Clay Bar?

I detail cars on the side from my job. I'm no EXPERT but experience does hold some value. I'm claying and waxing every week. Here are a few tips I've learned:

**NOTE** Before these steps, clean car VERY VERY good. If the car aint clean, your wasting your time.

1. You will need a lubricant when claying, NOT a super lube ! You want the clay to grab the grime, if the lube is to slick you wont. Tip: Wash car and pull in some shade. Wet car down again. 2 drops of dawn dishwashing liquid to an already full (water) sprayer makes a great lube. Mix dawn with water, dont shake to make suds, just mix it up.

2. Knead the clay often !!

3. You can clay a car very good in 15-20 min. Do small sections at a time, dont just sling your arm across, you will miss spots this way. Go over that small section atleast twice to insure coverage.

4. I use this clay because you get alot of it for the price and you can use one piece on 2 cars or more sometimes, unless car is in terrible, terrible shape. Inspect your clay, you'll know if you can use it again. I can detail atleast 8 cars with this kit from Poorboys.

5. Rub your hand across what you've clayed, check for anything that isnt smooth as glass.

6. REMEMBER, DONT CLAY IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO WAX. Claying strips wax off your ride. Protect your ride, its the whole purpose you were claying to begin with.

7. Wash car again after claying. Some will say wipe as you go, I've found this is too much work when I can hit the car with some suds and a wash mit pretty quick. All I'm doing is washing what was clayed.

 

All great points
To elaborate on the Dawn Dishwashing Liquid
Dawn Cuts and Strips ALL Waxes
Wash all wax off with Dawn (& Water) before using the Clay Bar
That will contribute to the "clean car VERY VERY good", referred to above.
I got one bottle of Clay Lube Spray with my 1st Clay Bar.
Have used Dawn and Water as Spray Lube ever since.
Works as good as the $10 16oz Spray Lube they'll sell ya.
Oh, and keep lube under the Clay at all times, in other words, spray as needed.
Thanks for the experienced pointers, Phoneguy44

CC

 

my contribution....i just picked up a meguirs clay bar kit for 18 bucks at advanced

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcZRj509Ir8

 

Doesn't dish soap fade your paint or something like that. I don't remember where I read that.

 

Its not an urgent need so I would just wait until winter has fully past and the weather is good, then do a full detailing (wash, clay, polish if necessary, then a synthetic sealant.) That way you have detoxed your car from the winter elements (salt, sand, dirt) and it will look good, and have a coat of protection through the fall (assuming you give it an occasional wash). Then you can do a full detailing before winter hits, and again you have some protection from the elements before the nasty stuff hits.

 

Hadn't heard that
Haven't had the problem
My Solara is eleven years old this spring
Still looks like it just rolled out of the Showroom
28k miles and garaged though
But the point is:
Multiple Coats of Wax after Stripping and Clay Barring.
'spose if you didn't wax it after stripping, it would fade in time.

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CC

 

wax,wax,wax

 

x3 on both of your guys' points for lube, i use a gallon jug i got for cheap of megs 34 i think. its called final touch. good for clay lube. cheap too.

 

Just incase any of ya lookin. I'm on autogeek.net alot. Boys on there say Target is having a sale on clay bar kits, some guys are finding them for 4 bucks but most are reporting it for $7 if its actually on sale. Dont know if its just some Targets or all, havent checked my local as I just bought $80 worth 2 weeks ago. A kit usually for sales for $21 plus tax.