# Hot wax at car wash

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-wax-at-car-wash/1013260>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 22, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-wax-at-car-wash/1013260 "2025-01-22T17:47:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stosh1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@stosh1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stosh1)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-wax-at-car-wash/1013260/1 "2025-01-22T17:47:54Z")

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I get my car washed to get the road salt and other crap off of it and was wondering how good is the hot wax they advertise?

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-wax-at-car-wash/1013260/2 "2025-01-22T18:39:45Z")

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I’m not sure there’s a factual answer to SDMB standards. Which carwash store you use and which brand of wax they use and how well-maintained their equipment is will have a lot to do with it. Which aren’t questions we can answer factually for you.

As a matter of _opinion_, I think hot wax is a good idea on a nice car that’s washed regularly. If you have a beater and you’re just knocking the salt & hardened slush off it and trying to get the windows clean enough to see out of for the next few days that’s a different matter.

If you’re hoping the wax is a miracle slush and salt repellent plus effective anti-rust treatment I think you’d be wasting your money. And ISTM you would not be asking whether it’s any good unless the extra $3.95 mattered to you.

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**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\
**Post date:** [January 22, 2025, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-wax-at-car-wash/1013260/3 "2025-01-22T18:44:09Z")

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Consumer Reports seems to think that it may have cosmetic benefits, but that it doesn’t protect the finish the way a hand-applied wax job does:

> **[Are Car-Wash Extras Worth It? - Consumer Reports](https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-maintenance/should-you-pay-more-for-a-car-wash-a3449806636/)**
>
> Car washes often offer extras. We talked to paint experts, car wash owners, professional detailers, and soap manufacturers to find out which ones you need—and where to save your money.

As a once-and-former car detailer … I tend to agree. If the money doesn’t matter to you, it might help, can’t really hurt.

But if I watched my pennies, I probably wouldn’t bother paying for the wax.

Undercarriage wash? Wheel cleaning? I’d be more inclined to pay for those throughout the winter.

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**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\
**Post date:** [January 24, 2025, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-wax-at-car-wash/1013260/4 "2025-01-24T18:56:50Z")

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I always wondered how the sprayed-on wax doesn’t smear up the windows. But it doesn’t and afterwards I can still tell which car uses RainX washing fluid vs the other car with the factory fluid. My 2006 Scion xB has a fairly vertical windshield and uses RainX fluid. I barely need to use the the wipers. Rain drops just blow off. So this probably means the wax treatment is really minimal.