Just like you would wax a car. Apply with a pad, let dry to haze, wipe off with a clean cloth.

I don’t. I use Plexus. 50 bucks a can and protects way better

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cleaning-and-waxing-pinball-machines-vids-guide

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/vids-guide-to-ultimate-playfield-restoration

Wax on, wax off
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This stuff?

https://www.amazon.com/Plexus-Plastic-Cleaner-Protectant-13-Ounce/dp/B00092CKN4

That's not wax. That's a cleaner/polish of some sort, and that type of cleaner is abrasive.

Additionally, according to the safety sheet, it contains petroleum distillates, isobutate, and propane.

http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/pdf/plexus-safety-data-sheet.pdf

Petroleum distillates will cloud plastics, and isobutane can be used as a solvent.

Combination products like this are more harmful than helpful.

It also looks like it contains a bit of silicon, which contains very little long term protection. A couple games, and it's gone. Plus it's responsible for fish eye on playfields.

So basically, it's pretty close to pledge. Pledge would be cheaper and do pretty much the same thing.

[edit]: Yep, it's basically pledge. https://www.google.com/search?q=pledge+vs+plexus

I like to dump the whole can out then play about 20 games; let the balls work that stuff in real good. Work smarter, not harder.

Blitz wax is what you want. Just use a pad to apply it, wait for it to dry to a haze and then buff off with a microfiber cloth or a soft bath towel.

https://www.pinballlife.com/index.php?p=product&id=4292

I don't use a pad or cloth. I used to, but it became a lot easier to get the wax exactly where I wanted it with a 1/2" artist's brush. This avoids getting wax on the metal guides, posts, in holes (if you have things removed).

I have been using it for 10/15 years. All my playfields are flawless and super fast

Ask guys that play my machines.
Fastest Maxine’s around and flawless . No joke.

It’s a polymer nothing like pledge at all. Trust me

Love my mini buffer from griots garage

41-3OfZ0dPL._AC_SL1500_ (resized).jpg

Gotta bite the bullet and get some Blitz. Been using Meguiar’s Carnauba for years but after I wipe if off I don’t feel like anything is left on the playfield. Could be doing something wrong lol

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I use cp100

Yeah I never use the pad even if the playfield is completely stripped. I use a tiny piece of cloth that gives me pinpoint accuracy.

Nothing in the SDS PDF seems to describe anything like that. Where is that claim made?

I'm seeing that some of the advertising claims to protect polymers and resins, but it doesn't seem to say that it actually includes any polymers.

Mother's carnauba California brazilian gold wax paste

Non abrasive

https://www.amazon.com/Mothers-05550-California-Brazilian-Carnauba/dp/B0002U2V1O

Best bang for buck
Give it a swirl in you're microwave 30 secs and then apply as described , leave for 30 minutes and then circle rub to a shine.

It contains a significant amount of solvents (25-50% naphtha), so it's not actually pure carnauba wax, despite what the label says.

https://www.homedepot.com/catalog/pdfImages/a1/a1eec4cf-efa9-43f8-b7c2-e7ea724735d5.pdf
pasted_image (resized).png

There's also some turpentine thrown in, and I'm not sure exactly what that is supposed to be doing in there.

Also, if I'm reading this right, it also seems to contain paraffin wax oil, which is not carnauba wax. Paraffin wax is derived from petroleum, not palm trees (where carnauba wax comes from).

CP100 is just 98% Naphtha and 1% paint stripper.

It's not a wax.

d8198f5cde624bc298b7f24e78e217f9aa5c13a8 (resized).jpg

A lot cheaper to just buy a gallon of Naphtha for $12

I use this as well and get the same feeling, but like a car when I remove it and feel the waxed areas vs the non waxed areas I feel like there is a difference. Seems to not last all that long.

O wow, can they just claim to be carnauba then?
Wel back to meguyars then!

That's exactly what I'm wondering.

Novus 1 then Novus 2 for my games.

Novus 1 is a cleaner, novus 2 is an abrasive.

You shouldn't be using them as a wax--neither of them is.

Use novus 2 sparingly--it is intended to wear down surfaces to smooth out scratches.

