Frequently Asked Questions.
What is Carnauba and how does it protect my car's paint?
Carnauba is a natural wax, extracted from a palm tree that grows exclusively in Brazil. It has the highest melting point of any natural wax on the planet (198°f). Due to its limited supply, Carnauba products tend to cost considerably more than synthetic substitutes. Not only does Gliptone use the finest grade of carnauba available (#1 yellow). Gliptone's tradition of quality is based on using the finest quality ingredients, including the highest percentage of Carnauba (as compared to competitive products). A Carnauba based car wax tends to protect your paint finish with a clear film of durable protection. Eventually this film wears away, however, with Gliptone's high percentage of Carnauba in all of our Carnauba wax products, its durability surpasses other natural wax products. Carnauba wax is recommended for show cars, hot rods, antiques, and collectibles of all types, whose owners tend to wax frequently, in order to build added depth of gloss while ensuring premium protection.
What is in your Platinum Series® Paste and Cream Waxes that gives so much gloss and durability to my paint finish? Is it the Zonyl®?
No it is not the Zonyl®. Zonyl adds lubricity however does very little to extend the durability of these products. In fact Zonly must be heated in excess of 600ºf before it will bond to a surface. Since that is not possible with a paint finish there are other polymers that are used in these products that chemically bond to the paint finish forming a synthetic skin that protects your paint finish. When used on brand new paint finishes (not previously waxed with Carnauba based products) our Platinum Series products become the ideal choice because these polymers are given the opportunity to bond to new paint finish. Keep in mind, after sealing your paints finish with either the Platinum Series Paste or Cream Wax, it is perfectly acceptable to add a Carnauba wax product as a topcoat as well as maintenance coats in the future.
Your Clear Coat Wax bottle mentions that the product contains Clirillium®. What is Clirillium and how does it help my paint finish?
The polymers found in our Platinum Series® products are known as amino-functional fluids. These fluids chemically bond to the paint finish forming a barrier of protection that is resistant to the elements and harsh detergents.
Clirillium is a proprietary blend of these fluids developed and perfected for today's clear coat paint finishes. The clear coat wax with Clirillium offers excellent protection, excellent depth of gloss and ease of application. This product can be used by hand or machine, to produce a silky smooth finish.
I have clear coat paint on my new car, are Gliptone products safe for my finish?
Absolutely!
All Gliptone products are formulated to give outstanding performance on many types of paint surfaces, especially clear coat.
Beginning with Wash-N-Glow®, our ph-neutral soap, and throughout our entire line of car waxes, our formulations are designed to enhance and protect your clear coat paint.
Many years ago I used a product called Gliptone "Wet Coat" that came in a blue metal can, it had a water thin viscosity and a petroleum odor to it. I have not been able to find it anywhere, is it still available?
Gliptone Wet Coat was one of our best-loved products. We still receive numerous inquiries regarding its availability. It is no longer available, however similar products are available through both our Retail and Professional line, of reconditioning products. On a retail level the product that was designed to replace Wet Coat is our "Show-Gloss" product. This newer version is just as easy to use and was designed to produce a much higher gloss with more durability. Show Gloss is available at most of our retail locations (see store locator portion of the website). In our Professional GT Series line of products our #GT27001 Quick Seal and is almost an exact duplicate. It is available in gallon containers only. To order Quick Seal Please call Chemco Distributors, Inc., at 1-631-285-7250 or toll free at 1-800-969-7250, or fax 1-631-589-5487.
What can I use to remove water spots from my black car?
Your car is not unlike many other cars, especially if you live in an industrialized area where "acid rain" is prevalent, even your home sprinklers can damage your finish if the water droplets are allowed to dry on the surface.
Gliptone Pro Buff® is an excellent cleaner wax designed to remove water spots, embedded dirt and light to moderate oxidation from all paint types regardless of color. Pro Buff is effective by hand or machine, however in cases of severe water spotting a buffing machine will be more effective.
What is clear coat paint and how does it differ from conventional paint?
The difference is in the process. Conventional paints or single stage paints, layer coats of color paint. These coats build the color, distribute the coverage, and add depth and durability to the paint surface. The exposed pigments of a single stage painted surface can be readily affected by the sun, neglect and the environment, causing oxidation. Clear Coat paint or 2 stage paint, covers the surface with a base coat, then sprays on a color coat, then finally adds layers of a "clear coat". This clear coat is essentially clear paint. It provides depth, durability and gloss. The affects of the environment can be easily remedied. Almost all new cars on the market today use clear coat paint.
Which one of your Gliptone waxes would you recommend for a new car with a clear coat finish?
Assuming that the paint is in excellent condition, meaning free of any paint blemishes, water spot marks, stains from bugs or tree sap, we recommend our Clear Coat Wax or our Platinum Series Waxes. All of these products contain polymers that bond to the paint finish and cure, producing a durable skin that is highly resistant to the detergents and environmental conditions. Work this product in a section-by-section process. Simply apply a thin coat, wait approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute to allow the product to adhere to the paint (longer than this will not significantly increase the effectiveness, it will only add difficulty to the rub out process) and then remove using a clean soft cotton or micro fiber cloth. #GT0416 Show Gloss with Carnauba can be used as a maintenance wax (1 to 4 times a year) depending on variables such as wash frequency, exposure to environmental contaminants, etc. Use our #GT2022 Body Gloss with Carnauba, spray and wipe for more frequent maintenance such as daily or weekly.
I have recently come across a problem with my black car. I am seeing a cob webbing effect on it. What would you recommend to correct this problem?
The cob webbing effect that you refer to is in the paint. This means it is a naturally occurring condition as opposed to external scratching; therefore it is not as easy to remove permanently. Gliptone's ProBuff and our Carnauba Paste Wax are both excellent products, and when used as a 2-step process will temporarily eliminate the unsightly appearance of cob webbing. (temporary meaning 2-4 months, 8-9 months for a garaged car).
I own a Red Acura '98, and I have recently noticed that when using Pro Buff liquid on the paint, a small amount of paint actually rubs off onto the wax applicator and also the cheesecloth that I use to remove the wax. This does not happen on the other cars that I wax. Can you tell me what this says about the paint on my car?
The reason the paint is coming off when you wax your Red Acura is because there is no clear coat on that section of the car. The entire car might have been shot in lacquer or urethane/enamel, but definitely not base coat or clear coat. Or possibly was the car hit in that section and repainted. If there was a clear coat on the car, no paint would rub off.
