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Here are the best car waxes you can buy that will give you great results and help protect your paint.
Photo Credit: Nor Gal/Shutterstock
Any professional detailer will tell you that it’s not enough to just wash your car with soap and call it a day. Your car’s paint deals with a lot of wear and tear, whether it be damage from UV rays, bird droppings, tree sap, dust and grit, tar, bugs, oil from other cars, and just rocks flying at you while you drive. Wax products act as a barrier between your paint and all the nasty things that can damage it.
After washing, you need to use wax a few times a year to protect your paint and make your car look shiny and brand new. Using a car wax smooths your car’s paint surface by filling in small scratches and imperfections, meaning some debris and water will just slide off instead of damaging it. Regularly waxing your car also makes it easier to clean.
We find that spending a lot of money on a car wax doesn’t mean you’ll get a better product. A more affordable car wax can often give you similar results to a luxury one, so keep that in mind when shopping around. The most important part is usually the time you spend on preparation and polishing.
We chose the best liquid, paste, spray, synthetic, and carnauba waxes you can buy, which will give you great results and help to seal and protect your paint. Scroll down past the list to get a step by step breakdown of how to wax your car the right way.
Table of contents
- 1. Editor's Pick: Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax
- 2. Best Deal: Chemical Guys Blazin' Banana Spray Wax
- 3. Best Liquid Wax: Griot’s Garage Best of Show Wax
- 4. Best Wax for Black Cars: 3D Cherry Wax
- 5. Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax
- 6. Turtle Wax ICE Spray Wax
- 7. Collinite No. 476S Super Doublecoat Auto Wax
- 8. Formula 1 Carnauba Paste Car Wax
- 9. Mothers Ultimate Wax System
- How To Wax A Car: A Breakdown by Kshitij Sharma
- Before You Start Waxing
- The Waxing Procedure
- Recent Updates
1. Editor's Pick: Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax
Meguiar’s is a leading brand in car care and has many waxes in its lineup. Its Ultimate Liquid Wax is arguably the brand’s most popular offering and it’s one of our personal favorites. Seasoned auto detailers swear by this car wax for its ease of application/removal, affordable price, and durability.
The package comes with a special foam applicator and a microfiber cloth for buffing. Made with a long-lasting synthetic hydrophobic polymer, users report that it keeps water beading off longer than other products on the market, even after a few months after it was used. The company says it will give cars a deep and mirror-like shine, and it won’t leave a white residue on trim pieces that aren’t painted.
Pros | Easy to apply and remove, lasts for months, affordable, rave reviews |
Cons | Some users report consistency is too thin |
2. Best Deal: Chemical Guys Blazin' Banana Spray Wax
Your options for a Grade A natural carnauba wax in a spray bottle are limited, but car care specialists Chemical Guys not only makes one, but in a formulation that’s one of the best rated waxes available in any format.
Blazin’ Banana (and yes, we feel slightly silly every time we write that) is much faster than traditional paste waxes. As with all true waxes, you have a limited working time before you must start polishing, and that’s even more true with a fast drying spray wax. The upside is that the spray on, wipe off application is perfect for working fast, so it’s a lot easier to do the periodic maintenance and reapplication that wax needs.
Chemical Guys’ Blazin’ Banana spray wax promises a true carnauba wax shine in an easy to apply bottle, but is priced competitively with bargain car wax.
Pros | Spray on and wipe of immediately, great for touchups, easy to apply immediately |
Cons | Short working time, will require more than a paste wax |
3. Best Liquid Wax: Griot’s Garage Best of Show Wax
Griot’s Garage is a smooth wax that is easy to use and comes from a reputable company. It’s 100% carnauba wax content with no silicone, and is used on the world’s most renowned vehicles at Concours events like Pebble Beach, where the toughest judges are there to scrutinize small details like a car’s paint finish. The company says this wax will restore a paint’s finish, remove swirls, and make it look like new with a deep and clear shine that will last for months.
Because of the high carnauba content, a little goes a long way, so you don’t have to slather on this product to get the best results. You can even leave it on overnight and buff it out easily in the morning. It’s important to note that this wax doesn’t come with applicators or microfiber cloths, so you’ll have to buy them separately. Some users report that it isn’t as easy to buff out as other products, but the results are great.
