FOR MANY FASTIDIOUS CAR OWNERS, the clay bar is a detailing accessory they wouldn’t be without. Others see it as a strange and slightly mysterious process used by professional detailers to remove contaminants in a car’s paintwork, but one they are nervous about using themselves.
As with anything you do to a car, there are a few important safety tips and precautions you should be aware of, but using a clay bar on your paintwork is quite easy, and using it two or three times a year will keep you paintwork looking factory fresh.
How does it work?
A clay bar works by gliding clay across a wet (lubricated) paint surface to pick up and remove anything that protrudes from the paint. Even though clay bars are slightly abrasive, they will not mar the paint. Heavier duty clay bars are used to remove paint overspray.
Your paintwork is constantly exposed to airborne contaminants that actually stick to the finish. These contaminants include brake dust, industrial fallout, bugs and road grime, tar, tree sap and bird droppings. Some of these contaminants are corrosive and will start to damage the clear coat quite quickly if left untreated.
Doesn’t regular washing remove contaminants?
Regular washing won’t remove all the contaminants. If you drive through a car wash, even though your car appears clean you’ll notice a fine film of road grime continues to adhere to the paint. Even careful hand washing won’t remove contaminants embedded in the paint. Over time, this film and contaminant build up can only be removed with a clay bar.
What about my brand new car? Surely it doesn’t need claying?
Well, yes it does. After cars leave the production line, they often spend some time on the docks or sitting in holding yards where they are exposed to airborne contaminants. Many new cars are also transported by train or truck where they are exposed to road grime and other contaminants.
How often should I use a clay bar?
The best advice is to use a clay bar on your car twice a year, but that depends on how much you use the car, and the local conditions. If you run your hand across the paintwork after it has been cleaned and you can feel rough spots, it is a sign that your paint is holding contaminants. Another simple test is to put your hand inside a plastic bag (such as a Glad bag) and run your hand across the surface. If anything snags the bag, you know it’s time to get out the clay bar.
So how do I use a clay bar?
You’ll need a clay bar (obviously), some lubricant and a microfiber cloth. Most clay bar kits come with all three in the box. Some of the best known brands are Meguiar’s, AutoGlym, Bowden’s and house brands such as Repco. Cost ranges from around $23 to beyond $65.
Before you start, thoroughly wash, rinse and dry the vehicle.
A good piece of advice is to take the clay bar and cut it into two or three pieces. Why? Because if you drop the clay bar onto the ground or the floor of your garage it picks up grit and becomes worse than useless – it can actually cause damage to your paintwork. Another piece of insurance is to cover the ground with a clean sheet or similar, so it you do drop the clay bar, it won’t pick up any contaminants.
Take one of the pieces of clay bar and knead and flatten it to about half a centimetre thick so you can easily hold it with three fingers.
Working on a small section of about 60cm by 60cm, liberally spray your clay lubricant across the surface. Do this in a shady spot so it doesn’t evaporate too quickly. Be generous with the lubricant because if you miss a spot, the clay bar will stick.
Using light pressure, glide the clay back and forth across the surface in a single direction (rather than in a circular motion or in multiple directions). If you’re doing it right, you’ll be able to feel and hear the clay picking up contaminants as it glides across the paint. If it isn’t “gliding” use more lubricant and less pressure.
After a few passes, you’ll notice the clay gliding more easily and effortlessly, and no longer be able to feel or hear any roughness on the finish. Once you have reached this stage, it’s time to move onto the next 60cm x 60cm section. If the surface still feels rough after a few passes, apply more lubricant.
It’s best to keep fresh clay applied to the paintwork, so inspect it regularly. After completing a few small sections, turn the clay over to expose a fresh side and when you have used both sides, fold the clay a few times, knead it and then flatten it out again. Closely inspect the clay regularly to check that it hasn’t picked up any heavy pieces of debris that could potentially harm the surface.
When you have finished each section, remove the clay lubricant with a microfiber cloth.
The worst areas of the paintwork on your car will typically be the horizontal surfaces, the rear end and the areas directly behind the wheels.
Another bonus with the clay bar is you can use it to thoroughly clean the exterior windows and the wheels as well.
When you have finished, you can usually store the clay for future use, unless it is heavily contaminated, significantly discoloured or feels rough. Spray the clay with your lubricant, then seal it up in a zip-lock plastic bag or wrap it securely in something like Gladwrap to ensure it doesn’t dry out or collect dirt and debris.
The first time you clay bar your car, it will take about an hour or so. After the first few times, it should take only about 30 minutes.
What next?
There are varying views on whether you should re-wash your car after using a clay bar. Some people don’t think it’s necessary, but a quick wash will remove any potential leftover debris or residue from the clay bar or the lubricant.
At this stage, wax the car or apply sealant.