Clay Bar Car:
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The Clay Bar Car Process
By looking at the graphic to the left, you can see how airborne pollutants attach and embed into your car paint. These different types of pollutants not only attach to the surface of your paint, but embed into and past the paint surface. Surface prep bars are the modern day process of proper car paint care used to remove and pull these many types of foreign material from your cars paint surface leaving your paint clean, smooth, and pollutant free; a critical step prior to waxing. Let's go through a "clay bar car" question and answer session that will prove to provide you with important information for this critical and important step of the auto detailing process, as well as help you become an informed consumer!
Question and Answers
Q - What is surface prep or clay bars?
A - A synthetic material very similar in consistency to firm Playdoh. Usually palm size, made by most top manufacturers of car care products.
Q - How do clay bars work?
A - These synthetic bars grab and shear contaminates from the paint as it is rubbed back and forth across the paint.
Q - How do I use them?
A - Use the clay bar on a freshly washed paint surface. Used along with a spray lubricant to keep the bar moving freely across the surface. Simply rub back and forth with medium pressure until all contaminates have been removed.
Q - What kinds of contaminates will these clay bars remove?
A - Contaminates come in many forms: overspray from paint, airborne pollution, tail pipe emissions, etc. All of which can be removed when you clay bar car.
Q - Do I have to clay bar car for smooth paint?
A - Yes. Normal washing and waxing will not remove these forms of contaminates from your cars paint.
Q - How often will I have to use these types of surface prep bars?
A - It will be part of an ongoing maintenance plan of proper paint care. Since every situation is different, only you can determine how often is necessary. Whenever you feel any form of surface texture to the paint, the clay bar can be used.
A - No. Despite some self proclaimed experts who advise differently, I have never had a problem with over-use.
Q - I have a new car, is it necessary for me to clay bar car?
A - Probably. Only you will know for sure by feeling the surface of the car paint after it has been washed. Most cars will be exposed to the elements of pollution from the moment they are taken from the manufacturing plants, down until they reach the end user.
Recommendations of the Expert
Any clay bar kit to the right will do for anyone who considers themselves a "Driveway Detailer" or "Weekend Warrior". By clicking on the links, you can use secure online ordering from a trusted source. Yes, I do receive small commissions if you purchase through these links which go to help support my efforts to bring you this information; so thank you in advance.
All these auto clay bar kits come with their own spray lubricants. One of the secrets I pass on to my readers is a tip that will not only save you time, but money. As a professional tip, I suggest using a wet chamois in the future after you have used up the lubricants. Simply wet the chamois and wring out excess water. Place your clay bar underneath the folded chamois and rub away. The wetness from the chamois will keep the bar moving freely across the paint. Just adjust the amount of wetness in the chamois based on the weather conditions. Hot paint in direct sunlight will require more moisture, just as cool paint in the shade will require less; you will get it when you try. Also remember to clay bar the glass windows of your car as this airborne pollution will also attach to the glass and create a grit. Getting superior results with auto detailing also means smooth glass.
The Wonder Chamois
Water Sprite Plus® Chamois 4 sq. Feet
This Water Sprite Plus chamois is the exact chamois I have used professionally for the past twenty years; there is nothing like them. Imagine having all the benefits of a genuine natural chamois, with non of the drawbacks. This is an over-sized chamois which I cut in half from the beginning. I keep one half that I use on only the nicest of moments like drying a freshly cleaned car, and the other half is reserved for "dirtier" jobs like wiping down door jambs, etc. To clean, I simply lay out on a plastic or rubber mat positioned flat on the ground, and hose out with strong pressure from a water nozzle.
I hope these clay bar car tips has helped and I wish you luck in all your detailing efforts!
