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Top 6 Best Car Waxes 2024

Car wax
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You’re looking for a car wax but don’t know which one to choose?

Carnauba car wax, polymer wax, paste wax, liquid wax, synthetic wax, natural wax, carnauba blend, paint sealant, spray car wax…

It’s clear as mud, isn’t it? 

All those fancy labels only make it harder to choose: Which car wax is the best? Which is the easiest, fastest to apply? Which lasts the longest? Which car wax is the cheapest?

Check out our favorite car waxes: 

What Is Car Wax?

A car wax is an almost colorless natural or synthetic liquid, paste or spray used for car detailing. It is applied in a very thin protective layer to protect car paint against the elements and make it more glossy. Car wax is easy to apply, effective and affordable. Contrary to other types of protective paint coating, car wax is very forgiving too, it can be removed with little effort if needed. 

What Are The Different Kinds Of Car Wax?

Let’s start with the basics: There are three kinds of popular car waxes: Carnauba, polymer and carnauba-polymer blends.
Carnauba car wax is the granddaddy of ‘em all, natural, the original, plant based. For classic cars as well as modern cars with warm paint colors, carnauba car wax adds an extra level of color depth.

It gives that unsurpassed warm glow to car paint that makes it look authentic and vintage. The most expensive show cars are prepped for concours with up to 3 layers of carnauba car wax to get that perfect deep shine.

Polymer car wax is a modern, man-made synthetic wax that emulates the carnauba wax properties. It’s the least expensive wax.

Carnauba-polymer blends combine both car waxes’ properties.

While carnauba wax is one of the hardest plant derived car waxes, polymer waxes surpass carnauba wax in most all aspects. They are tougher, longer lasting, cheaper and easier to apply.

Carnauba wax on the other hand is the original, plant based “heritage way” to protect a valuable classic car. It gives your car paint that deep warm glow synthetic car waxes can’t.

This brings us to the carnauba-polymer car wax blends or carnauba infused polymers. The reason why blends are popular is because they combine the high tech properties of a polymer wax with the warm glow that only carnauba wax has. It is also much less expensive than most high-end pure carnauba waxes. 

It has to be said that newer polymer or blended car waxes last the longest. No doubt about it.

Different Car Wax Textures

Paste car wax: If you’re the kind of person who likes tradition and doesn’t mind a little more work perfecting your pride and joy, paste wax is the right choice for you. 

Liquid car wax: You get about the same results as with paste wax with just a slightly easier, more modern application.

Spray car wax: You wanna get great results in no time? Look no further: just spray, wipe and go. This process leaves a thinner coating. Awesome to use after each wash.

More information on how to apply car wax.

Bottom line

Polymer based car waxes last the longest while carnauba based car waxes enhance warmth and color depth.

If you want a quick and easy way to apply your car wax, you should go for a spray or liquid form. The most authentic way is to use a paste.

How we made our selection of best car waxes

All the car waxes mentioned are the best in their category and they all do an incredible job at protecting your car paint. We’ve tested several products on a well cleaned car. Not all waxes we’ve tried made it to our selection, just the ones that came out on top. It is important to know that you can’t go wrong with either of them. They all maximize the glossiness and emulate that beautiful wet-paint look. 

What we love about these wax coatings is that there’s just no way you can get yourself in trouble. You can’t worsen the condition of your coating unless you apply the wax with a dirty applicator or buff it with a gritty towel.

Even if you apply an uneven layer or put it on too thick, there’s no reason to panic. You can still thin or remove it with a simple microfiber towel and some elbow grease. If you forgot a spot, you can wax it later and it will still blend in. 

Worst case, you can simply remove the whole coating with diluted isopropyl alcohol aka IPA or rubbing alcohol, and start over.
To be absolutely safe, make a light solution of between 10 and 15% (mix 1 part of 99,9% IPA with 7 parts of distilled water).
Some detailers use a 70% solution or even higher on older car paint, but that’s at your own risk.
One thing is certain: you should never use IPA on fresh paint! 

There’s nothing to it, it’s that simple! 

Check out our top 6 best car waxes:

Best Car Waxes

Best Overall

Best Overall
  • Type: Carnauba-Polymer blend
  • Texture: Liquid
  • Quantity: 16 oz
Best Overall
  • Type: Carnauba-Polymer blend
  • Texture: Liquid
  • Quantity: 16 oz

You want a premium liquid carnauba infused car wax that even a 5-year old can apply? This buttery wax combines the old and new by combining old school carnauba with modern polymer enhancements.

