Alternative to claying?
- Thread starter buster
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Originally Posted by The_Nuke
Use something like the Mothers Clay 2.0 if you are going do it. It's easy to find locally and easy to use, and it's not too aggressive to really be of danger, as long as you use while washing car (lots of soap suds!) or after a wash but with plenty of clay lube.
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I agree. I even posted about using it HERE.
I despised using clay so I rarely did it. I now don't mind doing it at all with this.
Use something like the Mothers Clay 2.0 if you are going do it. It's easy to find locally and easy to use, and it's not too aggressive to really be of danger, as long as you use while washing car (lots of soap suds!) or after a wash but with plenty of clay lube.
...
I agree. I even posted about using it HERE.
I despised using clay so I rarely did it. I now don't mind doing it at all with this.
If you don't want to do the traditional clay method, but, still clean it like it was clayed, maybe you can try some of Optimum's alternate clay products.
https://optimumcarcare.com/product/optimum-ultra-clay-towel
https://optimumcarcare.com/product/optimum-ultra-clay-mitt
https://optimumcarcare.com/product/optimum-ultra-clay-towel
https://optimumcarcare.com/product/optimum-ultra-clay-mitt
Originally Posted by blupupher
Originally Posted by The_Nuke
Use something like the Mothers Clay 2.0 if you are going do it. It's easy to find locally and easy to use, and it's not too aggressive to really be of danger, as long as you use while washing car (lots of soap suds!) or after a wash but with plenty of clay lube.
...
I agree. I even posted about using it HERE.
I despised using clay so I rarely did it. I now don't mind doing it at all with this.
This is perfect. I'm going with the Mothers Clay 2.0. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you.
Originally Posted by The_Nuke
Use something like the Mothers Clay 2.0 if you are going do it. It's easy to find locally and easy to use, and it's not too aggressive to really be of danger, as long as you use while washing car (lots of soap suds!) or after a wash but with plenty of clay lube.
...
I agree. I even posted about using it HERE.
I despised using clay so I rarely did it. I now don't mind doing it at all with this.
This is perfect. I'm going with the Mothers Clay 2.0. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you.
Originally Posted by buster
This is perfect. I'm going with the Mothers Clay 2.0. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you.
Post how you like it.
Best thing is it can be used several times (I am on my 4th use of it, with one being a very, very, very rough condition hood), and will use it another 1-2 times at least. And if you drop it, just rinse it off, unlike clay.
As mentioned before, use with a good lubricant (I have used both Mothers California Gold Instant Detailer spray (worked well) and regular car wash soap (mixed 3:1 (water to soap), worked as well as the detail spray as far as I could tell, and is 1/10 the price). I know some say you can even wash the car with it, but I would not, seems a bit abusive unless the car is already clean.
And again, I hated using clay, and as you can see, I am using the heck out of this thing it is so easy.
Only an extra 10-15 minutes added to a wash and wax (I now rinse vehicle with hose, wash with soap and water, rinse, get bottle of lube (have car wash and water mixed now), spray and "clay" small sections at a time, rinse off, dry and then wax) to have a much smoother, nicer looking vehicle.
This is perfect. I'm going with the Mothers Clay 2.0. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you.
Post how you like it.
Best thing is it can be used several times (I am on my 4th use of it, with one being a very, very, very rough condition hood), and will use it another 1-2 times at least. And if you drop it, just rinse it off, unlike clay.
As mentioned before, use with a good lubricant (I have used both Mothers California Gold Instant Detailer spray (worked well) and regular car wash soap (mixed 3:1 (water to soap), worked as well as the detail spray as far as I could tell, and is 1/10 the price). I know some say you can even wash the car with it, but I would not, seems a bit abusive unless the car is already clean.
And again, I hated using clay, and as you can see, I am using the heck out of this thing it is so easy.
Only an extra 10-15 minutes added to a wash and wax (I now rinse vehicle with hose, wash with soap and water, rinse, get bottle of lube (have car wash and water mixed now), spray and "clay" small sections at a time, rinse off, dry and then wax) to have a much smoother, nicer looking vehicle.