Meguiars is still mostly solvent.

Use Blitz 1000 or P21S (silver can).

These are mostly Carnauba.

Pure Carnauba you have to melt in a pot and apply with a brush in extremely thin coats like a varnish. Its hard as a rock and it WONT buff off at all.

So ALL of the waxes have a little solvent in them to make it possible to actually put it on and wipe it off.

The gray area is HOW MUCH solvent vs wax or some blend of compounds.

Theoretically a clean volitile wax melting solvent will evaporate leaving the wax behind.

There is a lot of gamesmanship in selling wax. Carnauba is expensive, solvent is cheap, blended silicone's and beeswax are cheap.

If a manufacturer can sell you a big can of solvent mixed with a little wax, you think you got your moneys worth, but it lays down very little wax in the end.

One would think that you can just apply more of the cheaper wax, but the solvent in the wax prohibits building layers. It just removes the old wax and applies the same amount.

I just buy the stuff that has mostly wax and very little solvent like the ones I listed above.

Clean with VMP naphtha or lighter fluid (or even CP100 if you can stand the smell and like to ruin plastics) to remove old dirty wax.

I just want to throw my hat into the ring with a suggestion or two.

I've experimented with a ton of different wax varieties through the years and I've boiled the two best into the following:

Mothers 05550 California Gold Pure Wax. It's good, easily aquired, and it's not a cleaner wax, so there's no abrasives. Big problem though--it leaves a wicked invisible greasy residue on the playfield. No matter how hard you wax off, you're going to get weird grease-like residue on your ball. Not a good thing if you're using high end mirror finish balls. I have a feeling this is to give cars an artificially high gloss shine when its used on them. Still, it lasts a long while and I use it on games I play less frequently. Eventually, the residue subsides.

Blitz One Grand Wax. This is THE gold standard. Nothing else really compares. Even when you smell it, it smells like a wax. Not a single note of chemicals. It's no nonsense, utilitarian, and does exactly what you expect. This stuff applies easily, and waxes off flawlessly with no residue (mirror balls rejoice!) It lasts forever, and protects very well. Biggest problem: The plastic can it's stored in is a pain in the ass to open and close, and it can be expensive or hard to find.

It's Pledge it even has the nice lemon scent.

Oddly you are correct about the super fast play after applying it.
Route guys 30+ years ago swore by it. They dont any more. It doesnt protect well enough and you have to keep applying it constantly.

However it does remove old wax build-up and leave a nice shine temporarily but It can yellow and lift clearcoat over time and weaken plastics leading to cracks

There are pro's and con's to using Pledge-like cleaners but, I say use something better.

The best wax IMO is made by Wizards. They have a nice liquid wax called shine master that is awesome once a playfield is cleaned and buffed. They also have a spray wax called mist-n-shine that is anti static. Neither product contain silicone which is great if you ever plan on having any paint work done on your pin or playfield. The anti-static is great because it will not attract the coil dust as bad and track it through you pin. The spray wax also cleans up any ball trail dirt that may develope once you have cleaned, buffed and waxed the PF. I use new microfiber with each product.

Yeah but those guys suck.

Here's what their site claims

California Gold®
Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax – Step 3

This is the final step on the path to a beautiful finish. Mothers® Pure Brazilian Carnauba Wax is made with the finest Brazilian #1 yellow carnauba for superior shine and protection. It is non-abrasive, so use it as often as you like. You can apply more than one coat to keep your efforts well protected. For unsurpassed shine, depth and protection, trust Mothers® Ultimate Wax System®.

Wizards shine master is a wax free polymer blend coating.

It shines like crazy! But leaves no protection down for ball wear.

Shine is one thing, laying down a renewable surface to protect against wear is another.

The reason people are crazy about pure Carnauba is that it's hard as a rock, and is removable and can be re-applied easily.
An almost perfect scenario for speed, shine and protection. Its hard to beat.

I do like mist-n-shine for plastics and between waxings clean-ups though. Its great stuff on new clearcoated playfields.

I like that it will remove black dust without removing my wax. I use it a lot.

JJP uses it on the line for detailing before boxing.
Its like a thicker better novus 1.

