[08e92bimmer]

i just bought mothers cleaner wax.

Is this basically a wax that i use after i wash my car? Or is this like a all-in-one kind of deal that replaces the polish and wax.

So if i ever wanted to bar clay and polish my car and then wax as well i shouldn't use CLEANER WAX. But if i was just washing my car and decided my car needed just a wax, i should use cleaner wax? Sorry i am so confused about this.

And how often should i bar clay and polish? Do i do those together only twice a year? Or polish four time a year but clay bar twice a year?

[ManyMoonsAgo]

I am by no means an expert when it comes to detailing, but this thread was a huge help to me.

For me, every six months I clay my car, followed by applying Klasse All-in-one (AIO), followed by a coat of Klasse Sealant Glaze. I let a week pass, wash, and apply a second coat of Klasse SG. I let an additional week pass, wash, and apply a third coat of Klasse SG.

After that, I keep washing my car every week and will use Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield (i.e. a spray quick-detailer) every other week.

I have been very pleased with the results, but others that post here use far more thorough processes and products for even better results.

[oldaccount]

Its probably a non-abrasive polish and wax combo. Ive never used it, but I would venture a guess that it probably doesnt clean as well a dedicated AIO, but does leave more protection. It probably doesnt remove swirls, even with a machine. That was my experience with the blue Zymol cleaner wax that I used years and years ago before I learned how to properly detail paint.

You can use polish and cleaner wax in the same detail if you want, in that order.

I personally clay and polish ~2 times a year, and I could easily do it once a year, or less often than that because of how well I maintain it, but Im very OCD about it and like to polish at pretty much the first hint of visible swirls. I always clay before I polish.

To be honest, if youre going to go through the trouble of claying and waxing, you might as well ditch the mothers and pick up a machine for polishing, and go with botique products - a dedicated polish, sealant, and optional carnauba wax. The overwhelming majority of paint appearance is determined by prep, which is largely achieved by polishing - which your cleaner wax cant do. A properly polished surface with no sealant or wax will look better than a swirled, unpolished surface with 100 coats of spit shined wax, every time.

[BeAmW335i]

First of all...I'm not a pro, but a recent convert to more professional products, instead of using OTC car cleaning products for years.

Cleaner wax will take some contamination off the paint, but a clay works much much better. It is not a replacement for polish, and it's not an AIO. If you run your fiingers on the paint, and it's silky smooth, than there is no need to clay it. If you feel little tiny bumps on your finger tips, than use the clay bar. I personally clay once a year, and just use a cleaner wax to remove squashed bugs, or for spot treatment. Also, no need to use a cleaner wax every time you wash your car. It will remove most, if not all the protection you might have applied on the paint previously. Same goes for a clay bar too. Instead, you can use a quick detailer after you wash your car for a slick feel and showroom shine.

Since you seem new to this, and to keep things simple for now, learn how to wash your car properly, then use a clay bar to remove the contaminantion from the paint. Since you've never clayed your car, it might be a good idea to do it now. If you have swirl marks on the paint, then you need to polish it, otherwise just apply some OTC carnuba wax or sealant like NXT 2.0. I've given up polishing by hand since it's pointless. Over the years, I've polished many times by hand, but the end results just suck. I'm going to purchase a Porter Cable for my next polishing job!

To answer your other question, wax/seal 2-3 times a year, and polish once a year (if needed). Clay whenever you feel the little bumps on the paint.

Good luck. This will get addicting, so don't blame me!

[oldaccount]

Originally Posted by BeAmW335i

If you run your fiingers on the paint, and it's silky smooth, than there is no need to clay it.

meh, not necesarily.

1. bare fingers cannot always determine whether or not paint needs to be clayed. paint may feel smooth and contaminant-free to the touch, even when its not.
2. the area you touch may be silky smooth, but what if there is a large area somewhere else on the car that was contaminated by something like overpspray. the car still needs to be clayed, you just dont know it because the small area you happened to inspect didnt need it.

[08e92bimmer]

cool thanks.. im kinda getting the right idea now