Originally Posted by blupupher
Originally Posted by buster
This is perfect. I'm going with the Mothers Clay 2.0. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you.
Post how you like it.
Best thing is it can be used several times (I am on my 4th use of it, with one being a very, very, very rough condition hood), and will use it another 1-2 times at least. And if you drop it, just rinse it off, unlike clay.
As mentioned before, use with a good lubricant (I have used both Mothers California Gold Instant Detailer spray (worked well) and regular car wash soap (mixed 3:1 (water to soap), worked as well as the detail spray as far as I could tell, and is 1/10 the price). I know some say you can even wash the car with it, but I would not, seems a bit abusive unless the car is already clean.
Will do. I'll probably just use car was soap as a lubricant.
I may have to use vinegar to get some water spots out first though.
Originally Posted by buster
This is perfect. I'm going with the Mothers Clay 2.0. This is exactly what I'm looking for. Thank you.
Post how you like it.
Best thing is it can be used several times (I am on my 4th use of it, with one being a very, very, very rough condition hood), and will use it another 1-2 times at least. And if you drop it, just rinse it off, unlike clay.
As mentioned before, use with a good lubricant (I have used both Mothers California Gold Instant Detailer spray (worked well) and regular car wash soap (mixed 3:1 (water to soap), worked as well as the detail spray as far as I could tell, and is 1/10 the price). I know some say you can even wash the car with it, but I would not, seems a bit abusive unless the car is already clean.
Will do. I'll probably just use car was soap as a lubricant.
I may have to use vinegar to get some water spots out first though.
+1 This product is a winner. I picked it up at AZ for a little over $20. It's supposedly good for 25 uses.
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Originally Posted by buster
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
What specifically about claying don't you like?
Just takes long I feel. I get impatient when I detail.
Then you're doing it wrong. You never get good results trying to detail a car if you're impatient. If you want to be impatient and cut corners, people will notice, and you ultimately won't like the results.
Getting high-quality results takes time and attention to detail... i.e. patience.
Yeah it doesn't take long at all to clay a car. I use a fresh bucket of wash water as lube. Wash mitt in one hand providing plenty of soapy water, clay bar in the other moving right behind it. It's pretty much like a second wash, maybe tiny bit longer as you work some areas with more detail.
Originally Posted by buster
Originally Posted by rooflessVW
What specifically about claying don't you like?
Just takes long I feel. I get impatient when I detail.
Then you're doing it wrong. You never get good results trying to detail a car if you're impatient. If you want to be impatient and cut corners, people will notice, and you ultimately won't like the results.
Getting high-quality results takes time and attention to detail... i.e. patience.
Yeah it doesn't take long at all to clay a car. I use a fresh bucket of wash water as lube. Wash mitt in one hand providing plenty of soapy water, clay bar in the other moving right behind it. It's pretty much like a second wash, maybe tiny bit longer as you work some areas with more detail.
Originally Posted by gofast182
Yeah it doesn't take long at all to clay a car. I use a fresh bucket of wash water as lube. Wash mitt in one hand providing plenty of soapy water, clay bar in the other moving right behind it. It's pretty much like a second wash, maybe tiny bit longer as you work some areas with more detail.
That's very similar to how I do it - 15 minutes or so. We must be doing something wrong? Some of these guys sound like they are doing a manual rubbing compound process taking an hour or more.
Yeah it doesn't take long at all to clay a car. I use a fresh bucket of wash water as lube. Wash mitt in one hand providing plenty of soapy water, clay bar in the other moving right behind it. It's pretty much like a second wash, maybe tiny bit longer as you work some areas with more detail.
That's very similar to how I do it - 15 minutes or so. We must be doing something wrong? Some of these guys sound like they are doing a manual rubbing compound process taking an hour or more.
Originally Posted by buster
My time is valuable.
Detail shop.
Mobile detailer.
Teen next door.
My time is valuable.
Detail shop.
Mobile detailer.
Teen next door.
I use the clay mitt from Adams Polishes. I have a Pickup and a larger SUV and can clay them a lot quicker then with conventional clay, plus if you drop it, you rinse it off and continue on. There are plenty of companies that make this alternative.
https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-clay-mitt
https://adamspolishes.com/products/adam-s-clay-mitt
Originally Posted by buster
My time is valuable.
