This has been discussed so many time on here, im going to go ahead and take a thread I started elsewhere, for everyone benefit. If you care to add to this feel free!

Proper claying techniques.....

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No complete detail is complete unless you have "clayed" your vehicles surface. Kind of a strange name for a product, but I assure you its completely safe when used as directed. It can be rather intimidating if you have never used before, but once you have, you’ll wonder why you waited so long. Clay is designed to pull contaminants away or simply sheer them from your paint surface, safely, and this is accomplished with ease.
So what equipment or materials is needed? There’s no equipment needed at all! All you need is clay, and a lubricant, and a micro fiber towel for wiping upon completion. Now you can skip the towel if you elect to clay while washing.
There are many brands of clay available, and at least two are usually available at your local auto paint supply store or Automotive parts store (Kragen, Pep Boys). Meguiars makes a new version, better than its preceding version, Mothers makes a nice kit, comes with the clay, a lubricant (Showtime QD), and a small sample of Pre Wax Cleaner. The original Clay Magic I believe still comes with a lubricant as well. Make sure you buy or are using “Fine grade” in the beginning stages.

So lets get started !
Lets assume, it’s the beginning of summer, and you want your ride looking the ultimate! You begin with your normal wash routine (see Proper washing techniques), you’ve removed any tar, gum, and assorted crap stuck to the lower panels with a citrus cleaner or tar/adhesive remover (3M comes to mind). Now you have dried the surfaces with a waffle weave drying towel, and "she" looks good, you rub your hand along the top of the hood, and you feel what seems like specs of sand (If you think it feels good at this point, put your hand in a sandwich baggy)..... Close analysis, its actually tiny bits of metal (Brake linings, rail dust), or just normal industrial fallout. Its inescapable, pollutants happen to everyone, and the reason we need to remove these pollutants is, metal contributes to rust, and once rust starts, it’s usually not good! Not to mention physical appearance anyway.
Make sure your working in a shaded area, on a cool surface. Once you get started, the whole process can be completed in about ˝ hr. Lets start with the hood. Unwrap your clay product, and take about 1/3 to ˝ of it in the palm of your hand. Place the other portion back in the wrapper it came in, you may need this in case you drop the 1st half. If you do drop it, discard it. Spray the lubricant on about ˝ to 1/3 of the surface, just as you would while quick detailing it. Take the clay in your hand and knead it until its somewhat soft. Mold to about the size of a small pancake, and place at your fingertips for easy control. Gently place the clay on the surface and glide it back in a front to back motion (grill to window). Use about 10-12 inch passes and overlap each pass. Fold the clay after each area has been cleaned. You will feel some resistance at first, but with passing motions, you’ll be able to tell the clay is removing pollutants! If you feel too much resistance, your either not using enough lubricant or your surface is REAL dirty. A good way to tell you’re not using enough lube or if your surface is too warm, is the clay is leaving product on the surface. This can be removed, with a micro fiber towel. After each area has been clayed, wipe and buff dry with a micro fiber towel.
Clay will remove a portion of wax or sealant protection, so you should follow up with polishing and sealing/waxing. Clay is not a polish! It will remove contaminants, small areas of road tar, road paint, over spray, fallout, and light oxidation. Any areas larger than an eraser tip should be cleaned with a cleaner prior to using clay, otherwise you will end up polluting your clay for future use. You should be able to clay your surface half a dozen times, depending on the quantity of contaminants.
If anyone has additional comments or concerns, feel free to post, or PM me !
__________________
Somewhere between the clear and Blackfire....

 

I'll sticky it for you so no one says a week from now "How do I clay my car"

 

I purchased some clay (meguiars) and it came with the detailing spray/lubricant. The part that I see people on either the side of the fence with is whether to "cut" the claybar in half....I understand that you might drop it, but does that one half do the whole car? Do you need to kneed it first, rool it into a ball, and flatten it like a pancake? Can't you just take the half and start using it without all the work?

I'm kind of scared and confused on using it because I hear so many different opinions on things, I don't know who to believe, and everyone assumes that everyone else knows EVERYTHING!! I'm new! I've never done this before and I'm nervous!

So I'd like to tell you what I have, and then you can tell me what I should do. In detail. This way, I'll get instructions tailored to me

2, 16" x 29" 100% Cotton Made in the USA Cannon Fieldcrest Towels ($7 a piece)

1, LARGE Bath size 100% Cotton.....ditto....

1, 16" x 16" Viking Microfiber Towel ($6)

Wheel Brush

Question on Towels: Do I need to cut the trim off of the cotton towels?

ZAINO PRODUCTS:

Z-2
ZFX
Z-6
Z-7
Included Zaino Applicator Pad

Meguiar's Clay Bar and Detailing Spray Lubricant (how many times can i use it? how do I use it?, etc.)

Z-10 Leather Conditioner

Question on Z-10: Won't the conditioner get in perforations in TL's leather?

So, in extreme detail, please describe everything I should do with all of my products, down to the towel i should use for Z-10 to the exact amount and technique of putting on the Z-2 and EVERYTHING! Please leave nothing out! I don't want to screw this up!

