RS Recommends: The Best Car Wax for a Cleaner Ride

If you’re a regular at the car wash, you know that the squeaky-clean, shiny post-wash look never lasts as long as you hope it would. While washing your car never hurts, the real way to have a cleaner-looking car on an everyday basis is to wax your car.

Car Wax Buying Guide

Waxing your car isn’t difficult and can be done right at home as long as you have what you need: car wax, a wax pad for applying the wax, and a soft cloth to remove it. Whenever you buy new car wax, you’ll want to make sure that you adhere to the application instructions that were specifically written for the product. In general, though, you should wax your car after you’ve given it a good wash.

More from Rolling Stone

While waxing your car gives your ride a shiny boost, it also has practical advantages. Using car wax helps prevent scratches, protects your car’s paint from the elements, and helps improve the resale value of your vehicle. There are a bunch of different car waxes on the market these days, but the best car waxes will be easy to apply, safe for all finishes, and last a long time.

The Best Car Wax for Every Vehicle

To help you keep your vehicle in tip-top shape, we’ve rounded up some of the top-rated car waxes available today.

1. Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax

When it comes to choosing the best car wax, go with this heavy-duty gel wax. One application will provide beautiful shine and long-lasting protection. This car wax comes with an applicator and has an easy application.

Buy: Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax

2. Meguiar's Classic Wax Kit

Meguiar’s classic wash and wax kit has everything you need to properly clean and detail your car. It’s the perfect buy if you’re new to cleaning and waxing your car at home and need all the supplies from the ground up. As for the wax itself, it’s an easy-to-use, one-step cleaning wax. It produces impressive results on all glossy paints and clear coats. The kit includes a wax applicator and a soft cloth.

Buy: Meguiar's Classic Wax Kit

3. Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

This Butter Wet Wax from Chemical Guys is all about preserving the quality of your vehicle. In addition to leaving your car with a luxurious-looking shine, it also works hard to protect your paint from harmful UVA and UVB rays that would otherwise diminish the quality of your car’s paint. We also like this wax because it’s safe for all finishes, including ceramic coatings.

Buy: Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

4. Car Guys Liquid Wax

This car wax from Car Guys is one of the best and longest-lasting picks. You only need to apply it to your car up to two times per year. What’s even better is that it’s made with safe, non-harmful chemicals and delivers a slick, show-worthy shine. You don’t have to have detailing experience to use this wax, either. It’s easy to apply and take off, even if you’re new to it. We also like this wax because you can use it on your boat, motorcycle, or RV, too.