Pros | Professional quality, high carnauba content, great reviews, deep shine |
Cons | Doesn't come with applicators, tougher to remove/buff out |
4. Best Wax for Black Cars: 3D Cherry Wax
This wet look wax is best suited for the darker-colored cars. The company says this all-natural wax will give your car a slick finish and a deep gloss. It also smells like, you guessed it, cherry. It’s not a bestseller, but it gets great 91% positive reviews. Many users say it’s a great liquid wax and UV sealant which gives you great results if you put in the work.
Cherry liquid car wax takes longer to dry to a haze than some other waxes, like the Editor’s Pick Meguiar’s wax, but they have similar results in the end. The longer working time may be helpful if you’re in warmer conditions where other carnauba waxes could dry out too fast; but it’ll definitely slow down the job in cooler conditions, which is when you really want to be waxing your car, anyway.
It’s important to note that this product doesn’t ship with applicators, so you’ll have to buy them separately.
Pros | Smells good, made in the U.S, all natural, affordable, great shine |
Cons | Not recommended for lighter colored vehicles, takes longer to dry/haze, doesn't come with applicators |
5. Meguiar’s Ultimate Paste Wax
Another product from industry leader Meguiar’s, this hydrophobic paste wax offers full synthetic protection for your paint, meaning water will just bead and roll right off. The company says application and removal are easy and is a one-step process, even if you’re using it in the sun. This wax is also a bestseller on Amazon and has an average rating of 4.7 out of 5 stars with more than 1,800 reviews.
Detailers swear by this paste wax because it’s easy to apply and remove and lasts longer than expected. Users report that it smells nice, gets rid of paint swirls, leaves a great shine, and a smooth finish. Some also claim this paste wax lasts longer than Meguiar’s liquid wax, but it leaves residue on non-painted surfaces. This wax comes with an applicator and microfiber cloth.
Pros | Easy application and removal, smooth finish, shiny finish, long-lasting |
Cons | Leaves residue on non-painted trim pirces |
6. Turtle Wax ICE Spray Wax
Turtle Wax has been known in the car care industry for providing quality products at an affordable price. This recommendation includes water-repellency and UV protection to shield your paint from the damaging sunlight.
Spray waxes are generally not as good as liquid or paste waxes, but the company says this spray will give your car a professional-looking mirror-like shine and will even fill in swirl marks and small scratches. Spray waxes generally require less time and effort, but the results might not be as long-lasting — users are reporting that this lasts about a month, where other waxes can last a few months. This might be a good product to use when you don’t have time for a full wax, but perhaps shouldn’t be used to fully replace it.
Pros | Easy and quick application, affordable, shiny finish, UV protection, no streaking or residue |
Cons | Doesn't last as long |
7. Collinite No. 476S Super Doublecoat Auto Wax
Collinite’s detergent-proof wax is made of a high concentration of carnauba wax and synthetic wax and the company claims it can last a whole year. This easy-to-apply wax requires no hard rubbing or buffing, and it doesn’t need a special applicator. You can use this on your car, but also fine furniture, wood paneling, and fiberglass. This wax has a 4.7 out of 5 star rating and is a bestseller on Amazon.
Users stress that you follow the instructions because this wax isn’t like other waxes, but as long as you read the instructions carefully and prepare the car correctly, the results will be amazing. A lot of reviews point out that this wax it harder to remove than others and requires more work.
Pros | Detergent proof, long-lasting, glossy finish |
Cons | More expensive than other waxes, more difficult to remove, car needs to be properly prepped and cleaned |
8. Formula 1 Carnauba Paste Car Wax
Formula 1 has been serving the car care market for more than three decades and this paste wax is a high-quality natural carnauba wax, which is made from the carnauba palm tree. The company says it will give you car a high gloss shine, and water beading that can last for up to 12 months. The key is “micro-polishers” that can almost erase minor scratches in a car’s paint and remove small contaminants while you wipe it away. This affordable sealant comes with a foam applicator, but not a microfiber towel for buffing.
Some users report that it made small scratches and swirls in their car’s clear coat disappear, but that it takes a bit more effort to use than liquid waxes.
Pros | Natural carnauba wax, can be reapplied and buffed, easy to apply |
Cons | Product is thin requires more work to polish, small included applicator |
9. Mothers Ultimate Wax System
Mothers is a trusted name in car care and offers a three-step system for getting a professional-looking finish for your car’s paint: a pre-wax cleaner, a sealer and glaze, and finally, a pure carnauba wax to finish. It might seem like a lot of work, but most waxes require you to fully wash and clay your car before waxing, so this kit takes the guesswork out.