We love the easy, silky smoothness you can apply this liquid wax with, even in direct sunlight. It hazes up in only a few minutes, ready to buff. Be careful though not to apply too much at once. A little goes a long way. It’s very gentle on your car paint because there are no abrasives in this formula. Smells great too, the “Strawberry Banana”. Better keep the kids away 😉 

Customers love the buttery texture of this wax. They say that it lasts over a month on a daily driver and that it can be applied without breaking a sweat. One reviewer wrote that the shine it put on his car defies description. Another customer wrote that nothing compares to this stuff. He says that it goes on silky smooth, hazes up in only a few minutes and doesn’t stick on in direct sunlight. When he wipes it off he can see a perfect reflection of himself on his black car. Sounds strange to say too but this stuff even smells good, he states.

PROS:

  • We love the smooth, buttery feel of the wax
  • High carnauba content combined with modern polymer enhancements for better performance
  • Very easy and quick to apply
  • Can be applied in direct sunlight
  • A little goes a long way
  • Made in USA


CONS:

  • Fruity banana smell: love it or leave it
  • Leaves a white haze on plastic and rubber parts

Best Budget

Best Budget
  • Type: Carnauba – Polymer blend
  • Texture: Paste
  • Quantity: 14 oz
Best Budget
  • Type: Carnauba – Polymer blend
  • Texture: Paste
  • Quantity: 14 oz

We chose this classic paste wax for Best Budget because it’s the most bang for your buck you’ll get anywhere. No doubt about it! It’s the veteran, the grandaddy: Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Paste Wax.

Although it’s an old style paste wax that’s been around for over 60 years, it performs better than many of the more expensive ones out there. And you’ll get a lot of use out of this 14oz container that only costs a few bucks! It will protect your paint against dirt, water and UV for pocket change.

Considering it’s a paste wax, application on our black test car went very smoothly using the included applicator. Just be careful not to fill panel gaps or wipe it on plastic or rubber parts or it will leave white residue.

Turtle Wax recommends application in circular motions, but we’re no fan of that. We put it on in straight cross-patterns to avoid swirl marks should minor abrasive dirt particles get stuck on the applicator pad along the way. We applied it in a closed garage to avoid dust contamination because it was a windy day. Ambient temperature was around 23°C / 74°F.

It’s a fact that most paste waxes are harder to apply than liquid or spray variants and leave irritating powder residue all over your car. This wax is easy to apply though and hardly leaves any dust. That’s because Turtle Wax Hard Shell Wax’s new formula diminishes the “powder residue inconvenience”, which is a great improvement. 

Buffing wasn’t hard at all, but make sure to use super soft edgeless microfiber towels. If you notice that your towel leaves smudges or steaks behind, flip it to a clean side or take a fresh one. It’s because it is saturated with wax. We used 4 towels for a large car.

Although there are faster waxes in our selection, this one is very economical and can protect your car paint for months and leaves a shiny gloss. 

There’s a lot of loyal customers who have been using this wax for years, some even decades. Most of them say they see no reason for them to change to a more expensive product that maybe only does a little better. Others say their time is much more costly than the extra you pay for a more modern application method that is faster and longer lasting. Guess they both have a point, it’s up to you to decide…

All things considered, we think Pops’s trusted wax wasn’t a bad choice after all…


PROS: 

  • Awesome value
  • Easier to apply than most paste waxes
  • Trusted, improved formula with old-fashioned charm
  • A little goes a very long way
  • Applicator included


CONS:

  • More labor-intensive than liquid or spray waxes
  • Leaves a white haze on plastic and rubber parts

Best Car Wax Spray

Best Car Wax Spray
  • Type: Carnauba-Polymer blend
  • Texture: Spray
  • Quantity: 16 oz
Best Car Wax Spray
  • Type: Carnauba-Polymer blend
  • Texture: Spray
  • Quantity: 16 oz

If a fast spray-on / wipe-off carnauba car wax spray is what you’re looking for, you should definitely try this one: Insta Wax combines the ease of a car wax spray application with a high carnauba content, which really makes car paint glow. 

