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Editor’s Pick: Chemical Guys Medium Clay Bar and Luber Kit. Best Value: Mothers Speed Clay 2.0 (17240) Best Professional Clay Bar: Meguiar’s Professional Detailing Clay (C-2100) IPELY Clay Bars. Griot’s Garage Paint Cleaning Clay (11153) Mothers California Gold Clay Bar System (07240) Adam’s Clay Bar Kit.
What clay bar should I use?
There are three main types of clay bars: fine, medium, and heavy-duty. Fine clay bars are best used on older paints because they remove contaminants with a softer touch. Medium clay bars are a good all-purpose bar to have, while heavy-duty clay bars should be used with caution.
Is there a difference between clay bars?
The primary difference in clay bars is the aggressiveness/grade. There are typically three different grades of clay bar, medium, fine and heavy. Heavy clay bars are meant to remove deeply imbedded and adhered particles. These will leave hazing and should be followed up with polish.
Is Clay Bar good for your car?
The fact is, you should never clay bar your car and stop there. Clay bars are abrasive and will mar your paint while they remove the contaminants. You need to polish the paint afterward in order to maintain a perfect finish.
Are all auto clay bars the same?
Yes, they’re all designed to do the same job. There are differences only in the level of aggressiveness; fine, medium, mild, etc I’ve only used the fine grade.
Does clay Bar damage clear coat?
Clay bars are not supposed to damage the paint or clear coat finish, the particles that are being removed by the clay bar might remove some of the clear coat (see image below for example) the the damage these particles can do over time is worse than the clear coat being removed – and this valleys will be filled in with Jul 19, 2007.
Does clay bar remove wax?
Yes. Claying involves gliding along the surface of the car coat and removing any contaminants on the surface. When you clay your vehicle, you remove the contaminants, making the coat easier to wax.
Will clay bar remove scratches?
A clay bar does NOT remove any scratches from the surface of the paint because it contains no abrasives. A clay bar is useful for when a car’s paint feels rough and is no longer smooth to the touch as it can help restore that nice smooth feeling you once knew and loved.
Do I need to polish after clay bar?
The detailer’s rule of thumb is to always decontaminate the surface with a clay bar before putting on a new coat of wax, or polishing any exterior paintwork.
How many times can you use a clay bar?
You can, therefore, clay bar it at least 2 to 3 times a year. But say you drive your car daily, maybe to work, or do groceries, then you can clay bar it as often as possible. Even if you do it at least thrice every six months, there’s no problem.
Do you wash car after clay bar?
When you’re finished claying your car, you may need to wash it to remove any lubricant film. If you plan to use a pre-wax cleaner polish, it will remove clay residue so there’s no need to wash. Last but not least, after using clay, seal your freshly cleaned paint with your choice of wax or sealant.
Do clay bars damage paint?
What Is an Automotive Clay Bar? Clay bars used by professionals will be more “aggressive” in their ability to cut contaminants from auto finishes, but they can also cause damage to paint in the wrong hands.
How long does a clay bar last?
clay bar will last you 18 months to 2 years if used on the same vehicle. If you buy clay in an 4 oz. bar, like Pinnacle Ultra Poly Clay or BLACKFIRE Poly Clay, cut it in half and keep the unused portions moistened with lubricant in the storage case.
Can you reuse clay bar?
Improper Claying “The fact is, clay needs to glide over the surface to be effective in cleaning the paint.” As simple as it sounds, it’s the truth. Jim also strongly advises against reusing clay bars. “Once a clay bar has picked up debris, it’s contaminated,” says Jim adamantly.
Can you not clay bar a new car?
If your paint feels rough or textured, then you need to clay. If it feels smooth as glass than you shouldn’t need to clay, but it definitely wouldn’t hurt. In all honestly, claying a new car shouldn’t take more than 30-45 minutes, and it requires very little effort.
Will clay bar remove water spots?
Wash your car as normal, but before drying use a clay bar and clay lubricant to remove contaminants. Check out this guide to claying your paint. This will remove all water spots and etchings as well as removing light scratches from your car’s paint.
Can you clay bar glass?
Glass does not need a special clay bar, and most clay bars are safe for glass. They may leave marring on the glass and need to be polished afterwards. With any clay bar, make sure to use the proper clay lubricant. Soaps and water-less washes can often breakdown the clay bars, causing them to crumble and fall apart.
How long should it take to clay bar a car?
If it’s your first time, you should expect the process to take an hour or so. Once you’ve done it a few times (and your car is already pretty clean), you should be able to eventually bring the total amount of time down to about 30 minutes or less.
Can you clay bar clear coat?
Clay bar detailing is an effective means of removing the embedded particles from the clear coat. The clay encases and adheres to the tiny bits of debris and literally yanks them from the clear coat. If performed correctly, you can remove particles without leaving any traces on the clear coat.
