Chemical Guys offers a vast range of very popular products, and Butter Wet Wax is right up there. I was keen to see how this liquid car wax stacks up.

RRP: $19.97, buy here / £23.95, buy here.

How I tested Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

Before waxing, I polished the test panel using Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound. CarPro Eraser was then called in to remove any polishing oils and ensure the paintwork was ready and prepped. I then took three gloss readings for the test section to get an average score. The wax was then applied according to the instructions and allowed to cure, after which I wiped it off. Afterwards, I used the gloss meter a second time to see if there was any increase after applying the wax. Finally, I sprayed the panel with water to check water repellency.

Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax applying

What Chemical Guys says

Butter Wet Wax is another carnauba liquid wax that’s not fancy but should perform well, as carnauba paste waxes are always good. Chemical Guys says this wax is easy on/off application to give you a deep wet look to your paint. It’s a wipe-on, wipe-off formula that can be applied on wet or dry paintwork. Chemical Guys also says that it will lightly cleanse the paintwork. I’d expect it to be easy to use, and I’d like to see a decent increase in gloss, plus some good beading.

What it’s like to use Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax

Butter Wet Wax has a lovely banana scent, and I would have been disappointed if it didn’t, based on the color. Of course, that’s not so great if you don’t like bananas… Chemical Guys’ promise of easy-on, easy-off didn’t quite materialize, though. Instead, I found it a bit sticky when applying and removing it. Perhaps the colder weather during testing had an effect on this and it would be nicer to work with in warmer temperatures. There was an increase in gloss, albeit a very small one. Water behavior was also very disappointing, with no observable beading or sheeting. The water just sat there, so I don’t know what to say about that, really.

Gloss meter readings and verdict

  • Gloss before: 88.2
  • Gloss after: 88.6
  • Gloss change: +0.4

I found Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax to be very disappointing. It wasn’t that great to use, and I was really shocked to see how poorly it performed in the water test. I like the banana scent, and I like the fact that you can use it in direct sunlight and on wet paintwork. However, my overall experience was disappointing. Perhaps liquid waxes might fare better in warmer weather, but in this test, Chemical Guys Butter Wet Wax was a letdown.