Thank you man u explained everything clearly. Just clayed my 30 year old lexus today, i just did the hood since i was busy. I ordered a buffer kit with clqy bar and just couldnt wait to do it properly on thr weekend, that why i just did the hood today. So far im happy with the results just on the hood. After claying, i buffed it with meguiars rubbing compound then after that i polished it. The hood is almost like a mirror now 👍
Happy to hear that this video was of help and that you have your Lexus looking great! If you have any questions along the way do not hesitate to reach out (www.detailedimage.com/Contact/).
Here's a question I get alot.. how often should you throw away the clay / get a new one. I think it really depends on how bad the cars are; as to how many cars I can get out of one. But I'd like to hear your thoughts.
It does depend on how bad the paint is and how much contamination you are removing. I generally split clay bars up into small pieces, use one piece, kneading it to expose a new edge during use. Once you have a good amount of contamination in it, I toss that piece and grab a new one.
Charlene - You want to constantly massage the clay bar to have a clean area to wipe. Once the bar has so much contamination that a new clean side cannot be massaged out, then you will need to swap to a new bar. I personally break each bar into various pieces and can get many applications as long as the vehicle is not deeply contaminated.
When detailing you want to follow this order: 1. Washing and decontamination 2. Drying 3. Clay Bar 4. Polish (start with the lightest polishing option first on a test spot. If you need to bump up the power and end up using a heavier corrective pad/polish combo that is okay. You will just have to follow up with a lighter pad/polish combination to finish the paint down). 5. Wax If you have any other questions feel free to contact us (www.detailedimage.com/Contact/).
HI best ever is to use Bilt Hamber clay fr UK they have their own clay mine ! avail in S , M, H grades it is so pure they say and it is TRUE ! you can use just plain water for lube ! ! try it let me know what you think ? and update your video w/an addendum ? thx Jack
Hey. I just applied a spray wax/ceramic coating on a 4 month old truck. Didnt know that i may have needed to claybar first. Do i need to remove the sealant? And how do i do that if i do
You do not need to clay before applying a sealant. It is recommended, but there are times when you do not have embedded contamination to remove, so a clay bar is not needed. I would wait the few months for the sealant to wear away and on your next application check to see if clay is needed before reapplying.
How often would you need to clay bar your paint after the first treatment. I just clayed and waxed my car. Love the new feel to it. My paint feels like it’s full of life again.
You should only need to use clay when there's heavy contamination that may not come off when just washing isn't enough or you're prepping the paint for polishing. Here is some more info in our detailing guide about clay bars - www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/Clay-Bar/#frequency. Hope that helps and let us know if you have anymore questions.
You do not need to polish after claying. When using a clay bar you are removing embedded contamination, cleaning the surface and prepping it for polishing or protection. If you have any imperfections in the paint, polishing after claying is the next step.
@@DetailedImage thank you for responding, just so I can be clear, after I''vd played, I can use a spray wax or in a can, correct? Thank you once again, can't wait to start claying.
It really depends. I personally would inspect the paint and if you think there are debris on the surface after claying, a quick wash is not a bad idea. With that said, a quick wipedown with an instant detailer and clean microfiber generally does the trick.
Question, So you say you clay bar only the car if you get een next level of detail on the car. So you want to say only use the clay bar if you gone polish the car? Greetings
When I used clay, the residue left needed polishing away anyway. From what I saw, no amount of washing would have brought the paint back after clay bar treatmemt. I would say if you need to clay bad paint, then it's 4 stages, 1. Clay 2. Compound 3. Wax/Polish 4. Ceramic coat. The decision really is, do you need to clay, or will a proper wash, snow foam, traffic film remover type clean work, then compound the paint. Mines only been clayed as it's over 20 years old, so it's getting every possible treatment before deciding on whether a visit to the paint shop is needed.
I scraped the right front of my CRV against the white rubber gasket of the frame of my garage. It left white "streaks" on the car. I was able to peal off some but not all of them. I tried soap and water to loosen the remaining ones and was able to remove one or two more. What do you suggest I do to to remove the remainder without the need to do anything else except to wash the surface? Thank you.
This was very helpful as a newbie and you explained how to do this extremely well! My only question is I just purchased my first clay bar kit. The clay bars are "premium". What grade does that mean: fine, medium, or course?
Thank you for the comment and happy to hear you enjoyed this video! For the clay bar you have, "premium" can mean anything and most likely does not have anything to do with the grade of the clay bar in the kit. Instead, "premium" most likely is a marketing term to list the clay bar as quality or high end. If you let me know what exact kit you picked up, I can try and look it up and see if I can tell what grade bar is within it.
With clay bars we do generally recommend light pressure. Use a good lube and glide the bar across the surface, let the bar pull the contamination away. If you use pressure, you can marr the surface more than needed.
Hi, I think I have a good question. My Audi is 10 years old and I can feel heavy contamination. MUST I use the most coarse Claybar or can I choose to use a light one that will eventually remove the contamination? Thank you for your time. Also, where are you from in New England? I live in Biloxi now, but I’m originally from Worcester, Massachusetts.
