The most important thing for an auto detailer to do is to gain expert industry knowledge. Since auto detailing sales have a lot to do with educating the consumer, it pays to understand the industry. So let’s start with the types of waxes used on cars, boats, aircraft and recreational vehicles. There are many types of waxes and all have different properties, come from different places and must be used slightly differently to get the expected results.

Polymer wax includes the very popular Teflon, yes a polymer brand Name used by Dupont. Polymer wax is a chain of compounds made of petroleum sources and now a days from Corn products. Polymers, which are strung together are generally applied in specific thick nesses to clear coats on cars and depending on the mixture can be quite incredible indeed. So good in fact that they are often called sealants and some last as long as a year when applied in the right mixtures and thick nesses. The word Polymer is a very vague in this regard since polymers are used to make plastics, coatings and many other products. Generally short chains of ethlenic polymers are the type that are used by professional automotive detailers and auto detailers a like. Many in the aviation industry use it when doing specialized aircraft cleaning. We estimate that 80% of all automotive detailing and aviation aircraft cleaning commercial wax is petroleum based wax. Petroleum wax is chemically inactive in a sense and probably why it is so widely preferred. It is also cheaper to make than to harvest and has tons of uses. You cannot smell it unless cleaners are added which is often the case, but still it will not react to cause odor.

Bayberry wax, which comes from the berries the shrub with that name is also used in candle making. How is this produced? From bees, the same wax in making hives. Bee’s wax, is used for many things which are common to man; things such as candles, polishes, cosmetics (mostly make-up) crayons, flowers (artificial kind). Bee’s Wax is another wax that yes you can use it on your car and it is hard to spread and it will give off a great shine. The problem is gathers dust too quick, but it does look cool.

Wool wax from animals is also common to man. Lanolin, it is called, after purification is used in soaps in the industry, and also cosmetics as well as certain ointments for first aid and which doctor stuff. Petroleum wax can also be made hard and then we get a new type of wax. Paraffin; used in paper products (cups, paper plates), graffiti, and petroleum jelly. All Synthetic waxes are compounds of hydrogen, carbon, oxygen, and/or chlorine. Chemists will forever be trying to make the perfect wax for cars, boats, Aircraft to protect us from the harsh climates on the surface of this little blue planet. And these chemists are driven by desire and need and the possibilities are endless as new compounds are adding to existing ones to bring up whole new blending ideas, some will revolutionize our industry but most will simply be duds. Some will be hyped even though they do not really solve a problem or fix a need. Never the less, the race goes on to find the best and we should be thinking about what is in that product before we put it on a customers car, boat, aircraft or prize possession. This is what the professional detailer does, this is why we are experts in car care and call ourselves auto detailers, rejuvenation specialists and professional auto detailers.

There are so many types of waxes that we know of really. From the organic waxes discussed containing carbon materials, which melt at fairly low temperatures. The chemical and biological make-up of waxes is so diverse and complex as well as consideration for grades, properties, surface uses and life spans that to really understand waxes in depth, but I hope this has cleared up some of the complex issues concerning wax, how it is made and where it comes from.

"Lance Winslow" - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/