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.
If it’s been done recently, your paint is likely still smooth. 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.
When should you clay bar a 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.
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.
What does a clay bar do for a car? – Related Questions
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.
Should I 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 do I get rid of scratches on my car?
How do I buff out a scratch on my car?
Once your vehicle is dry, grab some toothpaste (whitening formulas are best) and apply a quarter-sized dab to a microfiber towel. Using a circular motion with medium pressure, work the toothpaste into the scratch and buff it out.
Does buffing remove scratches?
FINISHING STEPS. Buffing an area with polishing or rubbing compounds removes scratches and blemishes, but they also remove wax.
Will clay bar remove touch up paint? A clay bar has only very mildly abrasive and mostly is not suitable for removing touch up paint. It could help with very minor overspray. But most touch up applications on car paint will not come off by using clay bar.
Does clay bar strip 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.
How long does a clay bar last?
clay bar should last you between 18- 24 months if used on the same vehicle.
Does clay Bar cause swirls?
Swirl marks can happen during a clay bar treatment if the detailer isn’t attentive to keeping the bar clean and free of major debris, doesn’t use enough lube, or chooses the wrong type of clay for the paint. Clay barring is the ultimate way to remove paint contamination, but must be done thoughtfully and with care.
Does clay Bar hurt car paint?
Clay bars are abrasive so have the potential to damage paint by causing clear coat scratches, marring and swirls. You can minimise the risk by using a soft clay, plenty of lubrication and keep inspecting the clay for contaminants that may cause scratches.
Why do black cars get swirls?
But what’s really happening is the fine scratches and swirls you see in a black-painted car’s reflection are typically the result of careless, preventable car-washing techniques. Cobweb-like swirls and scratches can look like a bad machine detail even though they’re inflicted by washing techniques.
All clay bars require a lubricant. Some can be used with water, some work better with a quick detailer spray (liquid suspension of carnauba). Always follow the instructions as noted on the clay bar – if the instructions say to use water, then it has been formulated with this in mind.
Do I need to dry car before Claying?
I have always dried the car before claying it. 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.
What can I use as lubricant for clay bar?
One can either use a quick detailer product or a water/automotive wash solution as a lubricant during the clay bar process. Here at AQS we fill a clean wash bucket with fresh water and automotive wash solution and use a fresh wash mitt to lubricate our surface and clay.
Can I use car shampoo as clay lube?
Always use clay lubricants when you work with detailing clay. Water is not a clay lubricant! Don’t try it, you’ll scratch the finish. Car shampoo or soapy water is a decent clay lube and will work just fine for your daily driver.
What is clay bar made of?
What are clay bars made of? Quite a misnomer, clay bars aren’t actually made of clay. They are made of an elastic, malleable resin compound which is often formed into a block for distribution. You rub this block across your paint with the aid of a lubricant to help pull contaminants out and off of your paint.