Should I wax my car wrap? Good question. We all want our vehicles to look their best, but in most cases there’s little need to wax vinyl graphics, because they look great without polish. Adding a protective wax finish to paint may protect it from exposure, but it doesn’t always help vinyl — it may even damage it. In this PDF, Caring For Your Vehicle Graphics and Wraps, 3M shares this. “IMPORTANT NOTE: 3M does not recommend using wax or other similar coatings on vehicle graphics.”
So, Should I Wax my Car Wrap?
“Should you wax your wrap? Probably not, there are waxes created specifically for wraps. However, there is very little advantage to applying wax to a vinyl wrap, and a waxy build-up can create problems.” — The Do’s and Don’ts of Vehicle Graphics Maintenance
If your vehicle is a partial wrap or has decals, you’ll want to wax the exposed painted surfaces, but be careful to keep the wax away from the graphics and remove any build up from the edges. If wax does build up on the vinyl carefully remove it using soap and water with a nonabrasive cloth such as microfiber. Be especially careful not to lift the edges of the decal.
What about a spray wax?
Some adhesive vinyl manufactures do recommend a spray wax for protection of the vinyl graphic, “Before using any new product on any wrap, be sure to test them in an inconspicuous area of the wrapped vehicle before using on the entire wrap. Using a spray wax to care for the wrap film is great for protecting the vinyl wrap from being damaged by environmental pollutants or seasonal airborne pollutants. Make sure the wax used does not contain petroleum distillates or abrasive components. Always test the wax in an inconspicuous area prior to waxing the whole wrap. Any wax residue can be removed with all-purpose cleaner.” — Avery Dennison Cleaning and Maintenance of Vehicle Wraps
Should I Wax my Car Wrap?
“Should I wax my car wrap? You can, as long as the wax does not contain petroleum distillates, which is found in many paste waxes. Products that are a combination of a waterless wash and wax are great options as long as the vehicle doesn’t have a matte finish and isn’t excessively dirty. Test the wax on an inconspicuous part of the vehicle first.” — Caring for your Wrap
- Do not use any abrasive polishes or cutting compounds.
- Do not use any polishing or wax products on matte or textured films.
- If there is wax or waxy residue on the surface, remove with an all-purpose cleaner.
So, be careful because even a spray wax can lead to damage of your graphic.
Two Benefits of Wrapping your Vehicle
Besides the advertising opportunities of fleet graphics there are two additional benefits of wrapping a vehicle; to protect the surface and to make it look its best. Both of these are accomplished without wax, so relax and enjoy your ride. Save the wax-on, wax-off routine for others. So, the answer to should I wax my car wrap is probably not.
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We might even “wax poetic” about car wraps. It’s our thing. A well-designed vehicle wrap is a work of art.
“TKO Graphix is a national fleet and vehicle graphics company specializing in commercial fleet graphics for the trucking industry, freight carriers, logistics companies and trailer manufacturers.” — TKO Graphix Product Page
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Here you say not to wax a wrap but on the 3M Link you provided it says to wax gloss wraps….Which is it?
Thank you Nick. Our post is taken (and accredited to) directly from the 3M site. 3M does recommend that for “Film restoration of Smooth Gloss Texture 3M™ Perfect-it™ use Show Car Paste Wax 39526 or Meguiar’s Gold Class™ Carnuaba Plus Premium Liquid Wax. Sorry for the confusion, hope this helps, and thanks for pointing it out.
Can i wax the scuffs of my gloss metallic vinyl wrap
Jordan, it depends on the degree of the scuffs. I’d suggest you take it to a local provider, or body shop that uses adhesive graphics and ask.
If I buy a car used, how do I know that it has been wrapped? Also, is there a way to tell what grade/product was used? I’m interested in waxing the car but you’ve noted only a special type of wrap should be waxed.
Good questions. Let me address the waxing question first. There is no need to wax adhesive vinyl graphics and some waxes may damage the material, for example, those containing abrasives. So, regardless of the quality of the adhesive vinyl there’s no need to wax. Your first question is a good one. With a professional wrap it can be difficult to tell it’s a wrap. However, on a full wrap check the edges such as wheel wells. You may be able to see the material. For decals, such as stripes, you’ll feel a slight edge if it’s applied rather than painted. Great questions, thanks for asking.
Hai…i have a question. How do i remove wax residue from carbon fiber vinyl wrap? My car is partially wrapped, while i was waxing my car, i accidentally wax on the wrapped area. Now i try everything to clean the residue off but nothing is working..if you could share the knowledge…please help.
There is no good answer. The carbon material usually does not have a clear coat or lamination, which protects most wrap material. Your best bet is a brush (tooth brush for small areas) and a power washer, but be careful with the power washer and don’t use it on edges because they could be forced apart.
Hi Randy Clark,
Can I wrap my car with designable wax? This will be a problem for the car?
Not sure. We are unfamiliar with designable wax.
Never heard about waxing vinyl car wrap. Interesting discussion though.
https://www.adelaidecarwrapping.com.au