Automotive Clay

[stogiedude]

I finally have a couple of nice looking cars with decent paint that it would be worth using clay on. I've read about using clay bars on the paint and I've wanted to try it for a long time, but it's not like car polish that's sold almost everywhere.

Where do you buy it and who has a good price on it?

I'm surprised that Walmart doesn't sell it, they have a pretty big automotive products section.

 

[fitzz47]

http://www.properautocare.com/claybars1.html

 

[kkreit01]

My Walmart has Mothers Clay. You can check any auto parts stores. They often carry Blue Magic or Mothers. To the average user, any of these brands will suffice.

 

[9c1]

If you use the clay now it will remove the wax you just put on. Wait until you next want to wax the car -- then use the clay and then wax.
Terry

 

[doitmyself]

I think a lot of people who never clayed a vehicle misunderstand what it is and how it works (I did).

I perceived the "clay" as an abrasive cleaner pad. It is not. It is more like a soft particle "magnet" of sorts.

Using lots of "lubricant" (either detail spray or soapy/car wash water) to keep the panel wet, one gently rubs the clay bar over the area to pick up any particles imbedded in the clear coat - dirt, rail dust from new car transport, etc. It's designed to remove individual particles, not "polish" off large areas of grime, scratches, whatever. You're car should be squeaky clean before you clay so you don't load the bar with excess dirt.

 

[stogiedude]

Ok, I loked at the Blackfire product and it says
"Remove paint contamination using one of these clay bars prior to waxing." I just waxed the car about a week ago, can I still use the clay or do I need to use some sort of polishing compound first?

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by doitmyself:
I think a lot of people who never clayed a vehicle misunderstand what it is and how it works (I did).

I perceived the "clay" as an abrasive cleaner pad. It is not. It is more like a soft particle "magnet" of sorts.

Using lots of "lubricant" (either detail spray or soapy/car wash water) to keep the panel wet, one gently rubs the clay bar over the area to pick up any particles imbedded in the clear coat - dirt, rail dust from new car transport, etc. It's designed to remove individual particles, not "polish" off large areas of grime, scratches, whatever. You're car should be squeaky clean before you clay so you don't load the bar with excess dirt.

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A claybar is an abrasive. If you don't believe me use it on your paint without a lubricant.

http://www.autopia-carcare.com/inf-clay.html

When you use one on a lubricant like the instructions say, it's running on a boundry layer of liquid so is not touching the paint. It does touch minor irregularities like bits of crud in the paint that stick through the layer of lube and it grinds those off as well as pulling out the loose ones.

So, your error is in thinking that you were wrong.

[ August 24, 2006, 01:12 PM: Message edited by: XS650 ]

 

[doitmyself]

Yikes!! Thanks for correcting an obviously bad opinion I was passing on.

"So, your error is in thinking that you were wrong."

That, and, I didn't get someone like Holly in that Autopia article to give me an in-person demo. As Bob Hope used to sing, "thanks for the mammaries".

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by doitmyself:

That, and, I didn't get someone like Holly in that Autopia article to give me an in-person demo.....

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I could use a demo by Holly too.

 

[wantin150]

Advance Auto, Auto Zone, Napa, where ever should have a clay bar kit. Most come with one or two small bars of clay and the detail spray. The Mother's kit comes with wax also. Mequiars makes a kit but I think I had already bought the Mothers version when I found the Meguiars.

If your car is new, then you may not even need it. Wet the hood or roof and run your hand over the paint. If it's smooth, you're good. If you can feel "stuff", your paint will benefit. Personally, I wash mine with Dawn or other dish soap before claying it as dish soap removes the old wax. Harsh? Yes, very if used every time. It would also defeat the purpose of waxing.

You can also help re-new the paint by using the clay, a cleaner, a polish, and then the wax if you have a buffer or a whole lot of arm strength.

 

[stogiedude]

No, the car is 10 years old, not new.

It looks great, in very nice condition, no clear coat that I can tell. That's why I want to try the clay.

After I got the car I used a mild polishing compound and then I waxed it. It looked good, but I wondered if it could look even better with more shine and gloss if I clayed it.

The polishing compound took out some minor scratches and scuffs, but I think an abrasive like that isn't something that should be used very often. I figured after 10 years it probably had some oxidation and a mild polishing compound would renew the paint a bit.

I'm definitely going to try clay just to satisfy my curiosity and see if it can enhance the shine and gloss. Then I'm going to wax it again and after that just wash it whenever it needs it.

 

[fitzz47]

http://www.properautocare.com/rempainconov.html
goes into great detail on claying

 

[oilboy123]

I have got stuff off with clay that not even rubbing compound could touch. It is good stuff.

 

[tweeker43]

even a lot of new cars could stand some clay, especially if they were transported by rail.

it will remove those small rust blooms left by rail dust.

i've used the mother's clay bar kit for years with great success. use plenty of lube. any detail spray or lightly soapy water should work. too much soap in the water might cause your clay bar to fall apart though.

 

[stogiedude]

Finally got a clay kit. Mothers, with a small 80 gram yellow clay bar, a bottle of spray detailer which is the lubricant and the kit also comes with a small sample bottle of their carnuba wax which I didn't try. It was $17 and change plus tax.

I clayed two of my cars and I'm impressed. Neither one has a clear coat. The surface of the paint becomes very smooth and after it's waxed it becomes very slippery and slick. You can see the clay take off minor surface marks and tiny spots as you rub. It's a lot of work but it looks real nice when you're done and the car is waxed and buffed.

Not something I want to do often because it's time consuming and hard work, but if you keep your car outside without a cover, I can see needing it probably 2 times a year, although I guess it depends on the driving conditions and how often you wash your car, what kind of wax/sealnt/polish you use etc.

 

[XS650]

Stogiedude, once you have done a good claybar job on a 10 year old car, redoing it a every few months is a lot easier.

 

[Wasatch]

Quote:

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Quote:

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At most claying should be done 1-2 times a year (Fall/Spring).

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It should be done as often as you feel like doing it. Done right it doesn't do anything to the paint except remove crud sticking up above the surface. The more often you do it, the less time it takes each time.

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Depends on the aggressiveness of the clay. Regular (Medium) will cause micro-marring if done every month.

 

[Wasatch]

At most claying should be done 1-2 times a year (Fall/Spring).

 

[XS650]

Quote:

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At most claying should be done 1-2 times a year (Fall/Spring).

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It should be done as often as you feel like doing it. Done right it doesn't do anything to the paint except remove crud sticking up above the surface. The more often you do it, the less time it takes each time.