Cleaning, waxing and using a paint sealer on my new truck

02suburbanZ71 · January 4, 2015

I think the issue at hand is terminology and misuse of the word "polish". Many people think "polish" means to shine, like waxing, which isn't true.

The order of operations should be as follows;

1.) Give it a good wash. Duh!

2.) Clay bar. This removes contaminants so you don't further damage the surface in the next steps.

3.) Repair paint. This is truly "polishing". This is the step which uses abrasives to remove small scratches and swirl marks. It makes the surface appear more shiny because it's smoother. It can be done with a machine or by hand. In either case, be sure to use a quality product with the appropriate pads and in the correct order.

4.) Apply sealant. At this point the paint should be bare and smooth. I prefer to go over the entire vehicle with prepsol or other degreaser to ensure that there are no residual oils left behind. We need to be sure to apply the sealant to a 100% bare surface.

5.) Shine it up. You can use a wax or a glaze here, it's you're choice. Be careful if you're using a paste wax with a carnuba base. You don't want to build up too many layers here. I prefer a glaze on a daily driver, especially in hotter climates.

6.) Maintain it. In between wax jobs just keep the truck clean. I wash mine every other week and dry with a waffle towel and spray detailer. This maintains the shine for several months and doesn't remove the wax or sealant.

Why don't you want to build up to many layers of carnuba wax paste?

Wrench83 · January 4, 2015

Two reasons. Carnauba is naturally an opaque, yellow color. Too many layers will create a cloudy, dull look. Second, in the summer it will reach is melting point. If you have too much on the truck it will start to appear blotchy like it's been smeared.