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, and just rocks flying at you while you drive. Wax acts 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 will smooth 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 will also make 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.
Here are the best car waxes you can buy that will give you great results and help protect your paint. Scroll down past the list to get a step by step breakdown of how to wax your car the right way.
Updated 04/23/2020: This article has been updated with more information on how to properly wax your car.