Best Clay Bar Usage Tips
It’s time to use the clay bar when your paint does not feel smooth as glass. Any rough feeling is pollution and contamination stuck on the paint, and only the clay bar can remove it safely. Start by washing the vehicle: scrubbing loose dirt on the paintwork turns your clay bar into sandpaper, so avoid tons of swirls and scratches by starting with a clean surface. Use the proper lubricant to glide the clay by smoothly over the surface, and to maintain the integrity of the synthetic clay material. Attempting to clay with soap and water can be too rough on the paint and dissolve the clay bar, so stick to synthetic detail sprays and clay bar lubricants like Clay Luber for the best results. Break off just ⅓ of the clay bar and shape it into a small patty. Use only a small piece because if you drop the clay bar on the ground, you have to throw it away! Once it falls on the ground, the clay bar picks up any small rocks or bits of abrasive dirt and grit, and it is now sandpaper for your paint. Mist a liberal coating of your preferred lubricant over the surface, and gently glide the clay bar to pick up embedded debris. Quickly scrub in short 12” passes to fully decontaminate the surface. The clay bar will stick at first, but the rough sounds and stickiness will subside into smooth action as the surface cleans up. Work one panel at a time, and wipe off lubricant residue and buff the panel dry to avoid spotting as you work. Re-knead the clay bar to expose a fresh surface after working 1-2 panels, or whenever the surface looks too dirty to use. Discard the used clay bar once no fresh surface is exposed with kneading. Use the clay bar on any exterior car part that is shiny or clear, including paintwork, glass, clear plastic, polished metals, carbon fiber, and more. Follow the clay bar service with machine polishing to remove any swirl and scratches, then seal the pores of the freshly-cleaned surface with a coat of sealant or wax for durable protection and enhanced shine.