Clay Bar Your HHR
Deceased
Joined: 03-22-2012
Posts: 1,012
From: Rogers City, Michigan
Clay Bars?
I'm old and have never heard of Clay Bars.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
Clay Bars seem to be a mystery to a number of people. It is a relatively new method to the general public for cleaning paint and removing the tiny particles that stick to the paint of your car. Detailers and paint folks have been using it for years.
What is the goal of using a Clay Bar? – To maximize the shine on your car you want the paint as flat as possible. Flat surfaces reflect more light and a higher quality light than bumpy or curved surfaces. A clay bar will remove contaminants that have stuck to your paint that are causing a less than spectacular shine.
After you have washed and dried your car, run your hand over the hood or roof, if you still feel little bumps, then you should probably clay the car to remove them.
Clay Bars are excellent for removing overspray, tar, airborne contaminants that are not removed with normal washing
What is a Clay Bar? – Today’s clay bars are synthetic clay, not the modeling clay that we played with as kids. It is not abrasive and will NOT remove any clearcoat or oxidized paint. They generally come in a 2 x 3 inch, or larger bars and can be used to clean multiple cars. If the clay bar you have is larger than 2 x3, cut a section off and use it. Do not use the whole bar.
How to use a Clay Bar– Wash and dry the car. Make sure you have removed all the dirt, especially around the wheels and the undersides. In a 12-16 oz spray bottle, fill 7/8 of the way with water, and add a little bit of your favorite car wash soap. This will be your lubricant. Some polish manufacturers make a special lubricant for Clay Bars, don’t waste your money. The goal of the lubricant is to not only make the surface slippery for the bar, but it also acts as a thin film, keeping the bar off of your paint.
Place a plastic drop cloth underneath the area you are working on. Clay bars are dirt magnets, if you drop it on the ground you MUST throw it away. The bar will have a huge collection of grit that will scratch your paint. Dropping it on the plastic will give you a 99% chance it will remain clean and reusable.
Spray a 1 ft square area, and move the clay bar back and forth over the wet surface.
Put the bar in the palm of your hand and with light pressure, work the bar over the wet surface. You can use your fingers to feel the paint. When it is smooth you are finished and can move onto the next section. Do NOT force the bar into the paint!!!
Upon completion of a section wipe it clean with a towel, or rinse. Do not let the rinse water dry on the car, it will leave watermarks.
ALWAYS KEEP THE SURFACE WET AND LUBRICATED. Do not let the Claybar move to a dry surface. It needs that thin layer of solution to float above the paint.
Work your way around the car.
When you are finished, wash the car again with car wash and apply your favorite polish/wax.
What is the goal of using a Clay Bar? – To maximize the shine on your car you want the paint as flat as possible. Flat surfaces reflect more light and a higher quality light than bumpy or curved surfaces. A clay bar will remove contaminants that have stuck to your paint that are causing a less than spectacular shine.
After you have washed and dried your car, run your hand over the hood or roof, if you still feel little bumps, then you should probably clay the car to remove them.
Clay Bars are excellent for removing overspray, tar, airborne contaminants that are not removed with normal washing
What is a Clay Bar? – Today’s clay bars are synthetic clay, not the modeling clay that we played with as kids. It is not abrasive and will NOT remove any clearcoat or oxidized paint. They generally come in a 2 x 3 inch, or larger bars and can be used to clean multiple cars. If the clay bar you have is larger than 2 x3, cut a section off and use it. Do not use the whole bar.
How to use a Clay Bar– Wash and dry the car. Make sure you have removed all the dirt, especially around the wheels and the undersides. In a 12-16 oz spray bottle, fill 7/8 of the way with water, and add a little bit of your favorite car wash soap. This will be your lubricant. Some polish manufacturers make a special lubricant for Clay Bars, don’t waste your money. The goal of the lubricant is to not only make the surface slippery for the bar, but it also acts as a thin film, keeping the bar off of your paint.