A clay bar can remove some of the old wax layers, but should not be used if that is your main priority. If you want to remove old wax layers, use a shampoo designed to remove old layers of wax or use something like the Gtechniq Panel Wipe. If you plan on polishing, that will also remove old wax layers as well, but I like to try and remove as much as I can before starting the polishing process.
If I use clear protection film already, do I still need to use the clay bar after a while? If I do, does the clay bar reduce the performance of the film protection? Thanks
I prefer a clay bar, only because I feel I can get into smaller areas with it. I think it totally goes down to personal preference. What do you like to use?
Wearing a latex or nitrile glove can help when you are slowly dragging your hand across the surface. The thin layer can grab onto any embedded contamination, helping you realize there is still some left on the surface. Generally we do this as a double check if we have any areas with some tough or finicky contamination to be removed.
Thank you so much for being so especific, you answer was What I was looking for. God bless ypu guys and keep up the good work.
Glad it helped!
Great tutorial on using clay for detailing!! Very helpful. Thank you!!
Happy to hear you enjoyed it!
hugh fan.u guys r amazing with great customer service and great prices..thanks James
Hey Richard! Thanks for watching!
Just hear to learn and you put it so well. Thanks man. Prayers for your business.
Thank you man u explained everything clearly. Just clayed my 30 year old lexus today, i just did the hood since i was busy. I ordered a buffer kit with clqy bar and just couldnt wait to do it properly on thr weekend, that why i just did the hood today. So far im happy with the results just on the hood. After claying, i buffed it with meguiars rubbing compound then after that i polished it. The hood is almost like a mirror now 👍
Happy to hear that this video was of help and that you have your Lexus looking great! If you have any questions along the way do not hesitate to reach out (www.detailedimage.com/Contact/).
Big fan of the Mitt with the foam bath. Huge time saver.
Marty- the clay mitt definitely is a huge time saver.
My son and I always circle back to the Mothers yellow Clay bars and Clay Magic. Both EZ to get. Our go to lubrication is Meguiars Last Touch @ 2:1.
Great combos!!!
Here's a question I get alot.. how often should you throw away the clay / get a new one. I think it really depends on how bad the cars are; as to how many cars I can get out of one. But I'd like to hear your thoughts.
It does depend on how bad the paint is and how much contamination you are removing. I generally split clay bars up into small pieces, use one piece, kneading it to expose a new edge during use. Once you have a good amount of contamination in it, I toss that piece and grab a new one.
Perfect explanation!
Noob here. Your site and videos are so helpful. I don't plan on polishing. What is my next step/product? Thanks!
Chris - If you do not plan to polish and only thoroughly clean the paint, once finished you can jump right into applying a wax, sealant or coating.
Great video & thanks for the schooling. I needed it. lol
Happy to hear that you enjoyed it!
with my arthritis in both hands I like towels and blocks.it 51 they work 4 me.
Right
How do you know when to switch the clay out? How often do you do that when doing a car?
Charlene - You want to constantly massage the clay bar to have a clean area to wipe. Once the bar has so much contamination that a new clean side cannot be massaged out, then you will need to swap to a new bar. I personally break each bar into various pieces and can get many applications as long as the vehicle is not deeply contaminated.
I used a scratch remover kit all over my car, then I used a compound behind it. Now I'm gonna clay bar and wax it. Did I do that in the right order?
When detailing you want to follow this order:
1. Washing and decontamination
2. Drying
3. Clay Bar
4. Polish (start with the lightest polishing option first on a test spot. If you need to bump up the power and end up using a heavier corrective pad/polish combo that is okay. You will just have to follow up with a lighter pad/polish combination to finish the paint down).
5. Wax
If you have any other questions feel free to contact us (www.detailedimage.com/Contact/).
HI
best ever is to use Bilt Hamber clay fr UK they have their own clay mine ! avail in S , M, H grades it is so pure they say and it is TRUE ! you can use just plain water for lube ! ! try it let me know what you think ? and update your video w/an addendum ? thx Jack
Hey. I just applied a spray wax/ceramic coating on a 4 month old truck. Didnt know that i may have needed to claybar first. Do i need to remove the sealant? And how do i do that if i do
You do not need to clay before applying a sealant. It is recommended, but there are times when you do not have embedded contamination to remove, so a clay bar is not needed. I would wait the few months for the sealant to wear away and on your next application check to see if clay is needed before reapplying.
How often would you need to clay bar your paint after the first treatment. I just clayed and waxed my car. Love the new feel to it. My paint feels like it’s full of life again.
You should only need to use clay when there's heavy contamination that may not come off when just washing isn't enough or you're prepping the paint for polishing. Here is some more info in our detailing guide about clay bars - www.detailedimage.com/Auto-Detailing-Guide/Clay-Bar/#frequency. Hope that helps and let us know if you have anymore questions.
Nice video, do you have to use a polisher after you clay? Thank you.
You do not need to polish after claying. When using a clay bar you are removing embedded contamination, cleaning the surface and prepping it for polishing or protection. If you have any imperfections in the paint, polishing after claying is the next step.
