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Thread: How to... clay your car

  1. #1
    Section Mod Debo's Avatar
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    How to... clay your car

    Hi all,

    I have been asked a few times about claying, and mentioned it in some other threads. So, I had some time at weekend to think of what to do.

    Theory:
    The purpose behind claying the paintwork (or wheels!) is to remove bonded contaminants. These include; tree sap, iron fallout, bug stains, tar, and in some cases even overspray. This is done by the clay bar lifting out the debris from within your paintwork.

    In practice:
    Once you have washed the car, you are then to remove as much tar as possible prior to claying to avoid clogging a bar and damaging your paint. This can be done using a product such as Autosmart Tardis, which will dissolve the tar. Any left over small fragments will be picked up by the clay.

    After the de-tarring is completed you're ready to begin.

    Step 1:

    Start by folding the clay bar into a thin flat piece of material, big enough to fit in the palm of your hand.



    Step 2:

    Most clays can be used with just water, no need for a dedicated lube, unless you're using an aggressive clay. Once you've got your flat piece of bar, spray some water onto the panel you're starting with. You could even just rinse the car off..



    Step 3:

    Begin by gently rubbing the clay backwards and forwards over the same area. Only ever so light pressure is needed, the harder you force the clay into the paint the greater the risk of damaging it, and you wont neccessarily remove any more contamination! At first it will feel rough and grainy, keep going over it until the bar slides over the paintwork like it would a sheet of glass. Remember to keep spraying water onto the paint to ensure the clay is lubricated at all times!



    Step 4:

    The rougher the paintwork feels the more contamination there is present. This will fill the bar up quickly. There is no guide for how long a bar should last, you may only get half a car done if it is that heavily contaminated! What you should do to ensure you do not damage your paint, is keep folding the clay bar over to reveal a fresh piece whenever it gets 'clogged'.

    This is what 'clogged' looks like:



    This on the other hand is what the bars can sometimes look like after a full car:





    Step 5:

    After you have clayed your entire car, the paint should be smooth to the touch. If it still feels rough in places, the contamination is still present. If everything feels silky smooth though, the final stage is to rewash the car to remove any loose debris the clay bar has pulled out which is still sat in the lube (whether clay lube or just water). This ensures the car is at it's cleanest prior to applying any protection or polishing etc.


    Show me:




    I hope some of you guys find this thread useful.

    Any questions, as always, just ask..


    Matt.
    If you have any car care related questions, ask me in the Cleaning/Detailing section.

  2. #2
    Lifeless Geek - need to get out more! Todd's Avatar
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    always been curious on using a clay bar

    Might give it a go on the misses astra, its desperate for a good clean as she just doesnt look after it.

    nice one matt

  3. #3
    Punto know it all
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    Do you bin your clay after each car?

  4. #4
    Section Mod Debo's Avatar
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    Cheers Todd. Hope this short guide comes in handy for you then mate

    Quote Originally Posted by sicskate View Post
    Do you bin your clay after each car?
    Depends Ben. The white one shown against the dark blue car was full after I'd been round the whole car - I ditched that one. The yellow shown against the red car has now been used on 2.5 cars and is still fine. Those 2nd examples are after full cars, the first one simply after one panel! There is no life span, they are full when they are full as each car varies.
    If you have any car care related questions, ask me in the Cleaning/Detailing section.

  5. #5
    Punto know it all
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    Have you ever attempted to wash them?
    If I can't get a new one for whatever reason I find folding it under running hot water helps, although can make it too soft.

  6. #6
    Punto know it all
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    When they start to look naff that's when I use them for wheels and exhaust tips, to extend their life.

  7. #7
    Section Mod Debo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sicskate View Post
    Have you ever attempted to wash them?
    If I can't get a new one for whatever reason I find folding it under running hot water helps, although can make it too soft.
    I sometimes place them in warm water first to make them easier to mould. If, like you say, you run them under warm/hot water while folding you tend to reveal more 'fresh' clay - you can't really clean them as such because the dirt is ingrained into them, but folding under warm water makes them more pliable for sure and so you seem to get a bit more life from them. You need to be careful if then going to clay the car when the bar is warm though, as it can end up sticking to the paint and then it's a bugger to get off
    If you have any car care related questions, ask me in the Cleaning/Detailing section.

  8. #8
    Punto know it all
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    Cheers for the guide

    I'm not liking the sound of claying wheels though, especially not mine, sounds like a nightmare

  9. #9
    Punto know it all
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    very useful guide. always wondered what the score was with clay bars.
    so they have a short shelf life - what are the makes and what sort of prices??

  10. #10
    Punto know it all
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    I use a 3m clay, about £17.

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