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Turtle Wax Review Summary Points
Turtle Wax sent us a bucket-load of their products to put through the paces, including a spray sealant, detail wipes, an odor bomb, and a car wash solution that smells like bubble gum.
We used the bottle of Scratch Repair & Renew to buff out a minor but stubborn scuff mark.
Seal N Shine gave our Fiat 500X a nice exterior glisten, while the interior detailing wipes got rid of greasy fingerprints on our infotainment touchscreen.
Ben Hirsch invented the first liquid auto polish in the family bathtub in the 1930s. It gave way to a product called Plastone in 1944, renamed Turtle Wax by 1946.
Our Turtle Wax Review Process
Inside the big green bucket Turtle Wax sent were five products: ICE Snow Foam Car Wash, ICE Seal N Shine, Scratch Repair & Renew, assorted varieties of the Spray & Wipe line, and Odor-X.
The Seal N Shine is easy to use and gives a nice “pop” to your paint, while the Spray & Wipe products and Odor-X are great for getting a neglected interior into shape.
We tested each one on our office vehicle, a 2016 Fiat 500X, during a sunny Detroit afternoon in June. Here is our quick but detailed (see what we did there) review of the big bucket Turtle Wax sent us.
Pre-wash photo (left) of our 2016 Fiat 500X versus a post-wash photo (right) after using the items Turtle Wax sent us. We started with the ICE Snow Foam Wash, outlined below.
ICE Snow Foam Wash (Hybrid)
Ideal For: Washing your car in the driveway by hand.
Our Favorite Part: The bubble gum smell.
That Bubble Gum Smell
The secret here is “interlocking synthetic polymers,” a fascinating aspect of chemical science. This liquid pink potion is just what the doctor ordered for a bad case of road grime, and like the infamous pink cough syrup from middle school, it smells like bubble gum (which made our day when we opened the cap).
Where The Hybrid Name Comes From
Turtle Wax infuses special cleaners with a precise pH balance, which is where the “Hybrid” designation comes from. The Hybrid products combine foam conditioners and biodegradable detergents to protect your car over the long haul.
Snow Foam Wash creates plenty of lubrication as you sweep a clean sponge or mitt across the surface, making it ideal for removing dirt and grime.
How To Use Snow Foam Wash
Use it in a bucket by hand, with a foam sprayer, or with a portable pressure washer (we currently own the Chemical Guys ProFlow PM2000). Either way, you won’t need much. If you work out of a bucket or pail, you only need one fluid ounce per gallon of water. A 48-fluid-ounce bottle should last a while.
Customer Reviews
Amazon’s AI-generated summary of reviews finds that customers enjoy the quality, value, and smell of Snow Foam Wash. Others reported that Snow Foam Wash is worth the money and that it adds a shine to their cars.
ICE Seal N Shine (Hybrid)
Ideal For: Providing that last bit of shine after a good wash.
Our Favorite Part: Perfect for when you don’t have much time.
Seal N Shine is good if you are crunched for time but still need your vehicle to look nice for an occasion.
Where The Hybrid Name Comes From
Like the Snow Foam Wash, this spray-on liquid combines synthetic sealants with carnauba wax for a quick but noticeable shine (hence the “Hybrid” designation again). Turtle Wax employs a “superhydrophobic formula” that helps repeal water, forcing it to bead instead of spreading out.
Applying & Using
It’s easy to apply when you are near the end of washing your vehicle. Spray a little and wipe it clean with a soft microfiber towel. We used about three or four sprays per section (hood, quarter panel, etc.), and that was enough.
Perfect In a Pinch
Seal N Shine works if you are crunched for time but still need your vehicle to look nice for an occasion (job interview, important meeting, hot date, and so on). Run it through the automatic wash, and it should be dry enough by the time you get home. Grab a bottle of Seal N Shine and go section by section for the next 10 or 15 minutes. Your car may not be as spotless as you would like if you had more time for handwashing, but you still get a good shine in record time.
Customer Reviews
Amazon’s AI-generated summary of reviews shows that customers like the ease of use and the shine quality. Others said they believe that Seal N Shine is a cost-effective cleaning application.
Spray & Wipe (Assorted Varieties)
Ideal For: Cleaning interior surfaces and glass and treating leather seats.
Our Favorite Part: The wipes never dry out.
We used the interior detailing wipes from our Turtle Wax care package, finding them most helpful for our infotainment screen. The top photos were taken before we got to work, while the bottom images are the finished product.
Assorted Varieties
Turtle Wax sent us four from their Spray & Wipe line: Interior Detailer, Protectant, Glass Cleaner, and Leather Cleaner and Conditioner.
Interior Detailer is a cleaner and deodorizer for most interior surfaces, and Protectant is similar but minimizes interior fading. The ammonia-free Glass Cleaner will remove bugs and streaks, and the Leather Cleaner protects and deodorizes leather seats. Each has a different scent, with the “Caribbean Crush” scent of the Glass Cleaner being our favorite.
Small Spray Bottle
This Spray & Wipe line from Turtle Wax differs in that the wipes are dry from the start. Instead of packaging already moist wipes, Turtle Wax includes an eight-fluid-ounce sprayer under the bottle.
The advantage is that the wipes will never dry out while inside the bottle, although you do have to “time” it right as you want to proportion the fluid usage by the number of wipes. However, even if you run out of wipes before the fluid, you can still use the remainder in the small spray bottle with a microfiber towel.
