – Soft99’s European lineup alone features 17 different waxes. Among them are true bestsellers, like Fusso Coat 12 Months, known for year-round protection, or Water Block Super Splash, an absolute leader in hydrophobicity. Sure, quartz coatings also provide long-lasting protection and strong water repellency, but at a higher cost. It’s no surprise, then, that waxes created to protect paint have many fans who value their excellent price-to-performance ratio.

Efficiency, cost-saving

You should still wash a protected car, of course. But a well-protected car withstands more for longer. Water- and dirt-repelling waxes are a real lifesaver when you want to save on rinsing and washing at car washes. What’s more, the less often we need to wash the vehicle, the less often we touch it – and the less often we scratch the paint. So we save not only water, cleaning products, and time, but even... the car’s bodywork itself.

The downsides of waxing

• Requires effort, time, and patience
• Some waxes can be tricky for beginners
• Wax is not a magic solution

Effort, time, patience

For some, this is a plus; for others – a drawback. Waxing is a manual, offline task that requires some dexterity and skill with an applicator and microfiber cloth. Naturally, this won’t be for everyone, especially not for those who lack the time to carefully apply wax and polish the paintwork.

You have to try

If you’re going to apply wax, don’t do it carelessly if you want a proper result. Especially if you’re using a demanding wax like Fusso Coat 12 Months, which requires, among other things, applying as thin a layer as possible and moistening the applicator before use. Acquiring knowledge about products, vehicles, and correct techniques is at the core of detailing, and waxing is no exception. Prefer shortcuts? Then you’re better off with simpler-to-use solutions.

Wax won’t do everything

No matter how much we praise our main product category, wax won’t magically fix a neglected car. Of course, Soft99 also offers waxes that mask paint imperfections, such as Scratch Clear, but that’s just masking. To actively remove holograms or micro-scratches from your car’s bodywork, you’ll need paint correction.

In conclusion

At Soft99, we value honesty and openness to the needs of vehicle owners, and even as waxing specialists we see not only the advantages but also the situations where this solution may not be for everyone. That’s why, for those who want to try something different, we’ve created, among others, the QJUTSU quartz coating series or the unique, express spray coating Rain Drop.

We still believe that waxes are something every car or motorcycle owner should try. We love sharing our decades of knowledge about waxes – on our blog, or through a special chat run by our experts. Not sure which wax to choose? Click the red "Contact" button and chat with our specialists – we’ll help you pick the best solution for your car.