Should I clay bar/decontaminate the paint before I wax or no?

[mosaud1998]

I clay bar and waxed my car in November of 2020. Didn't drive the car much during the winter. Maybe once but it wasn't snowing and there was no slush on the roads.

I am thinking about waxing it next week. Should I clay bar/decontaminate the paint before I apply wax or there's no need to do all that since I didn't drive the car?

 

[jurko]

Grab a plastic bag, stick your hand in it and rub it gently over your paint. If you feel imperfections or grittiness it's time for clay bar.

 

[mosaud1998]

Grab a plastic bag, stick your hand in it and rub it gently over your paint. If you feel imperfections or grittiness it's time for clay bar.

The cars clean rn. I guess I can do that

 

[AutoMechanic]

I’m guessing a clay bar is like rubbing compound? If so yes do it before waxing in my opinion. That’s what I do with my vehicles.

 

[mosaud1998]

Grab a plastic bag, stick your hand in it and rub it gently over your paint. If you feel imperfections or grittiness it's time for clay bar.

I just went over the paint with my hand in a sandwich bag and I can feel some contamination on the paint. I'll just use Iron-x or Adams iron/fallout remover.

 

[jurko]

I’m guessing a clay bar is like rubbing compound? If so yes do it before waxing in my opinion. That’s what I do with my vehicles.

Clay bar is not rubbing compound. It is a tool remove impurities. Rubbing compound is used on heavily oxidized paint.
Two different things.

 

[Cdn17Sport6MT]

Is it not true that claying paint causes fine scratches that then have to be polished-out with fine polish before waxing?

 

[ammolab]

Is it not true that claying paint causes scratches that then have to be polished-out with fine polish before waxing?

last time I clayed my car it did leave swirls...maybe I was too aggressive ?

 

[jurko]

Is it not true that claying paint causes scratches that then have to be polished-out with fine polish before waxing?

You just have to keep folding it so you have fresh clay for next section of paint and you'll be fine.

 

[RooflessVW]

Is it not true that claying paint causes scratches that then have to be polished-out with fine polish before waxing?

Depends on the paint, clay, and chemicals used to decontaminate.

No two cars are alike. I have gotten marring and I haven't.

 

[mosaud1998]

Is it not true that claying paint causes fine scratches that then have to be polished-out with fine polish before waxing?

I doubt clay bar causes swirl marks.

Unless you drop it on the floor and use it. You're supposed to flip it and kneed it after each panel. At least that's why I do.

I wouldn't clay a car each time you wax unless it heavily contaminated. Clay a car often can thin the clear coat from what I've heard.

Iron-X or Adams iron/fallout remover should be fine to use once a year before you wax.

 

[jurko]

Make sure you use good lubricant when doing this.

 

[mosaud1998]

Wait, Iron-X or Adam's Iron Remover should be fine for removing light contamination right? If not, I'll just clay instead of wasting $15

 

[RooflessVW]

Wait, Iron-X or Adam's Iron Remover should be fine for removing light contamination right? If not, I'll just clay instead of wasting $15

It depends on what the contamination is.

If it's iron, they'll work.

If it's not, they won't.

 

[mosaud1998]

It depends on what the contamination is.

If it's iron, they'll work.

If it's not, they won't.

I don’t see any brown spots. So, maybe not iron?

 

[jurko]

Wait, Iron-X or Adam's Iron Remover should be fine for removing light contamination right? If not, I'll just clay instead of wasting $15

Reserve those two for your wheels. I doubt you have much iron contamination with exception maybe around fenders.

 

[PimTac]

If you clayed it properly in November then it probably doesn’t need it.

 

[Dave9]

It's a process. Normally after this short a period of time you would not need to clay bar again, especially if you did not drive much, but you could have a more gritty environment than some which decreases the needed use interval.

The does it feel smooth test, needs to happen after you wash it with strong, hot detergent solution that strips all the old wax off, so you aren't just feeling grit trapped in the wax rather than the paint, or just wash normally with mild car wash soap and then feel it, but you shouldn't clay bar if you haven't stripped the wax off yet.

Swirl marks? I only use a bar in one direction.

 

[mosaud1998]

It's a process. Normally after this short a period of time you would not need to clay bar again, especially if you did not drive much, but you could have a more gritty environment than some which decreases the needed use interval.

The does it feel smooth test, needs to happen after you wash it with strong, hot detergent solution that strips all the old wax off, so you aren't just feeling grit trapped in the wax rather than the paint, or just wash normally with mild car wash soap and then feel it, but you shouldn't clay bar if you haven't stripped the wax off yet.

Swirl marks? I only use a bar in one direction.

Yeah, I haven’t washed it yet. I mean, last time I washed it was weeks ago. I just ran it through a touch-free car wash.

I’ll wash it next week Monday and go over the paint again. If it feels lightly contaminated I’ll use the iron x. If it still feels lightly contaminated, I’ll clay bar, apply wax and two spray coating of mother’s CMX

 

[jurko]

Here in Nevada high desert we have dusty conditions all the time specially in the summer with dust devils going on frequently.
I don't know what it is in the dust that is pretty much destroying the paint and windshield.
I suspect it's tiny silica particles which are very hard and do damage to paint and windshield.
I have thousands of tiny shiny marks on windshield you can't get rid off and when you drive towards the sun the visibility is horrendous.
I'll be replacing my windshield this year because of that.