The A-Grade carnauba’s properties are enhanced and it is longer lasting because of the polymer additives. These polymers also make the carnauba wax sprayable, which is normally a solid wax. 

FYI: That this spray is “100% carnauba”, as often advertised, is a misconception. Chemical Guys put in as much A-Grade carnauba wax as chemistry allowed (100% of what is possible).

Because carnauba wax is incredibly hard, even the highest quality solid carnauba car wax paste contains a maximum of around 1/3 pure carnauba wax, dissolved in a mixture of oils and solvents. The higher the percentage is, the harder the wax will be to apply. If too much is added, the solution will be too thick to spray. This implies that a spray wax automatically contains a lower percentage of carnauba wax than a solid wax, but is much easier and faster to use. However, different measurements by different manufacturers may result in higher percentages, which is very convenient for the marketing department. Also, carnauba contents of any product is not regulated, so anything goes.

Applying this spray wax, we loved InstaWax’s fast hazing time. For us, the fastest way to work at an ambient temperature of about 25°C / 77°F was to spray an area the size of a door panel and move on to the next. By the time the second panel was sprayed, the first was about hazed up and ready to buff. Buffing is dead-easy: Two gentle passes with an edgeless microfiber towel are enough to get a warm, glossy shine. The panels feel slick and repel water.

Be careful though to not spray product onto plastic parts, because they will turn grayish. This is one aspect customers understandably don’t like about this product. Several reviewers complained about this. Also, avoid spraying excess product in panel gaps that are hard to buff because when accumulated product dries, it turns a milky white. This is normal for any car wax that contains carnauba. No reason to panic if that happens though. With some extra attention the excess product in the panel gaps can easily be removed with a microfiber towel edge. The plastic parts on the other hand, will need to be cleaned with diluted rubbing alcohol to remove the grayish film.  

You should also be aware of the fact that it leaves a much thinner wax layer than a classic solid carnauba wax applied with an application pad. That’s why we recommend frequent applications like after every (neutral pH) car wash to get the best results.

Customers say that this wax spray goes on and wipes off easily and that it has a nice scent. Users confirm that it leaves a deep long lasting shine. They use it on  wood inserts in their vehicle and car windows, with no problems at all. They say it’s the easiest way to apply carnauba wax. A returning complaint however, is that the spray head is poor quality and often fails. By the time you read this post, CG will probably have solved this issue. They are known to take customer complaints seriously.


PROS: 

  • High carnauba content combined with modern polymer enhancements for better performance
  • Very easy to apply
  • Warm, glossy shine and color depth
  • Made in USA


CONS:

  • Won’t do nearly as many applications as solid a car wax paste
  • With spray car wax you always get overspray, which requires getting used to
  • Won’t last as long as paste or liquid wax
  • Leaves a white haze on plastic and rubber parts

Best Car Wax Paste

Best Car Wax Paste
  • Type: Carnauba – Polymer blend
  • Texture: Paste
  • Quantity: 10 oz
Best Car Wax Paste
  • Type: Carnauba – Polymer blend
  • Texture: Paste
  • Quantity: 10 oz

Why did we choose Adam’s Americana Wax? Because it is a top-of-the range car wax that adds unbelievable gloss and clarity to any car coating with the ease of a liquid wax. It is designed to outlast any high-end classic car wax because of its advanced polymer additives.

This enhanced high-content carnauba paste car wax is very simple to apply compared to traditional paste waxes. It’s so easy it almost feels like cheating!

It went on with a lot less friction than a classic carnauba car wax. We worked in areas the size of a door panel, let it sit while we coated the next and went back to buff the first panel with an edgeless microfiber towel, like we do with each test.

Man, does this wax make the job easy! It’s even much easier to buff than it was to put it on. Smooth as silk!  You gotta be really old school to not love this innovation. Hey, you can even layer this awesome product to get an old-school concours finish. That makes it kinda old-school, doesn’t it?

As with all high-carnauba content car waxes, be careful not to smear it in panel gaps or on plastic parts. Although it’s easily corrected, it’s a waste of time.

People say that it doesn’t leave a speck of powder after taking it off. This we can indeed confirm: After buffing there’s no residue. And they love the shine as much as we do: A customer states that this product made his wife’s car shine like a diamond. Three plus weeks later and she’s still sparkling, he says.

