Stage 2 – Surface Contamination
By The Wax Man
You have checked the paint and repaired any small defects. What next?
The surface looks good but do you remember the last time you polished your vehicle. Do you remember looking at the pad or cloth? I will lay money that it was black when you had finished, and yet you had just washed your car! This is the dirt that washing doesn’t remove, however good the shampoo is and you had just waxed over it! Now run your hand gently along the paint, especially along a horizontal surface. Feel Gritty?
The particles you are feeling are little pieces of grit, insects, industrial fall out amongst any number of possible contaminants that fall on your car every minute that it is exposed to the air. This includes whilst “safely” locked in your garage too. Many of these particles simply wash off and do not cause any problems, but if hit at speed or on a very hot day; they can embed themselves in the paint. It is these that you are feeling now. Left there they will work in deeper and deeper until they hit the metal and then the problems really start. They cannot be washed off once embedded and polishing does not remove them.
Car paint is under attack 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The attack is relentless. Once your paint is fully protected you have some defence but what about before you realised?
Fortunately humans are resourceful and we have devised ways of coping with almost every scenario. For this one we have developed detailing clay. Heard of this? If the answer is no, don’t feel bad. Most people haven’t and yet it has been with us since the 1930’s, wrapped in secrecy by professionals to maintain their position in the detailing market. Not any more! The cat, or clay, is now very definitely out of the bag.
Uses for Clay
Clay is not a replacement for proper polishing. It is a tool and like many other tools in the wrong hands and without proper care it can be dangerous. Used dry and without respect, your cars finish will begin to look like your road atlas in an astonishingly short amount of time. Used correctly and nothing is better at quickly and easily removing embedded and residual surface contaminants. Clay is also great for removing over-spray. Tree-sap and even small tar spots can be removed safely. As part of its use involves removing dirt, it is not unthinkable to expect your clay bar to get dirty. When you cannot remould it to expose a clean surface, its life expectancy for paint has been reached but dead it is not. Your clay bar can still enjoy a long and happy retirement being used on your wheels and windows. And as these are less prone to damage the useful life can be extended far beyond that of when it was a paint cleanser. They work extremely well also, usually better than spray cleaners.
So… How does it work?
Clay is usually marketed as pulling contaminants off your paint! Which does have some truth in it. It will lift away surface contaminants and pull them onto the clay. What is not said is due to the public’s misconception of abrasives. A clay bar is an abrasive and if not used properly it will cut the surface far quicker than a standard polish, which of course is an abrasive too. When most people think of abrasives, they think of the old sandpaper that dad used to sand surfaces down to almost zero thickness with that awful rasping sound. Who would use that on your cars paint finish? Well… I wouldn’t and neither would you hopefully!
Far better to think of a clay bar as an “Intelligent Polish”. Its job is to polish the oxidation, dirt and projecting contamination off your finish but without polishing the finish itself. When used on “gritty paint“ the clay be shear off the grits just above the paints surface and then grind down what is left until it is level. At this point it should not show and should not be felt. Though a small amount of the contaminant may be left it simply does not have the mass to sink through the paint with any speed and the surface remains clear of the spot rusting that is so common. It also gives a far better base for your next steps and consequently a far better finish.
Simply put clay works as follows:-
1) By hydroplaning over the surface on a layer of lubricant.
2) When the clay hits surface contamination, it abrasively grinds it away.
3) It shears off any foreign material above the level surface of the paint and then back to 2) again.
Scary huh! For the average person, most definitely, but this is accurate. You can see the result of this by looking at the surface of your clay bar. Large particles should be picked out regularly, general dirt is simply moulded away.
There are several types of clay and although these are mainly made in the same place, they can be very different. Each has its own job and most will do all. General consumer clays are intended for use annually prior to a full refinish of your vehicles paint and they work great if used properly. Don’t be afraid of clay, but do take the time to learn what it can and cannot do and how to use it to get the best from it. That being said claying too often can be extremely detrimental to your paint. Once or twice a year is sufficient. It is, after all an abrasive.
Clay Safety
Detailing clay isn't new. Paint and body shops have been using it for years to remove paint overspray. Clay is fairly new to the car detailing market, and is very new to the consumer on retail shelves.
In the early days of detailing clay, there was a concern that paint damage might occur if improperly used. These concerns have been overcome through proper education and product improvements.
New technology detailing clay bars are made of fine polishing particles mixed into a soft, malleable "clay" medium that allows the bar to be formed and kneaded. Some clay makers add colour to make the bar more attractive or to identify bars of differing strengths.
Still, I have heard some horror stories about people ruining custom paint jobs using a clay bar. I can see how this might be true if an inappropriate product was used or if the clay bar is used incorrectly. The critical component to safety is proper lubrication.
Most clay retailers recommend using their detailing spray as a lubricant. Detail sprays work as a clay lubricant because they contain chemicals that lubricate the surface and “wet” the particles preventing scratching when wiping away dust and light dirt. The problem is that most detailing sprays also contain some form of alcohol. Used in heavy concentration (the surface must be thoroughly wet with lubricant), alcohol removes wax protection and causes most clay formulations to break down and get mushy. Once this happens, your clay is dead, and it will make a smeary mess. Some car wash soaps will cause the same problem when the clay is allowed to sit in the bucket of soapy water. Both SMART Detail and Signature Wash & Wax (No Water) are safe for our Smart Clay and Signature Pro-Clay bars.
Using Clay
Using clay is very easy, but you must follow the instructions. Use clay incorrectly and you will create a mess or scuff the surface of your paint. Before using detailing clay, you must thoroughly clean and dry your car to remove any loose dirt. Direct sunlight should not fall on your car's surface and its best if the work area is relatively cool to prevent rapid evaporation of the clay lubricant.
To use the clay bar, you spray a lubricant on a small area of your car and rub the clay back and forth with light to medium pressure. If the lubricant begins to dry, you'll need to spray more. Clay is fairly sticky and cannot be used dry. Try using clay dry and you'll make a big mess and scuff your paint. After a few passes with the clay, rub your hand over the area you cleaned to check for areas missed. You should feel a distinct difference between the areas you have clayed and the areas you have not clayed. Keep rubbing until all contamination bumps are gone. Finally, wipe the clay residue off with a soft Microfibre towel, and buff to a nice lustre. Just like waxing, work in small areas.
Check the clay bar frequently for hard particles. When found, pick them off. Make it a habit to occasionally knead and reform the bar so that a fresh portion of the bar contacts your car's paint. If you drop your bar of clay on the ground, it's history. Throw it out. Don't take any chances; retire the clay bar if it becomes impregnated with grit. Read the manufacturers' directions for the number of uses of their clay bar. Do not overuse a clay bar. Remember “retired” clay bars are great for wheels and windows.
When you're finished claying your car, you should wash it to remove the lubricant film. The surface should now be ready for polishing.
Onto Stage 3…