How long will a clay bar last?

I clay bar my 2015 about 4 mo. ago. When I was finished with the clay I examined it and it was still very clean. So I wet it and wrapped it up in a zip bay and saved it.

At what point do I chuck the clay bar and get a new one? I do periodically fold the clay and form a new patty so theoretically I'm using new clay right? Is it a visual thing? If it looks dirty, time to get a new one.

 

i check visually and sometimes the clay breaks down then its time for a change. id guess maybe 10-15 uses then change...i never really keep track tho and sometimes i only clay certain parts of the vehicle...im no pro just giving my opinion

 

Visual is your first indicator. Clay is generally white or pale yellow so the dirt and contaminants will show on it. Store it sealed up in zipper bags with a couple shots of qd sprayed in the baggy and it should last a good while, provided you've not used it on neglected paint. If it dries out or gets too dirty it will crack or break when you knead/fold it. Personally, after 4 passes on an entire vehicle I chuck it. An overly dirty clay bar can scratch the hell out of paint if used.

 

Thats pretty accurate. If you dont drop the clay (instant game over) you can do a number of cars. Heavy contamination will kill it quicker (I clean mine 'on the fly' with APC before rinsing and refolding). And whether it marrs the paint is not only the clay and how clean / dirty it is, but also the paint. Some clear coats are just way more sensitive than others.

And clay comes in many colors which don't always correspond to how aggressive they are. Depends on the manufacturer. But over the years I've used clay in most every color of the rainbow