Great product, Adam’s! Thumbs up!


PROS: 

  • Easy to apply
  • Innovative formula with old-fashioned charm
  • A little goes a very long way
  • Applicator included
  • Made in USA


CONS:

  • Premium price (but worth every cent)
  • Leaves a white haze on plastic and rubber parts

Best Polymer Car Wax

Best Polymer Car Wax
  • Type: Polymer
  • Texture: Liquid
  • Quantity: 16 oz
Best Polymer Car Wax
  • Type: Polymer
  • Texture: Liquid
  • Quantity: 16 oz

If a high tech 100% synthetic car wax is what you’re looking for, this is the one we’d buy. It’s engineered with the latest technologies resulting in a wax that has superior water beading, high gloss and increased protection. 

Application is as easy as it gets with the included application pad and microfiber towel: First moisten the pad lightly with liquid wax, for the following applications just a few extra dots will do. You just need a little amount to do a whole car. Depending on how big your car is, you can wax it a dozen times with a single bottle. Buff it with the microfiber towel and you’re done!

Meguiar’s large customer base says that Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax lasts over a year for garage kept cars and about 6 months for cars parked outside and that bugs, bird droppings, etc. can easily be removed because the paint is so slick.   

Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax produces a great sheen easily. Be careful though not to use too much product or it might streak and require more buffing than necessary.


PROS:

  • Embedded with the latest car wax synthetic polymer technology
  • Easy to apply
  • Bird droppings and bug guts are easy to remove 
  • Increased surface tension for relentless water beading
  • Applicator and microfiber towel is included
  • Made in USA


CONS:

  • Doesn’t give that warm glow to old paint like carnauba wax does

Best Carnauba Car Wax

Best Carnauba Car Wax
  • Type: Carnauba
  • Texture: Paste
  • Quantity: 6 oz
Best Carnauba Car Wax

If you’re a proud classic car owner and a sucker for traditional handmade products like in the ol’ days, you’re gonna want this! This exceptionally high carnauba content classic car wax is made in the USA with all-natural ingredients like back in the day when your classic rolled out of the factory. 

It took a bit more love and elbow grease to coat our classic with Migliore Primo. But somehow, the authenticity of this product and its packaging brought us back to when it got its first protective wax coating. And we adored the process! It’s not just a car wax, it’s an experience, a ritual. Wax on, wax off 😉

You’ll need a lot of clean edgeless microfiber towels and a good applicator pad to get concours results. For our small classic we used four towels, for large vehicles you might need up to eight towels. If you don’t change your buffing towels often enough, you’ll keep running in circles smearing and streaking your car paint over and over again.

This awesome car wax delivers incredible results by encapsulating your car’s paint in a hard, natural carnauba shell. It’s an authentic car wax that really brings older paint back to life, giving it incredible warmth, depth and shine. 

If you really want to outclass your competitors in any concours, take the time to put three consecutive layers on your classic car’s paint and your competitors will have a hard time to outshine your beauty. The more layers, the more depth your paint will have. That’s what old fashioned carnauba does…

Migliore means “best” and Primo means “first”, a product worthy of its name…

People who use Migliore Primo say that it’s not a wax for weekly quick use because it’s not made for that. If you are looking for premium feel wax that feels good putting on and looks good for long time storage or before a car show this is it, they claim. They love the great warm glow it gives on dark paints and that it’s not “synthetic crap”. One customer probably summarizes best why people buy this product: He says Migliore Primo adds a bottomless depth to his car paint’s shine and that it goes on and off very well.

Some customers complain that it takes time to coat a whole car, and they’re right: you have to take your time and enjoy the process, otherwise we advise you to use one of our other “Best” picks. 

But again, if you like authenticity like we do, you’ll enjoy the experience!

PROS:

  • For concours winning results
  • In touch with tradition
  • Contains the highest workable carnauba content
  • Small content goes a very long way
  • Made in USA


CONS:

  • Application is more labor intensive because of the very high carnauba content
  • Premium price range
  • Leaves a white haze on plastic and rubber parts

Comparison Table Of The Best Car Waxes 

Brand Name
Best Overall Adam's Polishes Adam's Buttery Wax
Best Budget Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Paste Wax
Best Car Wax Spray Chemical Guys InstaWax
Best Car Wax Paste Adam's Polishes Adam's Americana Premium Carnauba Paste Wax
Best Polymer Car Wax Meguiar's Ultimate Liquid Wax
Best Carnauba Car Wax Migliore Primo

Final Thoughts

We love the way quality car wax products, be it natural, polymer or a blend, literally bring you in close contact with your car. 
It’s like taking time to smell the roses.
You have to touch, call it caress if you like, every inch of your car to make it look its absolute best. If you’re a real car person, there’s something truly magical about that!