”Serving Orange County, California for Over Twenty Years”
Orange County Zip Codes of Service
Aliso Viejo92656, Anaheim92801, Anaheim Hills92807, Atwood92870, Balboa92661, Balboa Island92662, Brea92621, Buena Park92620, Capistrano Beach92624, Corona Del Mar92625, Costa Mesa92626, Coto De Caza92679, Cowan Heights92705, Cypress92630, Dana Point92629, Dove Canyon92679, East Lake Village92886, East Tustin92780, El Modena92869, El Toro92630, Emerald Bay92651, Foothill Ranch92610, Fountain Valley 92708, Fullerton92832, Garden Grove92840,Huntington Beach92646, Irvine92606, Ladera Ranch 92694, Laguna Beach92651, Laguna Hills92653, Laguna Niguel92677, Laguna Woods92637, La Habra90631, Lake Forest92630, La Palma90623, Las Flores92688, Leisure World90740, Lemon Heights92705, Lido Isle92663, Los Alamitos90720, Midway City92655, Mission Viejo92691, Modjeska92676, Monarch Beach92629, Newport Beach92660, Newport Coast92657, North Tustin92705, Northwood92620, Olinda92823, Olive92865, Orange92866, Orange Park Acres92869, Placentia92870, Portola Hills92679, Rancho Santa Margarita92688, Red Hill92705, Rossmoor90720, San Clemente92672, San Joaquin Hills92657, San Juan Capistrano92675, Santa Ana92701, Santa Ana Heights92660, Santiago Hills92869, Seal Beach90740, Silverado92676, South Laguna92651, Stanton90680, Sunset Beach90742, Surfside90743, Talega92673, Three Arch Bay92651, Tonner Canyon92821, Trabuco Canyon92679, Turtle Rock92612, Tustin92780, Tustin Foothills92705, Tustin Legacy92710, Villa Park92861, Wagon Wheel92679, Westminster 92683, Woodbridge92614, Yorba Linda92887, Yorba Linda92886
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Clay Bar Choices
Clay bars are an essential part of proper paint care. For silky smooth paint, clay bars will be part of your ongoing maintenance with your detailing duties. Anyone using the clay bar for the first time will be nothing short of amazed at the results produced by a quality clay bar like the ones below. The amazing silky smooth feel of freshly clayed and wax paint still puts a huge smile on my face even after twenty-plus years of doing cars. I can't recommend enough, one of these quality clay bars below for anyone looking to retain the beauty and value of their car.
(see bottom of this list for one of my all time, time saving techniques using the amazing Water Sprite chamois)
Mothers Clay Bar Kit
It is hard to wrong with any of Mothers products, including their clay bars. If you are looking to save money, you can opt for this kit over the Clay Magic clay bar. Still ideal for any "driveway Detailer" with limited demands from a clay bar as compared to a professional.
Mothers California Gold Clay Bar Paint Saving System
Mequiar's Clay Bar Kit
Meguair's has a long standing reputation for quality products and their claybar is no exception. If you are a "Driveway Detailer" looking to save a few bucks, you can opt for this one over that of the more expensive Clay Magic due to your limited use with your own cars. All these clay bars will do the job; it really comes down to how long they last, and easy they are to work with.
Meguiars Smooth Surface Clay Kit
Pinnacle Clay Bar Kit
I haven't personally tried the clay bar kit from Pinnacle. Since the above mentioned clay bars are more than qualified for the job, I have limited my reviews to those above. If you are already a fan of Pinnacle products, then you may want to go with their clay bar product.
Pinnacle XMT Speed Clay Bundle
Wolfgang Clay Combo
I haven't personally tried the clay bar kit from Wolfgang. Since the above mentioned clay bars are more than qualified for the job, I have limited my reviews to those above. But if you are already a fan of Wolfgang products, then you might want to stay consistent by choosing their version.
Water Sprite Chamois
Darren's Tip
Using one of the quality clay bar kits from above is a great place to start if you are a beginner and have yet to experience the amazing results of the clay bar. The clay bar kit is also an excellent way to sample different clay bars along with the accompanying spray detailer or lubricant. For a time saving technique developed by one of my past employees, simply use a wet chamois instead of the spray lubricant. This is a time saving technique I still use today. And since I am divulging this little gem of a secret, I might as well let you in on another gem of a secret, and that is the Water Sprite chamois. If you think all chamois' are created equal, you are sadly mistaken! This is the exact chamois I have been using since day one of my professional auto detailing career. Simply use a wet chamois by placing the clay bar underneath as you rub across the paintwork of your car. The damp chamois automatically wets the paint surface to keep the clay from sticking. Not only do you save time by not having to spray the spray lubricant repeatedly, but you will also save on your spray detailer!