Se my post above about the wax vs solvent gray area.

Are you sure your looking at the same product

http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/about.html

Read the last 5/6 paragraphs especially

Here is a video of last time I waxed my playfield...

catchup.gif

Their website says it's not wax.

Really, you need REAL PASTE WAX to protect a playfield. Not a liquid, not a spray but real wax.

....and do you guys know that ALL of this stuff has already been covered in a previous thread?????

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cleaning-and-waxing-pinball-machines-vids-guide

WOW, it really is Pledge!

http://www.plexusplasticcleaner.com/pdf/plexus-safety-data-sheet.pdf

Oder = lemon

Im certain that its "micro thin layer of wax" as they state, is NOT enough protection against rolling continuous heavy ball bearings over it applied to clearcoted plywood.

You might call them up and state your particular use and report back what they say.

(I imagine it will be something like this : F#ck No! Are you crazy?) lol

But its gonna play super fast I'll admit that!

That's all PR, embellishment, and advertising. The facts are in the safety data sheet.

I guess I shouldn’t have used the word “wax”. Either way, we are trying to protect our play fields and these products do that well. I’ve been using this product on my route pins that have thousands of plays and the PFs still look new minus the dimples.

Here is a clip from Wizards site:

Easy on — easy off.
Awesome gloss.
No streaks or smears.
No free silicone or wax.
Excellent cleaning/tough poly acrylic protection.
Safe for fresh paint, clear coat and Lexan.
Use as a wax replacement, swirl mark remover, or finishing (show) glaze by hand or machine.
Marine use: exterior sealant on gelcoat, paint or fresh paint

I have some of that. I got it when I bought the mist-n-shine.

It does leave a brilliant shiny surface and appears to be a very thin durable coating. Much like Carnauba.

However it didnt appear to last as long as an application of P21S did on my games, it dulled up quicker.

Its possible it didnt stick to the earlier wax coating on the playfield though.

If I was routing games and did regular cleanings, I might try it on brand new surfaces.
It looks super fast and easy.
But you gotta know a lot of us are skeptical about everything new.

This thread just highlights how little most people read what is in the products they are using, and how much damage they are doing to their playfields by not protecting them with the right products.

Use an application pad.

They are usually round, some times rectangular, foam center with a terry cloth cover, some are just foam. Apply your product to the pad first. Now if you are applying a paste wax from a tin, swirl the pad into the product, the wax will warm up and the applicator will pick it up. Even when polishing or waxing you car do not pour the polish onto the surface being treated. If it spills onto your car, or into the holes in your playfield, it will be harder to clean up.

Please, only use 1 applicator per product. Do not mix the polishes and waxes onto the same pad.

Any time you see "Wipe on - Wipe off" or "Easy on - Easy off" alarm bells should ring in your head - that's late night infomercial jargon. Ever worked in an auto detail shop? They burst out laughing when customers quote that garbage.

Nothing yet invented outlasts real paste wax.

If you see any of the words: "Polymer, Miracle, Wipe on- Wipe off, Magic, Awesome, Secret, Cleaner Wax, " then RUN!

If it removes Swirl (Swirl is fine scratches from a buffing machine) then it must contain abrasives - exactly what you don't want to be sanding your playfield with each use.

Don't forget the most obvious...."Plus!"

Was thinking of trying this. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00435MNGM/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage

Yay or nay?

If you are going to order something you haven't used before and ask for recommendations, why not just order what Vid recommends?

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/cleaning-and-waxing-pinball-machines-vids-guide/page/2#post-2657721

Amen! I have surf buddies who wax their whole board. I just wax the bottoms of my feet.

Nay

Something like this:

https://www.amazon.com/P21S-12701W-100-Carnauba-Wax/dp/B016XVD8D0/ref=sr_1_10

It’s what I use, but I leave it on overnight before i remove it. It’s really really dry when i take it off.

I understand folks wanting to be thrifty, but a lot of these products are cheap for a reason--most aren't even real wax.

Most are just a mix of Silicone and solvents--not real wax.

Amazon doesn't sell blitz but they do sell P21S.