Car Clayed

is200 Newbie · April 4, 2015

I managed to get the car cleaned today before the grey clouds came over.

I clayed the car - have never done this before - Washed / Clayed / waxed - took a while but the results were worth it. The paint was very smooth after claying and after waxing it was like a mirror. It took longer to wax the car than it did to clay it.

I used the Meguiars clay kit from Halfords as it had everything in it. A weird experience using it but it worked fine.

A couple of questions if anyone has clayed their cars in the past ... can the "used" clay be re-used providing its not too contaminated? Also, the kit came with a liquid mist spray which I am presuming is specific to the kit. The next time I use this can I use water or does it need to be the liquid in the spray bottle? There is enough in the bottle for another one or two uses but just wondering if water would work just as well.

Picture is below - now just waiting for the rain !!!!! :megaangry:

Carl911 · April 4, 2015

I'm not a professional Valeter but as I understand it you need to use clean clay each time to avoid scratching the paint with contaminants already in the clay. That said, the idea as I understand is to keep folding the clay to a clean area to

Re-use. I guess this will depend on how contaminated the clays be ones as to how many times you can re-use it.

Someone with more knowledge will probably correct me but that's how I understood it anyway.

Carl

stevet · April 4, 2015

If its not too contaminated I'm sure you can reuse, just keep folding it. The spray with the kit is just a quick detailer and used as a lubricant for the clay. You can also use car wash shampoo that's not diluted too much.

agent_dess · April 5, 2015

If you want speed with flexibility get the G3 clay mitt, it's like a wash mitt but with the clay embedded on the mitt, u can buy it from Halfords.

IS200D · April 6, 2015

If you want speed with flexibility get the G3 clay mitt, it's like a wash mitt but with the clay embedded on the mitt, u can buy it from halfords.

I think the mitts a good method too. I can't make comparisons as its all I've used, but it did a great job. The paintwork is so smooth after, cloths just slide off it and beading is amazing.

Arcane · April 6, 2015

If you want speed with flexibility get the G3 clay mitt, it's like a wash mitt but with the clay embedded on the mitt, u can buy it from halfords.

I think the mitts a good method too. I can't make comparisons as its all I've used, but it did a great job. The paintwork is so smooth after, cloths just slide off it and beading is amazing.

Looks like I have something to try this week :)

rayaans · April 6, 2015

The mitts are very good. It took me an hour to do the RX with a clay bar. It took half to do it with a mitt.

agent_dess · April 6, 2015

In a guilty confession I bought my cłay mitt back in January but never got round to using it... In my defense I'm always shattered by the time I wash all 3 cars! :( but one weekend soon I'm only going to wash, cłay and wax my lil baby :)

LexusCT200H · April 6, 2015

I clayed my mums car few months back. Its a white Toyota and if you look closely on the boot you could see black dots and golden(? i dont know what this golden stuff was) which were impossible to remove by rubbing on it. I used claybar and it all came off!!! Only to come back 1 month later lol. Good stuff it is, cost me £10 for 1 bar, i cut the bar into 3 bits for 3 different times of use. Bad thing is that I kinda left a light scratch on the boot but it was virtually impossible to see unless you stuck your face right up against the boot.

mr2lad · April 6, 2015

Omar... Black spots are tar and gold spots are iron fall out ... Saw a post on this on a local detailing business awhile back

Arcane · April 7, 2015

There is a product called Iron-X, a spray which you can use to attack only the metal particles you find on your cars paintwork. Leaves the paint unaffected.

is200 Newbie · April 7, 2015

The clay mitt sounds easier to use - is it a case of using the clay as and when required or can it be used every time the cars cleaned (wont do any damage?)

I did notice a few light scratches when cleaning it that I am sure T-Cut would remove - would cutting the car first before claying have any advantages or disadvantages? I know they do have "softer" paint than other manufacturers...

Arcane · April 7, 2015

The clay mitt sounds easier to use - is it a case of using the clay as and when required or can it be used every time the cars cleaned (wont do any damage?)

I did notice a few light scratches when cleaning it that I am sure T-Cut would remove - would cutting the car first before claying have any advantages or disadvantages? I know they do have "softer" paint than other manufacturers...

I think claying would be done first, as that is what removes the dirt from the paintwork. If you T-cut the car first, I'm guessing you're grinding the dirt into the paint itself...?

agent_dess · April 11, 2015

I finally did it last night, I clayed her :)

1. Snow foamed car in thick foam

2. Washed car

3. Again snow foamed each panel and used it as a lubricant and used the G3 clay mitt

4. Dried car

5. Applied coat of PTFE wax

6. It bloody rained last night! Lol

But man the body is smooth as a mirror when you glide your fingers over her :) highly highly recommend the clay mitt, even my nephew was begging me to do his car lol

rayaans · April 11, 2015

There is a product called Iron-X, a spray which you can use to attack only the metal particles you find on your cars paintwork. Leaves the paint unaffected.

IronX is expensive for how much you gey. Go for carchem revolt or Bilt Hamber Korrosol. If you can live without the colour change, then Autosmart Fallout Remover is by far the cheapest and it's very effective too