what is a spray wax

A spray wax is protective product in a liquid form, thin enough to be pushed through a sprayhead in order to spread it over a surface by spraying. The liquid is usually white and unscented.

Why use spray wax

A spray wax is more thin then paste wax, this makes a difference in application. A paste wax needs to be applied with an applicator, spreading it can be difficult because there is more wax on the applicator pad when you just rubbed it over the wax. Basically, you are applying a lot of wax in the beginning, but less and less as you go on. This makes it less easy to create a perfectly level layer. A spray wax is applied via a spray nozzle, and then spread via a MF cloth or an applicator. Because the liquid is so thin, it is much more easy to spread it in a perfectly level layer. Just as with paste wax, a spray wax is best applied as thin as possible. All the dust from buffing is wasted product.

How does spray wax look like

It can differ per product, but in general most spray wax have roughly the same viscosity as milk and a similar white/off-white color. It is most common to be sold in a bottle with a spray head, but it can also be applied directly to a MF cloth or an applicator. The liquid often has little to no smell.

Performance and durability

Technically, there is no direct reason why a spray wax can not be as durable as a paste wax. However, there are many manufacturers that create a spray wax on the basis of a Quick Detailer. This will give you gloss and protection, but not as long as a paste wax. It is more difficult to create a paste wax with the performance of a QD. Some manufacturers aim to create a product with performance similar, equal or better then a paste wax. The similarity with a QD and the performance of cheaper products have caused customers to loose trust in these products.

Creating a spray wax

A spray wax is often an emulsion of water with oils and wax content. Very similar to the creation of a QD. A QD contains less wax content, and often less durable carriers and/or oils. Some water based paste wax could’ve been turned into a spray wax, but contain to little liquids to keep it thin enough to use as a spray wax.
There are a few manufacturers that have made spray wax on a solvent basis, there is no clear evidence that these perform better or worse.