The same can be said for many/most of us on here. Heck, during the week, I generally don't get home from work until some time between 6:30 and 7:30 PM, depending on traffic. Thus, my time at home is very valuable, but when it comes time to do a full detail on my car, I carve out the better part of a day to do it, because in the end, the car is clean and looks great, and I can enjoy it for months with little more than a 2-bucket wash every week or two.
Originally Posted by buster
It's a Nissan Frontier I don't need the best.
Well, this says it all. If the truck means something to you, and you plan to keep it for any appreciable length of time, do it right.
My Fusion isn't anything unique or special, but it was my daily driver and the car that I drove everywhere. As a result, it had value to me and got treated as something I wanted to maintain in top condition, inside and out. As a result, the paint still looks as good, if not better than, it did when I bought it.
To each his own, I guess.
My time is valuable.
The same can be said for many/most of us on here. Heck, during the week, I generally don't get home from work until some time between 6:30 and 7:30 PM, depending on traffic. Thus, my time at home is very valuable, but when it comes time to do a full detail on my car, I carve out the better part of a day to do it, because in the end, the car is clean and looks great, and I can enjoy it for months with little more than a 2-bucket wash every week or two.
Originally Posted by buster
It's a Nissan Frontier I don't need the best.
Well, this says it all. If the truck means something to you, and you plan to keep it for any appreciable length of time, do it right.
My Fusion isn't anything unique or special, but it was my daily driver and the car that I drove everywhere. As a result, it had value to me and got treated as something I wanted to maintain in top condition, inside and out. As a result, the paint still looks as good, if not better than, it did when I bought it.
To each his own, I guess.
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Originally Posted by buster
My time is valuable.
The same can be said for many/most of us on here. Heck, during the week, I generally don't get home from work until some time between 6:30 and 7:30 PM, depending on traffic. Thus, my time at home is very valuable, but when it comes time to do a full detail on my car, I carve out the better part of a day to do it, because in the end, the car is clean and looks great, and I can enjoy it for months with little more than a 2-bucket wash every week or two.
Originally Posted by buster
It's a Nissan Frontier I don't need the best.
Well, this says it all. If the truck means something to you, and you plan to keep it for any appreciable length of time, do it right.
My Fusion isn't anything unique or special, but it was my daily driver and the car that I drove everywhere. As a result, it had value to me and got treated as something I wanted to maintain in top condition, inside and out. As a result, the paint still looks as good, if not better than, it did when I bought it.
To each his own, I guess.
I hear you. I plan on taking a few hours tomorrow to do it. What I was saying is I don't see the need for ultra high end detailing products. I think regularly maintaining it with off the shelf (some mail ordered) products is sufficient for a daily driver. If I had a Ferrari, maybe I'd use Gyeon or Polish Angel, but I don't lol. I've also found that the less you touch the paint, the better condition it remains in. The boutique products have their place, but just like oil, they are not always that good or even better.
Originally Posted by buster
My time is valuable.
The same can be said for many/most of us on here. Heck, during the week, I generally don't get home from work until some time between 6:30 and 7:30 PM, depending on traffic. Thus, my time at home is very valuable, but when it comes time to do a full detail on my car, I carve out the better part of a day to do it, because in the end, the car is clean and looks great, and I can enjoy it for months with little more than a 2-bucket wash every week or two.
Originally Posted by buster
It's a Nissan Frontier I don't need the best.
Well, this says it all. If the truck means something to you, and you plan to keep it for any appreciable length of time, do it right.
My Fusion isn't anything unique or special, but it was my daily driver and the car that I drove everywhere. As a result, it had value to me and got treated as something I wanted to maintain in top condition, inside and out. As a result, the paint still looks as good, if not better than, it did when I bought it.
To each his own, I guess.
I hear you. I plan on taking a few hours tomorrow to do it. What I was saying is I don't see the need for ultra high end detailing products. I think regularly maintaining it with off the shelf (some mail ordered) products is sufficient for a daily driver. If I had a Ferrari, maybe I'd use Gyeon or Polish Angel, but I don't lol. I've also found that the less you touch the paint, the better condition it remains in. The boutique products have their place, but just like oil, they are not always that good or even better.
