When To Use Polish vs Wax vs Sealant?

What’s the difference? Is there a difference?

It doesn’t matter whether it’s your car, your boat, your guns, your hunting knives or even Grandma Pearl’s special set of silverware that gets dragged out for the holidays, the answers tend to be pretty much the same. So… let’s dig in and get this sorted out.

What you’re working on may not be as important as the desired end result. (But not always.)

In most cases, both waxes and sealants do not directly affect the surface you put them on. Rather, they tend to fill in, and sit on top of the surface, protecting it and in some cases adding a gloss finish. That distinction is important. They are not “cleaners”. If your surface is soiled or has impurities or imperfections, there’s a very good chance that neither the wax or the sealant will do anything to improve that.

There are, of course, exceptions. For example, if you’ve got a fresh water spot on your faucet and you go to wax it, the wax may pull off the water spot. If the water spot has been there a while and etched the surface of the faucet, the wax won’t touch it. After all, it’s just wax. So too with spots on your firearms or knife blades.

Around here at Flitz, you’ll hear us say “clean, polish, protect” a lot. Not just because that’s what our products do, but also because that’s the order you need to do things in. I know, it sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised how many folks don’t get it.

Drive-Thru Mentality

As Americans, we’ve been spoiled. We can, for the most part, get what we want when we want it. Most of us have very little patience for processes that require additional time. But whether it’s your faucets, your car, or your great-grandad’s shotgun that’s been handed down from father to son, if you really want to do things right, then instant gratification is not your friend, process is.

A while back I spent some time chatting with Professional detailer Larry Kosilla at Ammo NYC. Larry works on some pretty spectacular vehicles and if detailing cars is your thing, you should check him out on YouTube. The market is full of a lot of all-in-one products that supposedly clean and shine in one step. I asked Larry if he ever used or uses one of those all-in-one “waterless wash” products to help shave off some time. His answer was a resounding “no”. Proper cleaning and polishing are a process, and if what you’re working on matters, then you need to take the right steps.

To The Point

That means that before you grab the wax or the sealant, you must clean the surface first. Depending on the surface, that may mean a cleaner, or it could mean a polish. But don’t expect the wax or sealant to do the job of the cleaner or polish, or both. If you skip the cleaning step, you don’t get to be disappointed if you don’t get the results you were looking for.

If your stainless steel has a stain on it (remember it’s “stain less” not “stain-free”), that stain has to be addressed before you wax or seal. That goes for pretty much every surface you work on. It’s one of the reasons we offer a stainless steel cleaner and a separate stainless steel polish/protectant. Unless you’re deliberately trying to protect the crud, you’ve got to clean it first.

Can I Use A Polish To Clean?

In the case of Flitz Paste or Liquid Polish, the answer is yes. The mild solvents and the ultra-mild micro-particles give them both enough oomph to remove dirt and oxidation while bringing a clean shine to the surface. But you need to be aware of what surface you’re working on. Our polishes treat oil-rubbed, oxide-based, and faux finishes just like tarnish and WILL remove them. Word to the wise… be sure before you use. The bonus with our polishes is that they leave behind an ultra-thin layer of beeswax for short-term surface protection.

NOW The Wax or Sealant?

Yes. Once the surface is clean, wax or sealant, or both, your choice. Our Ceramic Sealant lasts a lot longer than wax. It most cases, it is also a lot more hydrophobic. Where a good car wax will last 5-6 weeks in the summer, a good sealant will last all summer and then some. That same kind of performance holds true for other surfaces as well. For example, if you struggle with water spots, you’ll find that the wax will protect nicely, but the sealant will protect a lot longer. Ditto for firearms, knives, boats and even the leading edges of aircraft.

Which one you choose is entirely up to you. The good news is that both wax and sealant are entirely safe on any hard surface. You can use either with confidence. Keep in mind that how you want the surface to look once you’re done will impact your choice. If you’ve got a flat or matte finish, then you’ll want Flitz Ceramic Sealant. It protects and enhance the surface without adding gloss. If the surface is already glossy then wax or sealant will work just fine.

Also remember that we’re always here to help. If you’ve got questions, drop a note to info@flitz.com and we’ll be happy to assist!