Place a plastic drop cloth underneath the area you are working on. Clay bars are dirt magnets, if you drop it on the ground you MUST throw it away. The bar will have a huge collection of grit that will scratch your paint. Dropping it on the plastic will give you a 99% chance it will remain clean and reusable.
Spray a 1 ft square area, and move the clay bar back and forth over the wet surface.
Put the bar in the palm of your hand and with light pressure, work the bar over the wet surface. You can use your fingers to feel the paint. When it is smooth you are finished and can move onto the next section. Do NOT force the bar into the paint!!!
Upon completion of a section wipe it clean with a towel, or rinse. Do not let the rinse water dry on the car, it will leave watermarks.
ALWAYS KEEP THE SURFACE WET AND LUBRICATED. Do not let the Claybar move to a dry surface. It needs that thin layer of solution to float above the paint.
Work your way around the car.
When you are finished, wash the car again with car wash and apply your favorite polish/wax.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-05-2008
Posts: 5,464
From: Akron Ohio
One thing I would recommend it to tear off the clay you will use as you do not need the whole piece and use it. Save the second part for later or if you drop the first chunck. The first thing most of the polish companies will tell you is not to use the whole bar at once.
Again this is not a polish and is only a paint cleaner. If you keep a very clean car your result may be limited but if you drive a lot and need a good cleaning it will do a great job. It also removes paint over spray very well.
Again this is not a polish and is only a paint cleaner. If you keep a very clean car your result may be limited but if you drive a lot and need a good cleaning it will do a great job. It also removes paint over spray very well.
All I can say is wow.... What a difference in my paint.. What a shine..! Thanks to all for the tip, this brought my 2007 paint job back to life and it looks amazing... 
Member
Joined: 04-23-2009
Posts: 88
From: Hamlet NC
I really have been thinking of using a clay bar myself. But it already takes me two days to do my car and it really looks great when I'm done.
I'm a Zymol nut. I have been waxing my cars for forty years now and it's the best I have found. Just a slight cut above the other best.
I start with the Zymol car wash and dry.
Then I used their HD cleanse. It's like a liquid clay bar. Looks and smells like chocolate. It removed imperfections, dirt, water spots and oxidation. Your cars paint feels kinda like velvet after doing this. But even Zymol fans say a clay is a little better. Then I put on a coat of Carbon wax. My HHR is black. As good as it looks when its done. it looks even better when the wax has completely bonded with the paint during the next 24 hrs. Then the next day I do another lite washing, then apply the spray glaze. It doubles the endurance of the wax to around 4 months. I do this every three months though.
I'm a Zymol nut. I have been waxing my cars for forty years now and it's the best I have found. Just a slight cut above the other best.
I start with the Zymol car wash and dry.
Then I used their HD cleanse. It's like a liquid clay bar. Looks and smells like chocolate. It removed imperfections, dirt, water spots and oxidation. Your cars paint feels kinda like velvet after doing this. But even Zymol fans say a clay is a little better. Then I put on a coat of Carbon wax. My HHR is black. As good as it looks when its done. it looks even better when the wax has completely bonded with the paint during the next 24 hrs. Then the next day I do another lite washing, then apply the spray glaze. It doubles the endurance of the wax to around 4 months. I do this every three months though.
Senior Member
Joined: 07-05-2008
Posts: 5,464
From: Akron Ohio
To be honest if you spend that much time working on the finish odds are you have no need to clay.
Most of my cars are detailed enough that the surface never gets imbedded materials. But I so work on the in laws cars and clay is a must to get the deposits off.
If the surface is perfectly smooth claying is not going to improve it any more than that.
It is a cleaner and not a polish so what you are using will take car of it.
Most of my cars are detailed enough that the surface never gets imbedded materials. But I so work on the in laws cars and clay is a must to get the deposits off.
If the surface is perfectly smooth claying is not going to improve it any more than that.
It is a cleaner and not a polish so what you are using will take car of it.
