How often do you wax?

How often do you guys wax?
Is it damaging to wax too often?
how often do you clean your seats?
Is it damaging to clean your leather too often?

thank you!

^ was posted in Detailing section, but no one looks there.. heh..

I do a full waxing job every two-three months.

I clean my leather every time I clean my car. I condition them every four weeks or so.

I wax at least once a month.

Leather, I'm bad, I hardly every clean it just hoover them. I should condition it but I'm scared as the seats in my last BMW went really dull after using some product

zymol leather stuff rocks...

cheers

Every 9-12 months
Wash + Polish Level 1 + Polish Level 2 + Sealant + Wax

Every 2 months:
Wax (2 coats) after good wash

Every Saturday:
Rinse with water and Meguires Detailing spray to remove contaminants.

Every morning (takes 4 minutes):
Remove dust on my car with a quality MicroFiber drying towel.

I find that this keeps my car in excellent condition for where I live. The desert in Arizona does not see a lot of rain but it has more than its share of dust. Find a routine that suits your needs. For me, Detailing Spray is great for in-between waxes. Polishing I do sparingly as it is the most aggressive.

OK, you got me started. First, I would suggest checking out autopia.com. Everything you ever wanted know about detailing your car and more.

During a recent bit of warm weather, I got started on the summer regime:

Stripped the old wax
Used a clay bar to remove contaminants
Used a mild polish to get rid of minor swirling
Two coats of Klasse All-In-One (AIO)
Three coats of Klasse sealing glaze (SG)
Two coats of P21S wax

Throughout the summer, I wax at least every two weeks, hopefully each week. Every couple of days, I use a detailer to spruce things up.

The interior gets the "California Duster" almost every day; I use a Meguiar's interior quick detaler once a week. I have leatherette which cleans up real well and is a LOT more durable than the crappy leather BMW puts in the 3 series. My old E36 had leather which began to wear badly after only a year (maybe because of my big fat butt). I use the Klasse twins on the wheels, which constantly need cleaning (I'm getting different pads when the warranty runs out). Stoner's InvisiGlass is great for the windows. I also use specific products for the chrome and the black trim.

I say, "Go nuts!"

^ to autopia.org
don't forget detailcity.org

Do you have the California Mini duster for your interior? Any feedbacks?

Originally Posted by Melo Breeze

^ to autopia.org
don't forget detailcity.org

Do you have the California Mini duster for your interior? Any feedbacks?

Indeed I do. Great for getting up everyday dust. No substitute for the vacuum, tho; some stuff just won't come out without the vac. I have a full-sized version that I use on the outside, but only when it is really clean. I worry about scratches if the car has any serious dirt on it (my definition of "serious" may differ from others). I get new ones every year, just in case.

detailcity.org

thanks man

Here's a nice routine to follow if you pretty fanatical about detailing and plan on detailing once a month:

April: Full Detail: W/D -> Clay -> Polish for scratch / swirl removal -> Finishing Polish -> Glaze -> Sealant -> Carnauba
May: W/D -> Carnauba
June: W/D -> Carnauba
July: W/D -> Finishing Polish -> Glaze -> Sealant -> Carnauba
August: W/D -> Carnauba
September: W/D -> Carnauba
October: Full Detail: W/D -> Clay -> Polish for scratch / swirl removal -> Finishing Polish -> Glaze -> Sealant -> Carnauba
November: W/D -> Carnauba
December: W/D -> Carnauba
January: W/D -> Finishing Polish -> Glaze -> Sealant -> Carnauba
February: W/D -> Carnauba
March: W/D -> Carnauba

W/D = Wash and Dry

This schedule gives ensures you have the proper protection on your vehicles paint for the normal times it will protect you for. If you want to wash weekly, do a quick coat of something like Menzerna High Gloss Acrylic Shield afterwards to add some slickness and pop to the paint.

Hope this helps!

George @ Detailed Image

If you're starting off fresh (strip old wax, clay bar, etc) then I'd imagine once a month is probably fine. I'm not so sure I agree with people waxing every week because there's going to be a point of diminishing return. Just IMO.

Whats the best way to strip the car of its old wax? I really want to give my car a full out detail before I put it away in June...

Originally Posted by deafboy

Whats the best way to strip the car of its old wax? I really want to give my car a full out detail before I put it away in June...

Polish the paint ... simple!

George @ DI

i do a wax on my front hood and rear trunk everytiem i wash...

i do a full wax job once or twice a year and do spray wax once a month

i clean the leather everytime i wash my car using a spray leather cleaner from macguiers and bought mcguiers leather conditioner today... its like a goo that you put on a terry cloth, smear in, then clean off... i can't tell if it worked at all as i did it in my garage and haven't taken the car out since

Originally Posted by Detailed Image

Polish the paint ... simple!

George @ DI

Dead right, but it's a bit of a muchness, sometimes (polishing actually requires paying some attention to what you're doing, as I know you know :=) A lot of folks I think aren't willing to expend the effort to do it right..) Dawn will do it well enough for most peeps, I think :-)

What is a good polish out there?

I do a Brazilian about every 2 weeks

i'm guessing polishing a lot is bad. its an OCD of mine because my car always has swirl marks within 3 weeks to a month after polishing and waxing. i don't do it that ofgten but its someting i noticed.

the swirls have to be from the washing and drying process.

Originally Posted by bimmer jon

the swirls have to be from the washing and drying process.

Jon, you got it. I'd say 80-90% of most swirls come from improper washing and drying techniques and products. Anything from a dirty drying towel, the wrong drying towel, using 1 bucket, using a sponge, etc. all can contribute to swirls.

Over polishing can be bad if done improperly as well. You would not want to use an aggressive polish like SSR 2.5 or Intensive Polish (or stronger) more than 2-3x a year. Using a finishing polish like SSR 1 or Final Polish II is not going to hurt the clear that much though.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,

George @ DI