What’s the difference between car polish and car wax?

Everybody I know likes to be proud of their car, if it’s dirty it’s very difficult for anyone to be proud! It’s important to keep your car clean not only for your pride but also to prolong the life of your paintwork. 

There are two main methods you have to give your paintwork a wonderful shine, you can use a car wax or a car polish. Many people are unaware of the difference between a car wax and a car polish, people may choose between these products simply based on price rather than understanding exactly what the difference is.

Manufacturers are doing nothing to help the confusion in fact if anything they are adding to it. Many of the manufacturers producing waxes are actually marketing them as if they were polishes and vice versa.  Some manufacturers are making it even more difficult by combining a polish and a wax into one product. 

It’s actually quite difficult to discover whether the product is a wax or a polish, the only way is to closely study what it says on the label and what the product’s claims are – does it protect only or also remove scratches and similar?

Professional car valets and detailers know that there is a huge difference between a wax and a polish, a polish creates a wonderful shine and restores any light scratches. A polish is like a conditioner for your skin, it replaces any of the oils lost by the paint. After polishing a wax should be applied to extend the life of the shine.

There is a huge difference if you polish before waxing, this is especially apparent on a dark coloured car.

As with anything there are different qualities of both waxes and polishes, you shouldn’t skimp when you’re buying a wax or a polish. Your car’s worth it too!

Polishes provide a shine however the effect is not long lasting, the wax protects the paintwork for a long time. Waxing the car after applying the polish means that you won’t have to repeat the process for quite some time.