How to Remove Car Wax Like a Pro After Auto Detailing Training

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If you want car paint to look as good as new, you’ll have to remove wax first. Although placing new layers of carnauba wax on a vehicle is meant to give it a nice clean shine and make it look as close to new as possible, it’s not a particularly long-lasting solution compared to a new coating. In many cases, the best course of action is to strip all of the wax off and start a new job from scratch. Whatever the situation may be, it’s important that waxing is done regularly on vehicles, and that you also are familiar with how to remove it.

Old wax jobs need to be removed before new wax coats are applied, so be sure to take the necessary steps to make sure you do this effectively. Here’s how you can remove car wax like a pro.

Steps for Removing Car Wax During Your Auto Detailing Career

The first step in removing wax is to make sure the car is clean before performing the job. After you’ve washed it, don’t dry it, since you will use surface cleaners to wash it once more during the wax removal process. Be sure all waxed areas are accounted for, and then rinse. Use a microfibre towel to dry the car and the paint while being careful not to cause scratching. Once this is done, you can remove the wax and then apply a new wax job. Students taking an auto detailing course should know that wax removal jobs are frequently done with either clays or pre-wax cleaning solutions.

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Wash the car down before beginning removing the wax

Thanks to its oily nature, the best way to remove car wax is arguably to use a degreaser rather than an isopropyl alcohol solution (although you can use this after your initial degreasing and before putting your new coating on), as it is more effective with substances of this type. If you have a degreasing solution that is specifically made for vehicle use, this is the best course of action if you’re working on car paint.

Why Does Car Wax Need to Be Removed in the First Place?

A major reason why you’ll need to remove car wax completely during your auto detailing career is because if it is not removed prior to new coating being applied, issues will arise with regards to durability and bonding. Therefore, be sure all prior wax has been taken off before applying new wax, and that nothing remains on the paint when the new job starts. This is especially if the paint job has lost that shine over time, and its surface causes dirt to stick more than it otherwise would. The surface should also be completely clean before the new wax coat is put in place, as the wax cannot bond effectively otherwise. 

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Car wax jobs should be done at intervals of around three months each

Another upside to removing the wax is that it more easily exposes flaws that were previously hidden on the exterior, which can act as a guide of sorts for which wax or polish job is best suited for it. Whether you use natural or synthetic wax types, remember that they typically only last for around three months before needing reapplication. However, it’s still a necessary practice for car owners to carry out with an auto detailing professional.

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