What is the purpose of Claying a car?

Claying is primarily used to remove bonded contaminants from the paintwork of your car but can also be used on glass, metal, and other parts of your car depending on the grade of the clay being used. You should Clay your car if you are looking to achieve the best possible results.

What does Claying do to a car?

Used as a complement to washing, polishing, and waxing, clay barring a car grabs and removes life's harsh contaminants such as overspray, road tar, acid rain, and bug fossils. Doing so not only improves the car's shine, but it also smooths out the surface for a glassy feel.

When should I clay bar my car?

After every cleaning and drying, run your hand through your vehicle's paint, and if you feel it's rough and a little bumpy, then yes, it's time to clay bar your car. The contaminants may have stuck to your car break dust and factory fall outs, otherwise damaging your paint finish.

Does Claying a car make a difference?

Over time, these particles could permanently damage your paint. These particles also prevent wax and polish from working properly, which means you don't get as clear a shine. If you want to protect your paint job in the future and have your car looks its best, clay bar detailing is absolutely worth it.

Why do people clay bar their car?

A clay bar is an engineered, clay-like product that pulls contaminants like water spots, brake dust, metal dust, industrial pollution and road grit from your clear coat. When used with a clay lubricant, these contaminants come loose from your car and get stuck safely in the clay so they don't damage your clear coat.

What Does A Clay Bar Do? | Knight Rider K.I.T.T. | - Chemical Guys

Does clay bar remove 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.

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.

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 you wax after clay bar?

The Short Answer. A wax or sealant should always be applied to the car after using a clay bar. The clay bar will remove any old protection so a wax or sealant needs to be applied to ensure the paintwork is protected to help keep it clean and free from contaminants and UV rays.

How long does clay bar last on car?

On average, a vehicle will need to be clayed twice a year. At this rate, one 2 oz. clay bar will last you 18 months to 2 years if used on the same vehicle.

Can you clay bar glass?

It's perfectly safe to use a clay bar on your windshield. Clay bars are intended to be safely used on paint and glass is a surface that's much harder to scratch. There are times when a regular wash won't remove contaminants like bugs, overspray, and fallout. This is when a clay bar should be used.

Is Clay Bar necessary?

Although using a clay bar on your car is an essential part of detailing, it shouldn't be done unless absolutely necessary. The clay bar has a specific job – to remove bonded contaminants from your paint. Even when used properly, it should be considered a necessary evil since it can be abrasive.

Should you use a clay bar on a new car?

My car is new, do I need to use a clay bar right away? Yes! Most new cars travel a long distances by ship, truck or rail to get to the dealer. They pick up a lot of nasty contamination along the way, like rail dust (metal particles from the wheels and track).

Do I need to polish after clay bar?

You don't have to polish afterwards but clay bars will mar the surface. You may not see or notice it but it is there. Depending on how fine a grade the clay is, you may have to do an intensive polish or just a one-step wax.

Should I clay bar before waxing?

When Should You Use The 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. Those foreign particles block wax from sticking to the paint, making it last for a shorter time and not shine as bright.

Does a clay bar remove water spots?

Typically a washing, white vinegar and water solution, or a clay bar will not remove the water marks, they only work when it's a light residue on the surface. Unfortunately many water marks actually lightly etch in to the surface and in these instances you'll need a stronger option.

In what order do you detail a car?

Can you clay a wet car?

I have found if you clay the car when its wet, your towel for drying up the clay lube gets saturated faster and i find that more annoying than taking the time to dry it first personally. BUT if you plan to wash it again after claying, then you don't even need to wipe. But give claying the car wet a try!

Can you use soapy water with clay bar?

I have used Mother`s and Clay Magic with soapy water as a lube without any problems. These two clays, IMO, are more of the "plastic-y" type of clays whereas the Griot`s clay is a bit more "doughy" if you will and have broken down even with their Speedshine quick detailer as their recommended lube.

Can you clay bar in the sun?

Claying is sunlight isn't a problem. Just rinse more frequently. Better to remove contaminants before polishing.

What can I use instead of a clay bar?

Can you wax a car without Claying?

The best way is a proper multi stage process, but on the spectrum from full detail to drive through car wash, waxing without claying is fine by me.

Can Clay bar be reused?

To answer your question, yes you can reuse a clay bar. If you drop it on the ground it is done, throw it away. You will also want to throw it away if it starts to take on a grit to it. The key is to fold over your clay and knead it.

How much does it cost to clay bar and wax a car?

For small to midsize cars, expect to pay $50-$125. For a larger car, the price will be around $75-150. Some shops will offer extra services, like engine cleaning, paint repair, or interior steam-cleaning for an extra $150 for smaller cars and $175 for bigger ones.