The clay mitt is probably the biggest step forward in auto detailing in the last 30 years. Quick, easy, and little effort required.
Good luck with any method you choose.
Good luck with any method you choose.
Originally Posted by atikovi
You have 2 new cars. Wash and dry them then coat with Meg Final Finish every 2-3 months. Claying is a recent thing (last 10 years or so) and cars looked just fine without it before. Clay removes contaminants embedded in the paint which is unlikely in a new car. If it looks good to you after a wash, what more do you need than a quick top coat? All this talk of claying making the paint feel smooth is fine for a show car, but unless you enjoy feeling your car some reason, who cares?
I'm pretty sure they've been flaying for a lot longer than ten years, although I accept that it was in the domain of show cars until fairly recently.
I'm by no means a hobbyist, but I can definitely tell a difference between a clayed car and one that's not.
It doesn't take long on a car with a coat in good condition, such as a new car. The effect has been long lasting for me, although I live in an area with clean air, keep the car waxed and in the garage.
You have 2 new cars. Wash and dry them then coat with Meg Final Finish every 2-3 months. Claying is a recent thing (last 10 years or so) and cars looked just fine without it before. Clay removes contaminants embedded in the paint which is unlikely in a new car. If it looks good to you after a wash, what more do you need than a quick top coat? All this talk of claying making the paint feel smooth is fine for a show car, but unless you enjoy feeling your car some reason, who cares?
I'm pretty sure they've been flaying for a lot longer than ten years, although I accept that it was in the domain of show cars until fairly recently.
I'm by no means a hobbyist, but I can definitely tell a difference between a clayed car and one that's not.
It doesn't take long on a car with a coat in good condition, such as a new car. The effect has been long lasting for me, although I live in an area with clean air, keep the car waxed and in the garage.
Originally Posted by SirTanon
Originally Posted by buster
My time is valuable.
The same can be said for many/most of us on here. Heck, during the week, I generally don't get home from work until some time between 6:30 and 7:30 PM, depending on traffic. Thus, my time at home is very valuable, but when it comes time to do a full detail on my car, I carve out the better part of a day to do it, because in the end, the car is clean and looks great, and I can enjoy it for months with little more than a 2-bucket wash every week or two
Originally Posted by buster
It's a Nissan Frontier I don't need the best.
Well, this says it all. If the truck means something to you, and you plan to keep it for any appreciable length of time, do it right.
My Fusion isn't anything unique or special, but it was my daily driver and the car that I drove everywhere. As a result, it had value to me and got treated as something I wanted to maintain in top condition, inside and out. As a result, the paint still looks as good, if not better than, it did when I bought it.
To each his own, I guess.
I found that out the hard way. If you do a half-decent job of mechanically maintaining your car, it's the cosmetic issues that will take you out of it, not mechanical.
No need to be OCD about it, but it pays to do this and these days the extra effort isn't that much.
Originally Posted by buster
My time is valuable.
The same can be said for many/most of us on here. Heck, during the week, I generally don't get home from work until some time between 6:30 and 7:30 PM, depending on traffic. Thus, my time at home is very valuable, but when it comes time to do a full detail on my car, I carve out the better part of a day to do it, because in the end, the car is clean and looks great, and I can enjoy it for months with little more than a 2-bucket wash every week or two
Originally Posted by buster
It's a Nissan Frontier I don't need the best.
Well, this says it all. If the truck means something to you, and you plan to keep it for any appreciable length of time, do it right.
My Fusion isn't anything unique or special, but it was my daily driver and the car that I drove everywhere. As a result, it had value to me and got treated as something I wanted to maintain in top condition, inside and out. As a result, the paint still looks as good, if not better than, it did when I bought it.
To each his own, I guess.
I found that out the hard way. If you do a half-decent job of mechanically maintaining your car, it's the cosmetic issues that will take you out of it, not mechanical.
No need to be OCD about it, but it pays to do this and these days the extra effort isn't that much.
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