Waxing your car improperly can leave it with a streaky, unattractive finish that you must remove before making another attempt. Even if you're well-practiced in the art of waxing, switching from one type of car wax to another requires that you remove all remnants of the previous wax job. This helps you avoid inadvertently damaging your car's paint job. Once you have removed the residual wax, then you can begin the task of re-waxing your vehicle to a brilliant shine.
Buff streaky areas of wax with a dry cloth. Streaks are caused by wax that was not properly removed. Buffing with a dry cloth removes the extra wax -- leaving behind a brilliant shine.
Spray the car's surface down with a garden hose.
Mix the friction-based cleaner with water in your bucket. Friction-based cleaners, as opposed to chemical cleaners, help smooth out your car's finish without damaging the paint. These cleaners also remove residual wax left over from previous wax jobs and wax that has built up over time.
Wash your vehicle's exterior using the cleaning mixture and a sponge or soft-bristled brush, taking care to cover all areas of the car's paint.
Rinse away all of the cleaning residue after washing the car.
Wipe the vehicle down with a clean, dry cloth. This ensures that no wax residue left from rinsing can re-adhere to the paint.