Applying & Useage
Twist the lower quarter of the primary bottle to reveal the smaller spray bottle. Pull the dry wipes from the top, give them a spray or two, and you are ready to go.
Customer Reviews
Amazon’s AI-generated summary of reviews for the interior wipes (the ones we used the most) speak to the product being able to clean well with no residue. Others did complain, however, about the wipes leaving a little lint.
Scratch Repair & Renew
Ideal For: Minor yet annoying scratches, swirl marks, and oxidation.
Our Favorite Part: Takes off even the most unexpected blemishes.
Removing Scuff Marks
Scratch Repair & Renew is a traditional Turtle Wax product that worked in a somewhat non-traditional place for us.
While cleaning out a storage unit and loading items into the back of our 500X, we somehow bumped or brushed against the upper interior portion of the liftgate with a black Pelican case. As it caught the inside part of the liftgate, it left a noticeable mark on the cream-colored panel.
Applying & Using
During our summer afternoon wash, we initially overlooked this product in our big green bucket, only realizing after the fact that we had the aforementioned scuff mark. With a bit of elbow grease and a microfiber towel, Scratch Repair & Renew got rid of the blemish. You can use it with a dual-action or orbital polisher for more stubborn imperfections.
However, we tested it on a small area beforehand to ensure there wasn’t a bad reaction (Scratch Repair & Renew is not meant for vinyl tops, wood, vinyl wraps, or matte flat paint).
Customer Reviews
Amazon’s AI-generated summary of reviews shows that customers like the ease of use, although some opinions are mixed on scratch removal and quality.
Odor-X
Ideal For: Getting rid of that musty, stuffy smell.
Favorite Part: Works far better than an air freshener.
Spot Treat or Full Blast
If you leave fast-food wrappers behind the seat, spill things frequently, travel with pets, or have stinky friends, Turtle Wax can drop an Odor-X bomb to purify the air (in fairness, it’s not so much a bomb as it is a spray, but you get the idea!). You can spot-treat with Odor-X or use the AC to cleanse your entire interior.
For the complete Odor-X treatment, turn your vehicle on and set the AC to recirculate. Place the canister in your cup holder and press the top for the desired number of sprays (one or two should do it). Exit your vehicle with the AC still set to recirculate and wait 10 to 15 minutes.
Can Eliminate Cigarette Smoke?
Although we have gone longer than we should between interior detailings, the inside of our 500X is still clean for all intents and purposes. We don’t leave things inside; we remove food and drinks after driving, have rubber floor mats, and keep our portable vacuum cleaner close by. We did the Odor-X treatment anyway and did notice a certain freshness afterward (although one too many sprays and it might make you sick, so don’t go nuts!).
An Odor-X cycle is a good idea during the winter when slush, salt, and grime accumulate inside your vehicle. You can also use it after a long vacation, weekend getaway, or extended travel with pets.
Turtle Wax says Odor-X will eliminate cigarette smoke, but we imagine they mean an occasional passenger who smokes a one-off cigarette in your car versus a full-time smoker. We didn’t have a way to test this, as nobody in our Detroit office smokes.
Customer Reviews
Amazon’s AI-generated summary of reviews speaks to the ease of use and effectiveness of Odor-X. However, some consumers are turned off by the overpowering scent (i.e., headaches, watery eyes, and “sick to my stomach” feelings).
Should You Purchase Turtle Wax Products?
Turtle Wax is a brand we have used and trusted since Automoblog was started in 2006. We appreciate the company’s long and established history.
Ben Hirsch invented the first liquid auto polish in the family bathtub in the 1930s. It gave way to a product called Plastone in 1944, renamed Turtle Wax in 1946. By the early 1980s, Minute Wax, an innovative spray wax for the time, was in high demand. Only a few years later, in 1985, Turtle Wax made available its first products for the professional car wash industry.
The big green bucket Turtle Wax sent had a few unexpected but welcome surprises, like Scratch Repair & Renew and Odor-X. Meanwhile, the concept of the wipes never drying out is novel with the Spray & Wipe lineup, while Seal N Shine is something every car enthusiast should have on their garage shelf.
In addition to Turtle Wax, we regularly use Meguiars, Mothers, and Rain-X with excellent results. It’s best to try a few different brands and see which one you like best. Consider a high-quality car cover if you need to protect your vehicle further after a DIY wash.
The Importance of Washing Your Vehicle
Washing your vehicle helps keep the body and chassis in good shape, preventing grime from accumulating over time.
Consider an automatic wash if your schedule is tight, as many locations and franchises have utilized the latest tunnel technology to clean your vehicle in a minimally invasive way. If you go enough times, a monthly subscription may pay for itself.
When you get home, you can take a few minutes to apply one of these Turtle Wax products for that extra shine (or, in the case of Odor-X, to have a more pleasant-smelling vehicle).
Carl Anthony is the Managing Editor of Automoblog and the host of AutoVision News Radio and AutoSens Insights. As a respected automotive industry thought leader, Carl has appeared on numerous podcasts and radio shows, including Wrench Nation, Cars Yeah, The Car Doctor, and Brains Byte Back, in addition to appearing as a regular contributor on MotorMouth Radio on WHPC 90.3 FM. His work can also be seen and heard 24/7 on the Automoblog YouTube channel.
Original article: Turtle Wax Review: Foam Wash, Seal N Shine, Scratch Remover, Detail Wipes & Odor-X (2024)
