Waxing a car is becoming more important now if you want to maintain the maximum value for your car in these difficult economic times.

People are keeping their cars for longer and if you want to get a good trade in price when its time to change you will be glad you invested a little time to keep your bodywork looking as good as possible.

Even if your cars paintwork is looking very dull and miserable there are some great easy to use products out there to bring back that new car shine.

The most important part of waxing a car is not the waxing itself but the preparation, the first and most crucial step is to make sure the car is completely clean of dirt and dust by means of a thorough wash.Best to do this yourself at home if possible or visit your local car wash if not.

Once the vehicle is clean and dry then we can consider the next stage.Unless you wax your car regularly the bodywork will probably be covered in a film of road grime and other contaminants such as bird lime marks.

You now have two choices,either to use a wax which also contains a mild cutting compound which will remove the road film and contaminants and provide a protective wax coating, or the best option which is to use a seperate cutting paste and then a good quality wax.

The second option will be more work but will give better results and a longer lasting shine.If you are using a paint sealant system there may also be another stage which involves using a paint conditioning treatment before the application of the final finish product.

Whichever process you decide upon the principles of application will be similar.

Try to keep the vehicle in the shade so that the paintwork is cool to the touch,the products will be much easier to work with when applied to a cool surface and a lot less sweat for you too!

What you will need to start the job:

1.Good quality microfiber cloths-several required

2.Good quality combined cleaner/polish

2.Or premium brand cutting compound

3.Carnauba wax paste or liquid

3.Or quality paint sealant system

Allways start from the top of the vehicle and work downwards,this prevents drips or splashes from the products landing on panels already completed.

Cutting compound:Follow manufacturers guidelines of the products you are using but in general apply material to your cloth and work in a circular motion on a small area or a single panel at a time turning the cloth frequently.These types of products can also be applied using rotary machines but unless you have been shown how to use one by an expert or can practise on an old unwanted panel first the job is best done by hand as machine polishing in untrained hands may seriously damage your paint finish.

Allow compound to haze then remove with a clean cloth and move on to the next section or panel.Complete the compounding stage first before moving on to the waxing stage.

The wax should be applied in the same manner as the cutting compound ie:work on small areas at a time allow to haze and then buff with a clean microfiber cloth,ensure you use a different clean cloth to apply the wax than you used for the compound.

Thats it in a nutshell,stand back and admire your hard work, you will have a great looking car and have protected the future value as well.

Once you have completed the paintwork the next job is to move onto the wheels and tires to complete the exterior of the car.

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