One of the most important, and often overlooked, steps in washing a car is putting clay on it. Many people are asking if it's even necessary, and it is. Think of it as similar to exfoliating the skin. By claying, you are removing contaminants that have embedded deep into the car surface. Who doesn't want that?
Claying isn't as tough as it sounds. Here's a quick overview of the process.
How to use a clay bar
Wash the car thoroughly. Allow it to dry under a shade; drying it under the sun often leaves watermarks.
Spray the lubricant on a 2x2 section. These lubricant products usually comes with the clay bar.
Take the clay bar and break off a section. Flatten it into a patty.
Hold the piece of clay firmly in your hand and start by going over the lubricated area. Make sure you don't miss any spots. Use a linear wiping motion until the bar starts to feel slippery in your hand and you no longer hear a scraping sound.
Dry off the area with a microfiber towel.
Repeat the steps until you have gone over the entire car.
When a clay piece gets contaminated, simply knead it to a clean portion and continue claying—you'll know the clay is contaminated when it's got lots of black on it. If you dropped it on the ground, throw it away and use a new one.
Store leftover clay in a Zip Lock bag so it doesn't dry up.
The clay has other uses The guide doesn't mention it, but you can also use the same clay bar to clean the glass windows and wheels. Like the car's body paint, the wheels are clearcoated. They are also under constant assault from brake dust and the elements. So it's okay to clean them with clay once in a while. But only if you still have some left after cleaning the whole car first.