Thank you for your help in advance. I appreciate this very much. I'm just really nervous about what I should do!

carcar

 

Thank you NSX...

 

carcar, i really dont know what else to tell you. I for one, would use the micro's over the cotton towels though....I think youll have an easier time...
You dont need the entire bar to do the car. Its just a good idea to only use 1/2, some people use less. Your not really goiong to know what to do, until you know what not to do. Your not going to harm the car, if you use common sense. Pretend your applying a sealant instead of claying, and use a little lube. Dont use a lot of pressure either, nkned the clay often to recycle the good parts of, and hide the bad. You have to keep it soft, so particles will suspend themselves in the clay, and not scratch the surface. Its not difficult at all. Try it on a lower panel, under the hood or rear deck, get comfy with it if your not sure. Maybe you want to buy another bar, and use the first bar in those areas i just mentioned? Maybe door sills, areas that no one would notice ? (neighbors car !!!)
Demo it on your neighbors peice of crud !

 

Ok, thanks. I understand. One last question...should i remove the trim from my towels? what about the small border type thing, it feels like cotton....

I'm not very picky about the whole "well there's a small amount of polyester in there" idea, but I'm just curious. I want to do everything right.

carcar

 

Thought I would share this:

My sister-in-law, came to me with problems with her brakes on a 2001 Jeep Liberty. Upon further investigation, she had not only wore the brake pads down to metal, put the pad had actually become so thin that it slipped out of the caliper and become wedged between the caliper and rotor Well, after replacing the rotors, pads and even one caliper, I noticed heavy metal shavings along the entire side of her car and hood. These wouldn't come of by washing and had actually started rusting, it was noticible to the eye.

I had just Zaino's my new TL and figured I would try the claybar. I used a peice that I had already used on my car and it did wonders. I was very hard to use at first, but the shavings all came out. Now, the claybar became soiled VERY quickly and it did produce some swirl marks on the black paint... but nothing else even began to remove them. I told her to buy me 4-5 new bars and I would do her whole car.

 

To avoid wasting detailer's clay because you probably will drop it, place a towel on the ground under the area you're claying so the clay will fall onto the towel without picking up gravel etc.

If you drop the clay on the ground do not try to clean it, discard it or it may cause micro scratches on the paint film surface.

 

I've broken off very small pieces of clay and worked with that. Makes it last a long
time and if you drop it, you won't waste the whole thing. About a quarter to half-dollar
size. It flattens out as you use it and 4 fingers over it easily control it.

I read that on some web site, good suggestion. When I was done, I wrapped
the remaining clay bar in cellophane wrap.

 

Excercise caution when using small peices. You need to have some substance there to hide what has been sheared off.

 

hey what are some good pre wax cleaners to use after you clay bar your car and before you wax your car? ahh hell what are some good waxes to use as well?

 

If you clay your car it's clean!!!!!! Then just wax. Good posting here. I been claying my 2001 vette since it was new and it sure does bring out the shine.

 

After claying, you generally want to follow with a fine polish and then wax. The reason is that while you are claying, the contaminants and clay will create fine scratches on your paint (if you have a black or dark car, you will see them) so follow with a very fine polich or pre-cleaner and then wax with your favorite wax for protection.

 

how often does one need to clay their car?

i just got a new car (06 tsx) and i want to baby it. i'm shopping for all the products i need, and i'm using this forum and detail city for a lot of info on detailing.

thanks!

 

Even new cars that have been setting on a car dealerships lot for a few weeks can accumulate surface contamination; don't assume a vehicle that looks good is contamination free

Acid rain, road salt, tree sap and airborne contaminants are very detrimental to a vehicles paint film surface. Brake dust or rail dust are very small, almost microscopic particles of steel, iron or their alloys. These particles carry a negative charge while the vehicles they land on are carrying a positive charge. The vehicle surface becomes a magnet, attracting and bonding the ferrous metal particles to the vehicle surface.

Place some saran wrap or a zip lock bag over your hand and rub across the finish lightly. Every snag you feel is below surface contaminant that the Detailers Clay bar can remove but you may not be able to see. The best way to describe the proper method for using detailer clay is to use plenty of the lubricant and aquaplane the clay bar over the surface in straight-line motions.

[each one / teach one, then student /becomes teacher]

 

Thanks for the writeup, pretty informative.....but the above statement doesn't make sense to me.....

Does this mean I should not clay my car more than 6 or so times ?

Is this because of the clear coat?

There must be people that have clayed more than 6 times with good results.

 

Thats per 4 oz clay bar. Some get more, some get less.........But on average, I use a clay bar about 1/2 dozen times before I relegate it to windows or wheels.....

 

So hows claying while washing work out? It sounds like a time saver, but does it work as well?

 

I would keep the two processes separate. I learned my lesson a long time ago to do it right the first time and not half ass it. I also think its better to clay your car out of the sunlight. A warm surface will evaporate whatever surface lubricant you are using too fast.

 

Actually, it does work out quite well because the soap/wash keeps the clay lubricated. I also have on hand a spray bottle with a soap/water solution just in case. Rinse off and you're done.

