using clay

derek37

derek37

New member
I used clay quite a few times and I've always wondered how safe(smart) it is to use when the bar becomes dirty. My bar always seems to be dirty halfway thru a car. Even when trying to mold the bar to find a clean spot doesn't work because there is no clean spot. Is there a way to clean the bar? How many cars can you use the bar on?:confused:
 
oops obviously I wash (QEW) the car before hand. Would it be better to use a paint cleaner first before claying to try to remove some of the junk?
 
LangMan37 said:
oops obviously I wash (QEW) the car before hand. Would it be better to use a paint cleaner first before claying to try to remove some of the junk?
Click to expand...



I going to clay this weekend if the weather holds up but i notice that a lot of people do a dawn wash first. I am sure that would reduce the amount of crap that is still on your car. But some people don't find that safe.
 
You know this effing site is fantastic. I just got my answer searching thru the LEARN site. David, you are a great great man. Thanks for having the foresight for a site like this. I quit my corporate America job to start up a mobile detailing service and most of my knowledge has come from here. I am forever grateful.



DAVID B. for PRESIDENT!

Thanks. Derek
 
yeah i never thought to roll it into a ball looking for that clean area. What would be a good way to make the bar more pliable? Mine seem to be somewhat stiff. Maybe heat?
 
The warmer outside, the softer mine gets. If you are going to use it, leave it in the container in an area where it can warm up while you wash.



Regan
 
LangMan37- Glad to hear you're finding the site useful. I always wash, then clay, then use paint cleaners/polishes/etc. In fact, I usually clay while washing- wash the panel, clay, rewash.



An *very* safe method is to cut the clay into little pieces and pitch them (well, save them up for use on wheels, etc.) before they even *start* to look dirty. It uses more clay, but I figure that clay is a renewable resource, whereas paint is not ;) Anything you can do to avoid marring your paint is worth doing, IMO.



To soften it, I've been putting my clay (in the container) on/near something warm before I use it, like WCD. It seems to soften it up pretty well. Even bright sunlight coming through a window seems to work if I leave it there long enough. Some of us have been debating microwaving it for a little while (on low power), but I haven't tried it yet...
 
Langman, IIRC, David alludes to this in his article: But what some of us do (I picked-up this technique from BradB) is cut the clay into small sections, roll them into half-dollar size 1/4" thick, use them on each side, then toss them. Since I started using that method, I don't worry so much about what contaminants are in the clay, how to knead it, etc. And I have a hunch that my clay now lasts me longer. :up
 
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