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Wax for Your Car or Truck
Sun, soap, salt, acid rain, sap, birds, and
bugs can be pretty hard on your
vehicle's
finish. To protect it, most car
makers apply
a very durable coating, but this
wears with
time and needs to be replaced
before the
elements begin eating away at
the paint.
Polishes vs Waxes
In the true sense of the words, polishes
and waxes are different, but you may have
to look closely at the labels to make sure
that a polish you buy isn't a wax and vice-versa.
Polishes are designed to scrub the surface
and restore the oils in the paint; the result
should be a wet like, showroom shine. Waxes,
on the other hand, are a protective layer
that insulates the paint from the environment.
If your car is still dull looking after it's
washed, you need to polish it. If not, you
still need to periodically wax it to protect
it.
Choice of Waxes
Car waxes are typically made from carnauba
wax, which comes from the surface coating
of palm leaves. Many also contain a UV protectant,
which reduces paint fading if your car sits
in the sun a lot.
Silicone is a common additive
to make spreading
of the wax easier and to extend
the life
of the wax. However, if you ever
need to
repaint, the silicone will have
to be stripped
from the surface in order to
get a quality
paint job. |
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