What Happens If Wax is Left on The Car For Too Long? (Explained)

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Even though applying car waxes isn’t so hard, many people asked me what would happen if the wax dries before buffing it out. I don’t recommend you make that mistake, and in today’s article, I’ll show you what will happen if the wax is left on the car for too long before buffing it out. 

If fresh car wax is left on the car’s paint for too long before buffing it out, it’ll dry out, which will make it impossible to buff out, and even hard to remove. 

I’ll also show you a few tips to prevent wax from drying on your car’s paint, so make sure to read the article thoroughly and follow my advice, especially if you’re a complete beginner. 

Wax Will Dry Too Much and Become Hard To Remove

Wax that sits on the vehicle for too long before buffing it out will surely dry out and make it impossible to buff out, and it may even be challenging to remove once it dries. 

If it happens somehow, you’ll need to invest some extra work to get wax completely removed from the clear coat. It’ll indeed require some elbow grease if removing it by using a microfiber towel. However, If you have some dual-action polisher, it’ll be quicker and require less effort. 

Letting the car wax dry entirely on the car’s paint will also lead you to more expenses. With removing that dried wax, you’ll also have to re-apply a new coat of wax, which takes your time and your money. 

Usually, you can apply car wax to most vehicles in under an hour. Mostly, it’s even closer to 30-45 mins. However, it can quickly become a full-day work nobody wants if you don’t do it properly. 

How To Prevent Wax From Drying On Your Vehicle

Here are some tips I want to share to prevent wax from drying on your vehicle. Even though they’re all well known in the auto detailing world, I’d like to repeat them for you, so I’m sure you understand this topic thoroughly. 

Follow The Instructions On The Bottle

Before applying any car wax to your vehicle, you should always read and follow the instructions on the bottle/package. Even though they’re mostly the same, some car waxes may have some differences in application. 

In general, here are the instructions you should follow:

• Thoroughly wash and dry your vehicle
• If needed, clay and polish it
• Don’t work in direct sunlight or at freezing temperatures
• Apply car wax at one section
• Wait for the wax to haze
• Buff the wax off with a clean microfiber towel

Again, don’t forget to read the instructions on your car wax, just in case there are some differences in application. 

If you need some guidance, here’s a great and thorough car wax application guide.

Don’t Wax The Whole Car at Once

One of the biggest mistakes people make is waxing the whole car at once. It’s a mission impossible, especially if you’re a beginner working on a hot day. 

Car wax will dry too much, and you won’t be able to buff it quickly enough to prevent “overdrying.” 

I like to work in sections, something like this:

• The front side of the car
• Roof
• The left side of the car
• The right side of the car
• The rear side of the car

That way, I can buff the hazed car wax at just the right time, so the job is done correctly. 

Buff It As Soon As It Hazes

Some people make problems where there is none, and it’s about picking the right time to buff the wax off. You should buff the car wax as soon as it hazes. 

The easiest way to determine if car wax is ready for buffing is by sliding your finger on the paint where you applied wax. If your fingers pick up the wax and there’s no residue on the color, the wax is ready to buff. If there’s still some wax on the paint after sliding your finger, the wax needs some more time to haze. 

Spray vs. Paste vs. Liquid Wax

Car waxes come in various guises – spray, paste, and liquid. There are some differences in how hard they apply to the vehicle. 

Spray wax is usually the easiest and quickest car wax type to apply. There’s even no need for waiting, just spray the car and buff it off immediately. Some spray waxes can be applied even if the vehicle is still wet. However, spray waxes don’t last long, and they’ll need more frequent re-applications. Also, they won’t provide the car’s clear coat with as much protection as a paste, or liquid waxes will do. 

Paste wax offers your car the most significant amount of protection. However, it’s the most complex wax type to apply. When applying paste waxes, you should be very careful and buff them as soon as it hazes since they’re the hardest to remove if applied incorrectly. 

Liquid wax is somewhere between paste and spray waxes when it comes to ease of application. It’s pretty straightforward to apply them, and they won’t dry out too quickly, as it could happen with paste waxes. 

In my opinion, if you want the best results, you should use either paste or liquid waxes. I don’t particularly appreciate using spray waxes so much, but they’re a great option if you’re in a rush or don’t know how to apply paste or liquid waxes. 

If you don’t know which car wax to buy, make sure to check my recommendation of the best car waxes. 

Conclusion

I hope that now, after reading the whole article, you know what will happen if you leave the car wax on your car for too long before buffing it out. If you follow all the instructions, it’s pretty straightforward to apply car waxes to any vehicle. 

The most important thing is to buff them as soon as they’re ready to buff out (when they haze). 

If somehow you still don’t apply the car wax properly, here’s the complete guide for removing freshly applied car wax from your vehicle. 

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