Users are reporting great results with this kit, saying it’s easy to apply and wipe off, leaving a deep and long-lasting shine.
Pros | Long lasting, deep shine, comprehensive product kit |
Cons | Price, not everyone wants to go through an entire 3-step process |
How To Wax A Car: A Breakdown by Kshitij Sharma
Equipment required
The Wax
You can choose between three different car wax that are available: Paste, liquid or the spray-on variety. Many veteran detailing experts would probably laugh at the spray-on wax. In all fairness, the spray-on was not the best solution back in 2010, but since then technology has come a long way and you can find effective options. Also, it’s ideal for people who are looking for a quick and easy fix and are not interested in a laborious process.
Paste wax is for the old school gearhead for whom waxing their car is a hobby and not a chore. For them, spending a day getting that sheen on is as worth it as spending the day with their children. Liquid wax is for the professional, because it’s a whole lot of work if you don’t have a motorized buffer to wax the car properly.
Applicators
Good applicators are essential to the waxing process. There are two types of applicators available in the market. You can either go for the foam or for the microfiber. In our opinion, the foam pad works better on the outside and microfiber on interior surfaces. Whichever you choose, the point to note is that you will be going through at least one piece per step in the application process. So make sure you have plenty of spares.
You will also need to ensure that the applicators are clean before you start, to avoid getting those fine scratches. We advise not reusing an applicator once it is off the metal surface.
Buffers
A microfiber cloth is the best hand buffer out there. You can, however, use a motorized buffer as well. If you’re using the liquid wax, the electric buffer is the best way to product the desired results.
Before You Start Waxing
Clean your car thoroughly
Before you get down to actually rendering some TLC on your car and make it nice and shiny, make sure that all surfaces are clean, dirt-free and dry. You don’t want debris stuck under the applicator which can in turn scratch your beloved ride.
Polish for minor scratches
Here’s a myth buster. Waxing your car, no matter how vigorously you do it, does not eliminate minor paint scratches. Yes, the cleaner wax can “hide” the blemishes on the paint of your car, but they reappear as soon as the sheen of the wax starts to wane. So the proper way to do it is to apply polish on the scratches you want to eliminate. The polish, unlike the wax, contains abrasives that basically gently remove the clear coat on the paint and with it the surface scratches and shallow rub marks. Please note that if scratches are deeper than the clear coat, you will need to get your car repainted.
The perfect waxing day is a fine balance between sun and cloud. You don’t want it too bright and sunny, and definitely not too damp either. Keep your car away from direct sunlight if at all possible.
The Waxing Procedure
Wax on wax off
So you’re done with polishing the blemishes, now it’s time to get on with the waxing. Whatever wax you choose make sure you apply it in small amounts. You will also need to take your time and be patient. Wax can dry fairly quickly in summer days so refrain from applying all the wax at once. Work in small areas and apply the wax first, then buff and move on to the next area. You can start with the doors first. Complete each one individually. Divide the hood and the trunk in two halves and so on and so forth.
Another thing to note, if you are using the wax that you need to let dry before you remove it—it will say on the label—we still recommend you use the area by area approach.
If you’re using the spray wax you pretty much treat it like Windex. Spray, distribute evenly, flip the cloth and buff. It’s pretty straight forward. But make sure you change your buffing cloth often and don’t let any dirt settle on it.
Oh no, it’s streaking
Don’t worry if you get streaks after you’re done waxing your car; it’s a completely normal phenomenon. All you need to do it park the car in the sun for about 15 minutes, no more. This will help soften the wax that was refusing to buff out.
Next, take the car back in to the garage and buff the streaks out with detailing spray. And your car paint will be as good as new.
So there you have it, one step by step breakdown of giving your beloved ride some tender loving care.
Recent Updates
November 30, 2023: Fixed the entire post by re-adding our recommendations and detailed guide on how to properly wax your car.
May 24, 2022: Awarded Best Liquid Wax to Griot’s Garage Best of Show, awarded Best Wax for Black Cars to 3D Cherry Wax. Updated descriptions and links.
May 23, 2022: Removed Ultimate Quik Wax, added Chemical Guys Blazin’ Banana Spray Wax as Best Deal.
February 24, 2022: Updated links for Meguiar’s Ultimate and Formula 1 Carnauba waxes.
January 28, 2022: Removed Car Guys products from recommendations due to concerns about review authenticity.
June 2, 2021: Updated to remove promoted product.
November 30, 2020: Updated with a promoted product recommendation.