Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax: Tested And Reviewed
Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax is a carnauba based liquid wax that gently cleanses paint and leaves behind a layer of protection. It is very easy to apply by hand, buffs easily and leaves a very pleasant shine.
I tested Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax on a family car so I could observe performance over time. Read on to find out how it performed.
Is Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax good?
Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax gives a great gloss finish, but it may not be perfect for all people. I found that Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax has similar issues to some other liquid waxes in that hydrophobicity and durability is not the best.
Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax Test Summary
Who Are The Chemical Guys?
Chemical Guys are a popular US car care brand that are headquartered in California, where the products are manufactured. They have a massive range of products, although it could be argued many of the different products serve the same purpose. Chemical Guys popularity has grown due to their extensive social media presence, many UK and Australian retailers now stock their products.
Our Testing Process
I tested Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax on friend’s family car so that I could observe performance over time.
I first washed the vehicle and then used a panel wipe to ensure the surface was clean of grease and wax that would inhibit performance.
After applying the product, I washed the car 4 times over the next few weeks and recorded its long-term performance.
How to use Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax
Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax is a simple product to use. Simply wipe it on, then buff it off. No polishing machine is required, but you can use one if you like.
I used a foam applicator pad to apply the wax (a microfibre pad will also work well, but you may use more product). I used two or three dots of wax and spread it onto the section. I left it to haze before buffing off with a microfibre towel.
I applied the wax on a cloudy day when the air temperature was around 10°C. I also provide updates on the performance of the wax after each wash to see how long the protection lasts in a real-world scenario.
Detailed Testing Results
Ease of application 8.5/10
Applying Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax is very easy; as I mentioned, I used a foam applicator to apply the product using light circular motions. The product spread very well, I only needed three small dots to cover an entire door.
I left the wax for about 5 minutes to haze before buffing off. I used the finger swipe test to check if the wax was ready to remove. Using a plush microfibre, the excess wax was easy to remove from the surface.
Aesthetics 8.5/10
The carnauba content in Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax gives paint a lovely wet look shine; hence the name I suppose. Some of the panels I applied the wax to had swirl marks, which were much harder to notice after application. This is only temporary, as the wax fills the scratches, but it still contributes to a great aesthetic overall.
Hydrophobics 6.0/10
Is butter wet wax hydrophobic?
The water behaviour from Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax is pretty average, if not below average. I was disappointed in this area, water took quite a while to sheet off the surface, implying the finish is not as slick as with many other products.
The wax still creates beading in the rain, which is fairly tight and uniform. Hydrophobic capabilities deteriorated with successive washes.
Durability 4.0/10
How long does Chemical guys butter wet wax last?
Butter Wet Wax was not very durable in my test. By the 3rd wash on week 4 there was basically no remaining benefit.
Butter Wet Wax is not intended to be a long-term sealant, with an advertised durability of between two and three months. Regular updates are provided below:
1st wash, 10 days after application: The car was cleaned with a mild snowfoam mix before a hand wash with Dodo Juice Born to be Mild. The hydrophobic qualities had definitely gotten worse since application, the water formed a flat sheet on the surface and took a long time to flow off. Rainwater still beads, but the beads are not very uniform, it does not take a lot of water before the surface ‘wets out’.
3rd wash, 4 weeks after application: Despite using only gentle maintenance products on the paintwork, water sheeting and beading has almost ceased, giving quite poor results in terms of durability.
Product Presentation 8.0/10
Butter Wet Wax is sold in the standard Chemical Guys 16 fl. oz. bottles with a flip top that makes for easy product application. The label is eye catching and the instructions on the bottle are clear, some users may find the type a bit small.
Value for money 6.5/10
Butter Wet Wax is sold in 16 fl. oz. (473 ml) bottles and is also available in 1 US gallon (3.78 litres), with the smaller bottle being more common in the UK. The 16 oz. bottle costs around £22.00 ($26.77 USD).
Butter Wet Wax is best used sparingly with one or two small drops being enough for a door-sized panel. I estimated I used around 25 ml of product to wax a medium sized car, which would cost around £1.20 ($1.46 USD).
While this price is comparable to most other liquid waxes, the poor durability of this product would mean it would need to be reapplied every month or so, making it more expensive that competitors.
Final thoughts
I have to admit I have always had a bit of a soft spot for Chemical Guys, it was their YouTube videos that first got me interested in detailing.
With that in mind, I really wanted this product to be good, but unfortunately, it just has not wowed me. The biggest letdown is the durability, I cannot see why it could not be made more durable, as some other carnauba cremes are.
There are certainly good points to this product, easy to apply, reasonably good value when used sparingly, and good aesthetics. It is not a product I would use regularly, but if you enjoy waxing your car every month, it is certainly one to consider.
Still Interested? Grab It Here
- 100 percent carnauba-based wax
- New formulation for even easier application
- Deep wet look to any paintwork