Let’s recap the ones we recommend depending on what you want to accomplish:

For a quick spritz, Chemical Guys InstaWax is awesome! Like always, first make sure your car paint is 100% clean. Now just spray and wipe to get a shine and protection in one. The high carnauba content is guilty as charged on the account of adding a warm glow to your paint. InstaWax is the fastest gun in the west and beyond… 

Don’t wanna go fast? Like to enjoy the ritual of treating your classic beauty to the best, original carnauba paste wax in your mancave filled with automobilia?
Only the Migliore will do. Migliore like in “best”. 
Smells and feels like the real thing, because it is…

If heritage with a modern twist is your thing, Adam’s Americana Wax has got you covered: This all-American brand made their high-content carnauba paste wax easier to apply and more durable by adding modern polymers. Same ritual, yet easier and longer lasting.
Great compromise! 

Still not easy and modern enough? Then skip the carnauba and go full liquid polymer: Meguiar’s Ultimate Liquid Wax is a 100% high-tech liquid wax for optimal, fast and long lasting results. 
Heard it even repels UFO droppings…

Can’t be bothered with the occasional UFO droppings? Just want the best deal?
Ask any oldtimer, they’ll tell you: you’ll get the most bang for your buck from Turtle Wax Super Hard Shell Paste Wax.
Awesome deal!

The one that ticks the most boxes for us and has a dedicated following is our Best Overall: Adam’s Buttery Wax. This high carnauba content liquid car wax is buttery smooth and dead-easy to apply, even in full sunlight. It lasts long and smells so great, it makes you wanna drink it (don’t!!). About the results: what can we tell you? Loved the way it lifted our car paint by giving it a warm gloss.

Only wish we could drink it too…

Happy detailing!

Looking for a state-of-the-art modern protective coating with maximum longevity?

Check out “CCM’s Best Ceramic (SiO₂) and Graphene Protective Coatings“, and “How To Apply a Ceramic (SiO₂) or Graphene Protective Coating“.

FAQs

How often should you use car wax?

When water repellency decreases dramatically you should reapply your wax, preferably with exactly the same product. That will be anywhere between one week and 12 months after the last application.

There’s no short answer though, it depends on many factors:

  • Which car wax do you use?
  • Which surface do you apply it on: the kind of paint / clear coat, ceramic or graphene protective coating,…?
  • How thorough do you prep the surface before waxing: washing, decontamination, polishing, degreasing,…?
  • How do you apply the wax and in how many layers?
  • How often do you top the wax coating up or not at all?
  • In which ambient conditions did you apply the wax?
  • Do you park your car indoors or outdoors?
  • Which climate is your car “living” in?
  • How frequently do you use your vehicle?
  • How often do you wash your vehicle?
  • Which products and techniques do you use to wash your vehicle?
  • Do you hand wash or go to a mechanical car wash? 

What is the most user-friendly car wax?

The most user-friendly car wax is a spray wax. You just spray it on your freshly washed car paint, buff it lightly with a towel and you’re done.

Which car wax do professionals use?

For high end classic car shows professionals use multiple layers of high carnauba content wax to enhance the car paint’s color warmth, depth and shine.

Which is better, polish or wax?

Neither one is better because polish and wax are used for different purposes. They are complementary. Polish is an abrasive paste used to mechanically or manually remove minor car paint imperfections. Wax is a non-permanent car paint coating that protects the car paint from the elements while enhancing its color depth and shine. 

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They are the result of our hands-on testing, data analytics, expert consultation and customer review analysis, enhanced by our own extensive expertise.

We do not compromise: our focal point is always on you, our valued visitor.

Our website content and reviews are your unbiased, unsponsored tools to get the job done better and quicker, with less expense. 

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CCM is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

CCM is reader-supported. When you buy via links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Learn more.

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