Removing surface contamination (grittyness) by clay

**JAGOWNER1981** · 08-17-2002, 05:43 PM

If after washing your car and u rub your paint and it feels rough or gritty, I highly suggest you follow this technique to renew the smooth as glass feeling your car had when it was new. I recommend doing this once or twice a year, more often if u live near a railroad track.

1) Well first off I would wash you whole vehicle with a good quality car wash soap and a microfiber mitt using this technique .washing technique

2) Purchase a good quality clay bar from a local parts store or online (I like clay magic (blue bar), pinnacle poly clay, Zaino Z18 clay).

3)I suggest cutting the bar in 1/2 or in fourths and just using that section and put the rest in a plastic baggie. Use the Lube that comes with it and spray a 2x2 section with about 3-4 mists (make sure u are working in the shade or a garage!). Rub the clay in a back and forth motion (front of car to back of car) using little to no pressure. If you hear or feel grit fold the clay bar into itself covering the side u just used to expose new fresh clay. I personally would fold the bar twice every 2x2 section just to be safe. If you do not you can induce swirl marks or fine scratches that will have to be polished out with a buffer.

4)After u finish the section you can opt to leave it wet or buff off the lube with a good quality microfiber towel (which can also be purchase at www.properautocare.com or www.neatitems.com, i personally prefer the neatitems towels, www.pakshak.com also has good quality towels) or you can leave the residue on the vehicle and just completely rewash the vehicle afterwards (i prefer this route, less of a chance of scratching).

5)Then if you have swirl marks and scratches i would buff the car following this technique buffing technique . Then I highly recommend sealing the paint with either a carnuaba wax( some good waxes are blitz, P21S, Pinnacle paste glaz and souveran) or a good quality synthetic sealant(Zaino, Klasse, meguiars #20). Zaino can be purchased at www.zainobros.com and all the other products listed can be purchased at www.properautocare.com www.********.net and www.premiumautocare.com .

alternative lube: Instead of wasting expensive Quick detailer or clay lube I usually use this to lube the car instead, however this method REQUIRES u wash the vehicle afterwards. What I do is wash the car and leave it wet, do not dry it. I mix 1 ounce of Meguiars Gold Class car wash shampoo with 16-17 ounces of warm water in a spray bottle. And spray it on just like i would with the quick detailer. I actually find this way provides more lubrication and lessens the chance of scratching, plus its a lot cheaper

**Rlockyer** · 01-13-2003, 04:05 AM

I was "this far" from asking that question last night after doing a complete Clay/Blackfire job on my `03 Tundra.

I found the answer today while doing the same job on my Neverwaxed `00 Echo.

The answer is "You WILL know".

The hood, roof, deck, and bumpers felt like I was claying 400 grit paper, no matter HOW MUCH lube I shot on. It took as long to complete the Echo as it did the Tundra. I guess the Tundra really didn`t need clay, but I`m sure it pulled some rail dust out from it`s trip from Indiana to SoCal.

On both the truck and the Echo, I`d go over a panel, wipe the lube down, then look for anything that didn`t belong... re-lube and go after the actual spot. The clay actually removed ALL of the door dings from the Echo except for one that went through the clear and left a very minor dent.

The difference was like night and day... I was amazed at how bad the car had gotten when I looked at a clayed front door next to a raw rear door :shocked

The car looks brand-new, except for the many chips and dents in the hood from rocks. I hate bras, but I`m afraid that a bra or a new hood is the only hope for the f/e.

I hope to get some pictures of the Echo in daylight tomorrow, but for now, here`s the truck:

**atldave** · 02-04-2003, 12:21 PM

Originally posted by Rlockyer

I was "this far" from asking that question last night after doing a complete Clay/Blackfire job on my `03 Tundra.

I found the answer today while doing the same job on my Neverwaxed `00 Echo.

The answer is "You WILL know".

The hood, roof, deck, and bumpers felt like I was claying 400 grit paper, no matter HOW MUCH lube I shot on. It took as long to complete the Echo as it did the Tundra. I guess the Tundra really didn`t need clay, but I`m sure it pulled some rail dust out from it`s trip from Indiana to SoCal.

On both the truck and the Echo, I`d go over a panel, wipe the lube down, then look for anything that didn`t belong... re-lube and go after the actual spot. The clay actually removed ALL of the door dings from the Echo except for one that went through the clear and left a very minor dent.

The difference was like night and day... I was amazed at how bad the car had gotten when I looked at a clayed front door next to a raw rear door :shocked

The car looks brand-new, except for the many chips and dents in the hood from rocks. I hate bras, but I`m afraid that a bra or a new hood is the only hope for the f/e.

I hope to get some pictures of the Echo in daylight tomorrow, but for now, here`s the truck:

If you want to prevent the chips but hate bras, you need to check this out. http://www.xpel.com/paint/applications.html

**Rlockyer** · 02-04-2003, 10:46 PM

Originally posted by atldave

If you want to prevent the chips but hate bras, you need to check this out. http://www.xpel.com/paint/applications.html

I know, but it`s too late for the Echo unless I repaint the hood and have the dings filled in. It`s beyond a simple repaint... a couple of the dings are DEEP and will need some TLC with a hammer/dolly or some bondo.

**Blake325ic** · 03-14-2003, 01:34 PM

Where did you purchase the clay magic? I went to their website which directed me to autozone, which does not carry anything related at all.

**atldave** · 03-14-2003, 07:26 PM

I`ve seen it in the Autozone stores, but you could get it online here:

http://store.yahoo.com/premiumautoca...ymagblufi.html

Don`t forget some detail spray and I recommend breaking up the clay into smaller pieces so when you drop it you don`t waste as much.

**Rlockyer** · 03-14-2003, 11:16 PM

Originally posted by atldave

clay into smaller pieces so when you drop it you don`t waste as much.

I like the way you said WHEN

I used all three of my Pinnacle bars on my Tundra. Nearly finished the entire truck, and just as I was about to start the hood, PLOP!

Dammit... on a concrete floor but even though I THOUGHT it was clean enough to eat off of, someone must have left the crumbs from their toast on it.

New block. Got half the hood done and PLOP!

REALLY pisses me off because the truck was brand new and really didn`t need to be clayed... I just wanted to make sure that there was no rail dust left from it`s trip out from Indiana. One bar would have been enough for three or four "treatments".

**pawg198** · 06-17-2003, 01:18 AM

i bought my claymagic from autozone but if yours doesn`t carry it, i`d check walmart. i recently saw that they had it.

**spotter** · 06-17-2003, 07:54 AM

Clay Magic with lube at WalMart is $9.47 and AutoZone was $9.95. Clay Magic might be a good choice .... it is sticky enough that it is hard to drop because it sticks to your fingers pretty well.

**spotter** · 06-17-2003, 08:21 AM

Clay Magic with lube at WalMart is $9.47 and AutoZone was $9.95. Clay Magic might be a good choice .... it is sticky enough that it is hard to drop because it sticks to your fingers pretty well.

**boywonder** · 06-21-2003, 08:31 PM

But don`t forget that you can get the 200gm size.

**chris0626** · 06-21-2003, 11:19 PM

Don`t forget we also now have access to Autopia`s own "Block" clay bars. (Click on the "Shop" icon at the top of the page.) I finally got around to using it, and it is wonderful -- does a very thorough job; has enough "stickiness" so it`ll stick to the fingers of one hand while the other hand is buffing; and comes with a nifty holding case, so you don`t have to pry the clay away from a Ziplok bag.