How to Clay Bar a Car

Reading the title above will make you scratch your head if you are not familiar with auto detailing. Children are not the only ones who use clay bars. A car clay bar is a basic tool used for detailing your car’s paint surface. Even the seemingly smoothest paint surface is not spared of contaminants that arise from the environment.

From the moment your car leaves the factory and to your home, it is already exposed to environmental elements such as pollution, asphalt, and other contaminants that are not readily seen by the human eye. A basic plastic test will let you understand what this is all about. Run your hands through your car’s smooth surface. Now wear a plastic or zip lock over your hand and run through the same surface again. The plastic has enhanced your sense of touch and surely, you will have felt those little bumps. This is what you call paint contamination.

When elements like dirt or asphalt and a whole lot of other stuff stick to your car’s paint surface, it forms a bond and can begin oxidizing. When it oxidizes, washing the car’s surface alone will not be sufficient to remove them. Even the best of pre-wax treatments will be unable to remove these stubborn paint contaminants. You only have two options at this point - either you use a polishing compound or a clay bar. Polishing compounds contain harsh chemicals that remove not only the contaminants but also some of your paint material as well. On the other hand, a clay bar is very friendly to your car’s paint surface, removing contaminants quickly and conveniently without causing damage to the paint material.

There are different types of clay bars in the market. The most common type is a clay bar designed to remove light to moderate contaminants only. This type of clay bar has an abrasive content that is very low which protects your paint surface from being scuffed. Auto detailers suggest all car owners to clay bar their cars on a monthly basis to achieve the best results. You can also use your clay bar on your exterior windows. It effectively removes bug spots as well as road film from your windows.

Care and caution must be exercised in the use of clay bars. Improper use may lead to possible damage. This is especially true when using clay bars that are professional grade. It may leave surface marring when used in an incorrect matter. This type of clay is designed to be used by detailing specialists only.  Downgrade to the regular type.

Note that the clay bar is not the only ingredient to a fine car surface. You must still wax and polish your car’s paint surface to achieve the results you want. A clay bar is merely a step of preparation. The surface must be clean and free of all contaminants before any waxing or polishing is done. Search the internet for the many available brands in the market today. Happy polishing!

Photo Credits: Eadey

This post involves:

cars, clay bar, clay bars, contaminants, paint surface, smooth surface, types of clay

... and focuses on:

Car Paint, Car Polish, Car Tips

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