Wash after clay?

L

logan2z

New member
I searched the forum for an answer to this, but was surprised that I couldn't find a thread on a similar topic. Anyway, I started the first detail on my car today and washed/dried it and then clayed it with Sonus Ultra Fine Clay and Glyde lubricant. I was going to use a polish then wax, but decided it might be best to re-wash/dry the car in order to remove the lubricant residue before polishing. Is this wash/dry step after claying something most people do or is that unnecessary? Should I also wash/dry between the polish and the wax or is that overkill?
 
Its up to you, I like to just rinse and dry the car after a clay. Although claying remove bonded contaminants, it gives me peace of mind to make sure that there is no dirt on the car so that non of those bad boys get into my foam pad when polishing.



Some do, some dont, it's up to you.
 
Contaminants won't always(mostly on heavy abatements) get sunken into the clay bar and after getting sheered off can remain suspended in the lube (which is on the paint). Doing a final rinse after claying just insures a totally clean surface. Safer IMHO.
 
I clay right after I wash, when it is still soapy, then rinse the panel. It saves me alot of time, and some money, since the wash is the lube.
 
Glyde always impresses me as being a very "soapy" lube, so a) I'd rewash or at least do a thorough rinse, and b) this oughta be quick and easy (more so than with some other clay lubes).



And yeah, I too *always* do some sort of rewash after claying.
 
AuAltima3.5 said:
I clay right after I wash, when it is still soapy, then rinse the panel. It saves me alot of time, and some money, since the wash is the lube.
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You might need to explain so I understand but, if you're claying while the vehicle is "still soapy", that means there's still dirt on the finish that the clay is picking up. If so, you're not saving any money or time because you're marring the finish more and eating up clay bars faster.
 
Thanks to everyone for the replies.



One more question: Once I finished washing after claying, I took the car for a quick spin (2 miles?) to dry off the brakes then I put the car into the garage and covered it as I ran out of time to do the polish and wax. So I want to do the polish today but wondering if I should use a QD over the car before I polish in order to get off any road dirt that may have got on the car during my short drive. I don't know if the car is clean enough to go right for the polish or if I would be taking a chance of marring the finish by polishing with some fine debris that accumulated on the paint surface while driving.
 
waste of a drive.



wash outside

clay inside

wash outside

as your bring your car back in the garage, step on the brakes alot (kinda like stop and go motion). that should squeeze alot of water out. that 2mile drive is unecessary.
 
a quick rinse will often help the situation, which I do if the car is moderately to severely contaminated. If the clay is hardly showing any signs of picking up anything then I don't feel the need to rinse at that point.
 
I always clay right after washing. Meaning I wash the car, dump the wash soap and put new wash soap in the bucket, and then use the wash soap and rinsed mitt to lube for claying one small section at a time. So, basically I'm washing twice, but it's more convenient than taking the car in the garage and claying, then backing back out and washing or rinsing again.
 
David Fermani said:
You might need to explain so I understand but, if you're claying while the vehicle is "still soapy", that means there's still dirt on the finish that the clay is picking up. If so, you're not saving any money or time because you're marring the finish more and eating up clay bars faster.
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Oh, yes, I can see how this appears as poor practice!



It is a little more risky in terms of marring, but I am too impatient (and feeling too old) for double washing, making three to four after polish.



What I do is wash with soapy water, dip mitt in rinse bucket, and then soak my sponge/washmitt in the soapy solution, and squeeze it over the just washed panel. This leaves clean soapy water, and hopefully most of the contanimants have been flushed away with the "soap squeeze" from my assumed clean soap bucket.



I know that soapy water vs. dedicated clay lube break the bar down faster, but I seem to have to throw my clay away due to heavy contamination (tar, etc) before it starts to turn into little chunks.
 
Any comments on whether there's a need to wash between polishing and waxing? I'd think not (any need to wash off residue from the polish?), but thought I'd check with the experts.
 
I KNOW this has been discussed before. Anyway, I do a quick wash with car soap and rinse it off. It takes me 5-10min.
 
logan2z said:
Any comments on whether there's a need to wash between polishing and waxing? I'd think not (any need to wash off residue from the polish?), but thought I'd check with the experts.
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....I wouldn't consider myself an "expert" by any means. However, speaking as a long time enthusiast, I typically do an IPA wipedown to remove any polish residue and then inspect the paint prior to applying an LSP.
 
If your using ONR as your clay lube, can't you just wipe it off with a towel as you go and call it good? Same as washing isn't it?
 
ISLover said:
If your using ONR as your clay lube, can't you just wipe it off with a towel as you go and call it good? Same as washing isn't it?
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....yes you can. Personally, I usually work one small area at a time (~2x2) and wipe the area clean as I go.
 
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