When it comes to keeping our vehicles looking their best, keeping them waxed is crucial. Wax plays an important part in protecting our vehicles paint and keeping them looking new.
And although wax may help our vehicles to shine, does car wax protect your vehicle against UV rays?
The short answer is yes. Most high quality car waxes have built in UV protection. Not only this, car wax helps protect your vehicles clear coat, which is your paints primary protection against UV rays.
If you’d like to know more about how car wax protects your vehicle against UV rays, keep reading to learn more.
What are UV Rays?
If you’re unfamiliar with the term UV, it stands for Ultraviolet. Ultraviolet rays, or ultraviolet radiation, is a type of energy produced by the sun. It cant be seen or felt, and therefore can be very dangerous to human health. UV rays can cause sunburn, premature ageing, eye damage, and even skin cancer in humans.
Although the sun is the only natural source of UV radiation, there are other man made sources such as tanning beds, black lights, and mercury vapor lamps. However, for the sake of this article, the suns UV rays are the only ones to really be concerned about.
How Can UV Rays Affect My Car?
UV rays are known to cause damage to vehicles in a number of ways including:
- Paint peeling and fading
- Discoloration of plastics and trim
- Headlight clouding
- Damage to your dashboard
- Dried out and cracking leather
- Fading interior
If you’ve ever had a vehicle with faded paint, you’ve witnessed firsthand the effects of UV damage. UV rays can lead to paint oxidation which eventually will result in fading and peeling.
Not only can UV rays damage your vehicles paint, they can also cause problems with the interior as well. Left exposed to too much sunlight, dashboards can dry out and crack and well as leather seats.
Because UV rays cant be seen, felt, or even noticed, its important to take a few precautionary measures to help prevent any damage to your vehicle.
How Does Wax Protect My Car From UV Rays?
Most car waxes are designed to help protect the clear layer of paint on your vehicle, also known as the clear coat. Your vehicles clear coat is your paints primary protection from UV rays. So in reality, your vehicle is already protected from the damaging effects of the sun.
The issue arises when your clear coat begins to break down over time. This happens mainly due to a lack of washing and waxing. When your vehicle isn’t washed properly, unwanted contaminants can become embedded in your clear coat. If left there for too long, they can lead to oxidation and even rust.
Once your clear coat becomes damaged its almost guaranteed that you’ll start to see some fading or peeling over time. The key is to keep your clear coat protected as best as you can in order to keep your car’s paint from fading in the sun. That’s where wax comes in.
Car wax by itself does provide some level of protection to your vehicles paint. The UV protection built into the car wax provides a thin layer of protection on top of your clear coat. The biggest benefit of car wax is that it helps keep your clear coat in good shape. It helps to seal your clear coat and block out anything that could become embedded in the paint.
By washing and waxing your vehicle regularly, you can help prevent your clear coat from deteriorating. This is the biggest reason for keeping your vehicle waxed often. Not to mention the awesome shine it provides!
What Other Benefits Are There to Waxing My Car?
Besides keeping your clear coat in good shape, car wax also provides a few other benefits.
- Prevent Water Spots – Most waxes available today are hydrophobic, meaning they repel water. This is a good thing for your vehicle as standing water due to rain or washing can lead to water spots on your car. And chances are if you’re taking the time to wash and wax your vehicle, the last thing you want are flaws in the finish.
- Fills in Minor Scratches – Wax is also great for filling in minor scratches and imperfections in your clear coat. This usually makes the scratches look like they go away but unfortunately they don’t. While wax wont remove any scratches on your car it will make them “go away” for a little while.
- Awesome Shine – Another great benefit of waxing your car is the awesome shine it leaves behind. When you break it down to a molecular level, wax actually polishes your clear coat which is what gives it that amazing shine.
7 Tips for Waxing Your Car
Tip # 1 Wash Your Car First
Prior to waxing your vehicle, its very important to give your car a good wash first. Doing so will help remove any dirt, grime, bugs, bird droppings, etc. All of this should be removed before you wax your car. Be sure to use actual car wash formula and not hand or dish soap. These are not designed to clean your vehicle and can be harsh on your clear coat.
Tip # 2 Use a High Quality Wax
Using a high quality wax will go a long way towards protecting your vehicle and giving it a nice shine. One of the best waxes available is the Meguiars Ultimate Liquid Wax, available on Amazon. It provides a long lasting protective barrier to you clear coat that is also hydrophobic. Its safe to use on all glossy paints and clear coats and gives your car a great shine!
Tip # 3 Don’t Wax in Direct Sunlight
If at all possible, avoid waxing your car in direct sunlight. Waxing your car in direct sunlight, or when its too hot, will result in the wax drying too quickly, making it difficult to buff off. Always wax your car in the cool of the day or in the shade.
Tip # 4 Wax One Area at a Time
When you wax your car, its best to it in small sections at a time. Don’t try to apply the wax to the entire car and then come back and wipe it off. By the time you make your way back, the wax will be dry and hard to remove. Just work one area at a time and you’ll be fine.
Tip # 5 A Little Goes a Long Way
While it can be tempting to lay it on thick, this typically wont provide any additional benefit. In reality all it does is make the wax harder to remove. If you want some additional shine consider applying multiple coats of wax after the first coat is dry.
Tip # 6 Use the Right Tools for the Job
Its very tempting to wax the car with a few old t-shirts but this isn’t the best option. When waxing your car its best to use an applicator pad for applying the wax and a microfiber cloth for removing it. Doing so will help ensure the wax adheres to and fills in any perfections in the clear coat and is buffed off without scratching.
Tip # 7 Wax Regularly
Its recommended that you wax your vehicle every 3 months. By taking the time to wax your vehicle on a consistent basis, you can help ensure your car is protected properly against damaging UV rays.
In Conclusion
Car wax really does help protect your vehicle against UV damage. By taking the time to wax your vehicle regularly and with a high quality wax, you can help keep your paint preserved for years to come. Just remember to follow the tips above for waxing your car. I hope this article has been helpful. Thanks for reading!