 

Was it while claying? And I agree, you'd be foolish to clay in warm direct sunlight....
But it can be done when you dont have a choice....

The only function the soapy water performs is lubricity for the clay. It can come in any fashion one desires, as long as it doesnt deteriorate the clay. Theres probably less chemicals in soapy water, then most detail sprays....Ive been doing it this way for quite some time and have never had any ill effects....
Doing things "right" and effectively are what were all after. If one learns of another method or better mouse trap, Im all for it...

 

I keep the two processes seperate, unless I have to use a decon system. I clay while washing with the last step.

 

[QUOTE=joerockt]I keep the two processes seperate, unless I have to use a decon system. I clay while washing with the last step.[/QUOTE]
Exactly.........

 

i usaully wash then clay then wash again to get all the clay off the car. so i can just use a MF cloth and then go on to polish?

 

Why are you leaving clay on the car ? If you plan on polishing after claying, which you should (Or use a paint cleaner), all you have to do is dry the surface with a MF, then polish away. The polish will remove any residual clay, that the MF hasnt, which if any, is minimal.....

 

Hey guys I have a question.

Due to extremely long period of rain days in seattle, my car is dirty as FAK!

So by the time this whole thing ends, I'd like to wash my car using clay.

Since my car is covered with visible, somewhat thick, dusts, do I wash my car first and then apply claybar?

So I'm thinking..

1) Wash
2) Dry
3) Clay
4) Wax

am I correct?

thanks in advance..

 

If its as bad as your saying, wash it twice with a nice Sheepskin, then clay, then dry.
Dont wash with a claybar though!
Use either soapy water or a dedicated lube (quick detailer) for claying.
Polish
Seal
What brands of products are you going to be using?

 

^^^ thx for the reply

well, since I ran out of soap, I bought a product from TurtleWax a few months back and still using it.

As for the wax, I use Eagles Nano wax. I just bought mother's claybar

so you're suggesting that I shouldn't dry before claying right?

1) Wash twice
2) Clay
3) Dry
4) Polish
5) Wax

is this what you're suggesting? Also which product is good for polishing.. ? I never polished before

 

The condition of your painted surface will determine what type of polish you should use. If you have light swirls, minor scratches, or paint imperfections you'll need an abraisive. If your finish is pretty much swirl free, you probably need a pre wax cleaner. For more info check out Autopia's tutorial on "How To Polish Paint". There are a number of polishes available on the market - Poorboys, Optimum, Klasse, Menzerna to name a few, as well as OTC products like Megs and Mothers. Some of the more popular ones favored by members is PB SSR, Optimum, Klasse and Megs.

 

jesus christ, i never knew there was so much involved in making your car shiny.

so my car's ok for the most part, minnesotan winter is coming and i wanna get it one last treatment. i usually just wash and wax. but i wanna do the full nine yards this time. could someone just tell me the steps i need to do? not the whole processes' explanation, there's plenty of info on AZ for that but it's so separated into sections and i dont know what to do before or after another. thanks

 

Wash

Clay

Polish

Seal

 

You can also find a wealth of information, from a very knowlegable source here.
Micheal Mankarious, who I deal with on a near monthly basis, both professionally and out of friendship, wrote the atricles linked above at my website. It is VERY good reading material, and shouldbe able to align the concepts of various detailing processes for you. Please take a moment (probably more like 1/2 hr) and read all of them!

 

follow the direction on the box and you cant go wrong
claybar is fun to do and you are working it with your fingers across the car liKe a nice massage for the paint- removing bad layers of contaminents and preparing the surface to receive the polish

Anything you did before---- was just waxing the dirt!

I had never put this much hand work into a wax- but a few hours of time resulted in a sparkle like my car had never known- well worth the dollars and hours
Easier with a friend or 2 and some good tunes!

 

great info...lots of help

 

There are many sources of valuable info available online. Here's a few that are worth looking into in addition to Patrick's link:

• Paintcare & Detailing
• Detail University
• Autopia Detailing Library

 

Claying my car right now at the moment with meguairs clay clearner kit, they give you a Clearner wax... is that a polish?? Can i use the cleaner wax for a polish? Im kinda confused... please help HURRY

Steps:

Wash
Clay
Meguiars Cleaner Wax (that comes in the kit)= Polish?
Regular wax?

Thanks

 

That cleaner/Wax they give you is what we define as an "All in one" product. It has light Nuba protectants along with very light abrasives. It literally performs 3 functions, in one product....
1. Paint cleaning
2. Light swirlremoval
3. Light protection.

 

so can that fall under the polish category? so this is my step tell me if it was fine

Wash
Clay
Meguiars Cleaner Wax
Meguiars gold class clear coat wax

Is that fine??

 

Yup!
Make sure you use a lubricant when claying though.....Waffle Weaves while drying (and theres no need to wash after claying. Do one area at a time, then wipe dry) Microfibers for product removal.....

 

just clayed for my first time today. loved every minute of it. but i now know i need to work on a few spots and chips and hairline cracks