Clay is freaking amazing

[soulreapersteve]

Originally Posted by MuseChaser

I hate reading threads like these. It makes me feel like I don't deserve my car. I wash a couple times a year, and wax once. Thought clay was for making sculptures. Sigh. Guess I'll have to do better. Thanks for feeding my inferiority complex, all. Merry Christmas..

Barry

I was in the same boat, read that people spend hours washing, claying, polishing, and waxing. Also thought clay was for making sculptures.

Then I went to a car wash with a buddy and we spent about 5 hours doing all the above except polish. It's fun cleaning the car alongside someone else.

[Impureclient]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Use it the same way? I have looked at them but wasn't convinced. Just seemed to easy.

I used clay for years and the sponge did seem to easy so I just bought it at a local auto paint supply as it was under $10 to try it. It does do the same as the regular clay and I kind of trust it more as the garbage doesn't get stuck into the clay and get rubbed around as much and mar the paint. I think the guy said it should last 10 or so uses. It lasts longer, is cheaper, you can drop it, gets the same results so it's a winner in my book. They have them in different grades and I got the fine one. Only used it once so far but it did work as well as the clay.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Impureclient

I used clay for years and the sponge did seem to easy so I just bought it at a local auto paint supply as it was under $10 to try it. It does do the same as the regular clay and I kind of trust it more as the garbage doesn't get stuck into the clay and get rubbed around as much and mar the paint. I think the guy said it should last 10 or so uses. It lasts longer, is cheaper, you can drop it, gets the same results so it's a winner in my book. They have them in different grades and I got the fine one. Only used it once so far but it did work as well as the clay.

Perfect. Thanks. I will give it a go in the summer.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by soulreapersteve

............. It's fun cleaning the car alongside someone else.

I hear that ..... I've been looking for her to do the inside ......


humfrz

[WhiteFRS69]

ive been using Sonax Fall out of Auto Finesse Iron Out and have noticed a big reduction in having to clay

i only clay my car usually twice a year, right before and after the winter months

[YamahaR86]

Full detail for me takes half a day or more.

So typically I clay twice a year which is the full detail days. Wax every 1-2 months and wash every weekend or two weeks.

That feeling of a clean car is so nice, especially after a full detail day I roll down the windows and just keep rubbing my hand on the outside A pillar or roof for that smoothness.

[Packofcrows]

Originally Posted by kravi

Anyone have any suggestions on how to reduce the incidences of claying? Over the course of an hour, mistakes are bound to happen, but I figure I can reduce the incidences and not waste the clay.

Go to dollar tree, buy plastic bags or go to home depot and buy the paint splash plastic (forgot name) thingies to put on floor. Cut them up so that they cover 3x3 (feet) or so and place it under you. This way if it falls, its more likely to have dirt on it from you stepping on it than the floor.



Learned this from watching random neighbor wash his corvette.

BTW quick tip when thinking of fully detailing:

If you ever use a wash like Meguiar's G17748 Ultimate Wash and Wax, make sure you then remove wax (I use dish soap to rewash) and/or choose a non wax wash for car in the beginning. Then clay with a quik detailer (imo). It gets toxins (lol) off better that way from clear coat.

p.s. last tip is split cay into 2 bars. ...or buy 2nd. Use one for dirty and 2nd for 2nd pass over 'clean' clayed side.

[Teseo]

Originally Posted by Packofcrows

Go to dollar tree, buy plastic bags or go to home depot and buy the paint splash plastic (forgot name) thingies to put on floor. Cut them up so that they cover 3x3 (feet) or so and place it under you. This way if it falls, its more likely to have dirt on it from you stepping on it than the floor.



Learned this from watching random neighbor wash his corvette.

BTW quick tip when thinking of fully detailing:

If you ever use a wash like Meguiar's G17748 Ultimate Wash and Wax, make sure you then remove wax (I use dish soap to rewash) and/or choose a non wax wash for car in the beginning. Then clay with a quik detailer (imo). It gets toxins (lol) off better that way from clear coat.

p.s. last tip is split cay into 2 bars. ...or buy 2nd. Use one for dirty and 2nd for 2nd pass over 'clean' clayed side.

Let me see if i understood, before wax is better wash the car with dish soap? Will not harm the clear coat? And what if i wash the car with soap with "wax" then clay and last wax?

[Packofcrows]

Originally Posted by Teseo

Let me see if i understood, before wax is better wash the car with dish soap? Will not harm the clear coat? And what if i wash the car with soap with "wax" then clay and last wax?

Was at work.

So, if you are going to clean your car and do a clay (and later wax), I recommend to also get rid of whatever wax is already there already. Many believe new wax will remove old wax. IMHO remove everything for a more thorough cleaning.



Above is what I use (sensitive one). I do this every 2-3 months before waxing.

Washing car with soap+wax imo still leaves some small degree of gunk stuck in with wax before claying. I'd prefer to go into the clearcoat, since, a lot of the gunk gets stuck to it there more often than wax.

It's what I recommend.