How to remove car wax residue

[jaruss01]

Not my bronco - but my other vehicle (volvo) - I’ve been hand washing for a majority of the time using a turtle wax spray shine and seal. I have huge areas of splotchy wax residue that won’t come off. Maybe from occasionally applying in the sun.

Is there an easy way for me to remove without damaging the paint? I’m reading dawn dish soap but looking for better guidance before I do any more damage / hire a professional.

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[BAUS67]

Not my bronco - but my other vehicle (volvo) - I’ve been hand washing for a majority of the time using a turtle wax spray shine and seal. I have huge areas of splotchy wax residue that won’t come off. Maybe from occasionally applying in the sun.

Is there an easy way for me to remove without damaging the paint? I’m reading dawn dish soap but looking for better guidance before I do any more damage / hire a professional.

Dawn dish soap works really well. Cleans the grease off my hands good. But do not use it all the time on the car. I was told it is has some harsh stuff in it and not to use it on painted surfaces. Guess that's why it works so good.


Are the blotches on plastic parts???? I ask because the Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner works good on those.

 

[DefNotBuddyLee]

Dawn dish soap (specifically the original blue) is the typical go-to, but some use Isopropyl alcohol, degreaser, or clay bar. You could also use products like Chemical Guys Citrus wash at lower dilution or they sell a wax stripping car wash if you are hesitant to use Dawn.
Many enthusiast forums, like Autogeek would tell you to do any of the above to remove old wax before applying new wax so the wax can properly adhere to the paint, not a former layer of wax. I think you will be fine as long as you occasionally use one of the above stripping methods every once in awhile.

 

[swami37]

Go to the auto parts house and get some grease and wax remover. Used to clean items before painting

 

[Karl_in_Chicago]

Clay is the go-to but recent product enhancements have produced clay alternatives that provide 90+ % of clay's efficacy without most of the downsides (fear of dropping, awkwardness of use, etc.). For today's casual (or even regular) clay user I'd suggest something like The Rag Company's Ultra Clay Scrubber paired with a good slippery wash solution (as a lube) like Optimum No Rinse (ONR) Wash & Shine.

Nothing wrong with good old fashioned clay the traditional way but IMO the newer stuff is just easier to use. Whenever I knew I needed to clay I always bought 2 bars because I was convinced if I only had 1 I'd definitely drop it and then be screwed as it wasn't the kind of thing the local auto parts store had in stock (at least back then). I also found them awkward to grasp and age and other things haven't helped my hands in that respect. If going the purist route be aware that they even market different grades of clay now (like sandpaper, from fine to coarse).

Remember with any application to a painted/shiny surface less is more - don't treat it like a stubborn stain on shower tile or a cooking pot, the cleaning products should be doing the work not the elbow grease. Scrubbing stuff away like that gets rid of "it" but leaves scratches in the finish which defeats the porpoise, but that's a fish of a different color.

I also wouldn't use Dawn. In a previous life, over 20 years ago, I used Dawn for that first wash prior to clay to lay down Zaino Z1 but these days I wouldn't use it (and don't use Zaino anymore either, but diff discussion there).

TL;DR - get a "clay mitt" and some *car* washing soap (any brand will do but if you need to buy new soap then ONR is good and good value) mixed in water and liberally lube/relube the panels in question as much as needed while just gently rubbing the clay across the affected area(s). You should be able to feel the roughness/difference between a clean panel and your problem area with your fingers - you can stick them in a cheapo sandwich baggie to help feel how well it glides or doesn't.

Link to the clay thingies I use these days, there's a number of alternatives as well as resellers and I don't have any interest in any of them just a satisfied customer.
https://www.detailedimage.com/The-Rag-Company-M99/The-Ultra-Clay-Scrubbers-2-pack-P2848/

 

[Broncobilly51]

If it’s on the plastic use a magic eraser ,if it’s on the body of the car just use more wax to get the residue off
If it’s in the cracks use a detail brush
Or final inspection or any spray wax (for the residue)

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