Do Wash and Wax Car Soaps Work? (Answered)
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Many companies promote car wash and wax soaps as great products for both washing and protecting your vehicle. But, do wash and wax car soaps work? Are they any good? Today, I will discuss this topic and show you whether you should use car wash and wax soaps or not.
Car wash and wax soaps are good at cleaning the dirt from your car, but they’re not that good when it comes to protecting the paint. You should not use them as a substitute for traditional car waxes since even the cheapest car wax will outperform them.
That was the quick answer, but I’d like to dive deeper into this topic and give you more information about it.
What Is Car Wash and Wax Soap?
Car wash and wax soap is a concentrate of car wash soap, with added waxes inside. Primarily, there will be some carnauba wax, and synthetic polymers added to the soap.
The purpose of car wash and wax soap is to clean, shine, and protect your vehicle’s paint while you’re washing it. So, it’s a 1-step product.
Wash and Wax vs. Standard Car Soaps
There are no significant differences between wash and wax soaps and traditional car soaps. The only difference is that there are waxes and synthetic polymers added into the wash and wax concentrate.
So, the difference is in their purpose. Car wash and wax soaps should clean, restore, shine, and protect your paint. But, on the other hand, standard car soaps will only clean your car and eventually condition the paint.
A one would say that wash and wax soaps are better then. But, wait, before you go and instantly buy all the wash and wax soaps out there, make sure to read the rest of the article.
Do Car Shampoos With Wax Work?
Why would you buy two different products if you can get the same results with one product only? Well, that’s the main reason why I decided to write this post.
Each year, we get improved and better detailing products. As a result, All-in-one products are more and more popular, but you can’t expect them to perform the same way as dedicated products for each purpose.
In my opinion, car soaps with wax inside work great for cleaning the car since waxes have some cleaning properties too. They’ll also give extra lubrication while washing your vehicle, so it may reduce the chances of scratching the paint.
However, they don’t work as marketed by companies to protect your paint from UV, heat, and other external factors.
Car wash and wax shampoos will only clean your vehicle and maybe enhance the shine a little bit. But, the protection won’t last more than few hours or one day.
Is Wash and Wax as Good as Car Wax
If we look at the protecting properties, you can’t even compare typical car waxes with wash and wax soaps.
Car waxes can last anywhere from 4 weeks to 5 months, while wash and wax shampoos may maximally last one day only.
Also, wash and wax soaps won’t add the same amount of shine and gloss to your car’s paint. The reason is that car waxes bond to the surface, and when you buff them, they give that extra deep warm glow to the color.
On the other hand, wash and wax soaps won’t bond to the surface. However, they may enhance the paint a bit.
Should You Use a Car Wash Soap With Wax Inside
In my opinion, using a car wash and wax soaps is good if you already have some paint protectant (wax, sealant, or ceramic coating) on your car. So, using them in between regular waxings is good.
Related: Top 10 Reasons To Apply Paint Protection on Your Vehicle
However, if you don’t have any paint protection on your car and expect wash and wax soaps to protect your car’s paint, you shouldn’t use them. They won’t protect the paint nearly as any car wax.
If you have a black vehicle, using wash and wax car soaps may give that extra shine to the color, but not for too long.
There are no shortcuts. If you want high shine and gloss for your car’s paint, you should apply some real paint protectants to it. For the deepest glow and shine, I recommend you use natural carnauba waxes.
What’s the Best Car Wash and Wax Soap
There’s only one product that really stands from the crowd, and that’s Meguiar’s Ultimate Wash&Wax Car Soap (Check the price on Amazon now).
It has excellent suds, cleans perfectly, and is pH-neutral so that it won’t strip waxes from your vehicle.
Also, this one gives your paint the deepest shine and glossiness from all the wash and wax soaps.
What’s The Fastest Way to Wax a Car
If you’re looking for the fastest way to wax your car, using a wash and wax shampoos isn’t the right choice.
To quickly wax your car, you should consider buying and using some synthetic spray waxes.
They won’t last long as a liquid or paste waxes but will surely stay on your paint at least ten times more than any car wash and wax shampoo.
In general, spray waxes will last about two weeks. That’s not too long, but if you consider that it only takes a few minutes to apply them, that’s an excellent investment.
However, my advice is to use some paste or liquid waxes. It takes more time to apply them, but you can expect them to last up to 5 months if you’re using a high-quality product.
Check my recommendation for the best natural carnauba waxes.
Final Verdict: They’re Good, But Not For Paint Protection
To round it all up, car wash and wax soaps aren’t bad. They’re excellent products for washing your car, especially in between regular waxings.
But, if you expect them to protect your paint, you’re wrong. There’s nothing that can replace wax, sealant, or ceramic coating.
Once again, car wash and wax soaps can’t bond to the surface and keep it protected. They may temporarily add some shine to the car color, but it won’t last long.
Personally, I still stick to the standard car shampoos such as Meguiar’s Gold Class Car Wash Shampoo & Conditioner (check the price on Amazon now). I think that’s one of the best soaps out there, and I like using it.
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