@@DetailedImage thank you for responding, just so I can be clear, after I''vd played, I can use a spray wax or in a can, correct? Thank you once again, can't wait to start claying.
After claying, you can protect with a wax if desired.
Do I need to wash my truck after claying it and before polishing?
It really depends. I personally would inspect the paint and if you think there are debris on the surface after claying, a quick wash is not a bad idea. With that said, a quick wipedown with an instant detailer and clean microfiber generally does the trick.
Question,
So you say you clay bar only the car if you get een next level of detail on the car. So you want to say only use the clay bar if you gone polish the car?
Greetings
When I used clay, the residue left needed polishing away anyway. From what I saw, no amount of washing would have brought the paint back after clay bar treatmemt. I would say if you need to clay bad paint, then it's 4 stages, 1. Clay 2. Compound 3. Wax/Polish 4. Ceramic coat. The decision really is, do you need to clay, or will a proper wash, snow foam, traffic film remover type clean work, then compound the paint. Mines only been clayed as it's over 20 years old, so it's getting every possible treatment before deciding on whether a visit to the paint shop is needed.
I scraped the right front of my CRV against the white rubber gasket of the frame of my garage. It left white "streaks" on the car. I was able to peal off some but not all of them. I tried soap and water to loosen the remaining ones and was able to remove one or two more. What do you suggest I do to to remove the remainder without the need to do anything else except to wash the surface? Thank you.
We replied to your email yesterday, once we hear back we will be sure to help asap!
This was very helpful as a newbie and you explained how to do this extremely well! My only question is I just purchased my first clay bar kit. The clay bars are "premium". What grade does that mean: fine, medium, or course?
Thank you for the comment and happy to hear you enjoyed this video! For the clay bar you have, "premium" can mean anything and most likely does not have anything to do with the grade of the clay bar in the kit. Instead, "premium" most likely is a marketing term to list the clay bar as quality or high end. If you let me know what exact kit you picked up, I can try and look it up and see if I can tell what grade bar is within it.
@@DetailedImage It is a kit by Meguiar's. It says it has 3-60 gram premium bars. I appreciate it!
If it is the Meguiar’s Smooth Surface Clay Kit, these bars are similar to a fine grade clay.
@@DetailedImage Thank you! I remember you said to use light pressure with these.
With clay bars we do generally recommend light pressure. Use a good lube and glide the bar across the surface, let the bar pull the contamination away. If you use pressure, you can marr the surface more than needed.
Hi, I think I have a good question. My Audi is 10 years old and I can feel heavy contamination. MUST I use the most coarse Claybar or can I choose to use a light one that will eventually remove the contamination? Thank you for your time. Also, where are you from in New England? I live in Biloxi now, but I’m originally from Worcester, Massachusetts.
You will want to use a fine grade clay bar to start. Always start with the lightest option first and if you need more power bump it up as needed.
Contaminants...does this include old wax? I want to apply a ceramic coating. Will this remove caranuba wax from last week?
A clay bar can remove some of the old wax layers, but should not be used if that is your main priority. If you want to remove old wax layers, use a shampoo designed to remove old layers of wax or use something like the Gtechniq Panel Wipe. If you plan on polishing, that will also remove old wax layers as well, but I like to try and remove as much as I can before starting the polishing process.
What do you think about using plumbers putty instead of clay bar?
I watched a vid that explained that plumbers clay is identical
If I use clear protection film already, do I still need to use the clay bar after a while? If I do, does the clay bar reduce the performance of the film protection? Thanks
It all depends on the film and the embedded contamination you are seeing. Generally speaking though, yes you can clay PPF.
it does not reduce the performance but just like paint you can induce marring on ppf as well.
is a clay bar good for plastic accessory body parts?
A clay bar can be used on trim pieces, just note that trim is more sensitive, so you will have a higher chance on marring the surface.
ru a fan of clay block or u prefer bar?
I prefer a clay bar, only because I feel I can get into smaller areas with it. I think it totally goes down to personal preference. What do you like to use?
I have a light over spray of concrete on my paint it's not alot but it's there will this work
Can you kiln fire the clay?🤪
🤣
After I clay my car I wax it is that right?
After you clean and clay the paint, you will want to polish and/or protect the paint with a wax, sealant or coating.
Should i clay my brand new car?
It all depends on your specific car. Many new cars can be dirty and even have imperfections, so inspect the paint and use a clay bar if needed.
I pretended I clayed, but didnt really, paint looks great, with less time and money wasted.
Umm.. Informative ahhm.. umm.. video ahh.. thanks umm...
You wrong for that.... 🤣🤣🤣now that's all I hear when he speaks
A glove can heighten your senses?
I'm out.
Wearing a latex or nitrile glove can help when you are slowly dragging your hand across the surface. The thin layer can grab onto any embedded contamination, helping you realize there is still some left on the surface. Generally we do this as a double check if we have any areas with some tough or finicky contamination to be removed.
Did u really not understand what he meant by that?
I know you're just trying to be real helpful. But maybe a little less going over the same explanation less often. But great video all in all. Thanks
Uhm uhm uhm.....how many uhm's? Should be a drinking game.