| There's a new car cleaning product in town and it is | | | | least aggressive clays should be adequate enough for |
| about to become one of the staple weapons in the | | | | most people. Only move onto a more agressive grade |
| car owners arsenal in the fight against the dirt found | | | | if you have demonstrated your current clay is not up |
| on the car. | | | | to the task. |
| I am talking about detailing clay. Detailing clay is used | | | | The detailing clay works by simply pulling off the dirt |
| for removing what's known as bonded contaminents | | | | particles which are then held onto by the clay. It is |
| from your paintwork. | | | | important to note here that you use detailing clay along |
| You might find that after washing your car, although it | | | | with a suitable lubricant. It is also necessary to knead |
| looks all clean and shiny, it actually feels kind of rough | | | | the clay to move the contaminents that have been |
| or bobbly to the touch. The next time you wash your | | | | removed from your car from the surface of the clay. |
| car, once it is dry, try running your hand gently over the | | | | If you don't do this, or you don't use enough lubricant |
| paintwork. Does it feel a bit rough to the touch? Those | | | | then you could cause marring on the surface of your |
| are the contaminents left behind after the washing | | | | paintwork. If after properly kneading the clay you can |
| process that have bonded to your car's paintwork. | | | | no longer see a clean surface to use then the clay |
| They could come from anywhere and include things | | | | should be discarded and a new piece used. |
| such as break dust and other airborne contaminents | | | | Examples of lubricants that you may want to consider |
| encountered while driving, tree sap or bird droppings | | | | can be found by manufacturers such as Meguiars, |
| etc. | | | | Clearkote and Pinnacle, and there are others. |
| Detailing clay has been developed to remove the | | | | You should constantly knead the clay while you are |
| above contaminents from your car's bodywork to | | | | using it to ensure that it remains soft and warm. When |
| leave it as smooth as glass. In fact, you can also use | | | | it goes cold, it may become brittle and it will not be |
| detailing clay on your glass work and wheels. One | | | | effective in lifting off the contaminents from the |
| word of caution though, use a different one for each, | | | | paintwork. This could also leave surface marring. |
| the last thing you want is for the brake dust that has | | | | Work on small areas of the car body at a time, say |
| been removed from your wheels and transferred to | | | | one panel at a time. Wet the surface thoroughly with |
| the clay to then scratch your paintwork. | | | | your lubricant and then gently work the clay over the |
| So how do you go about using detailing clay? | | | | surface. Use only light finger pressure. Don't press on |
| Well, just to re-iterate, a detailing clay is all about | | | | too hard. Let the clay do the work. |
| removing dirt that ordinary washing leaves behind. It | | | | Don't use the clay on dry panels, if the lubricant dries |
| should leave you with a smooth to the touch finish that | | | | before you get to a bit, spray on some more. Once |
| can then be polished, waxed and sealed. Simply | | | | you are happy that the surface is smooth, wipe off |
| waxing your car straight after waxing will simply wax | | | | any clay left behind with a soft cloth. |
| over those hard to remove contaminents. | | | | Finally remember that the claying process will also |
| If you are new to using detailing clay, you need to | | | | remove any previously applied layers of wax, so you |
| ensure that you start off with a gentle one, as they | | | | should always follow the claying process with polishing, |
| are available in different grades depending on how | | | | waxing and sealing. |
| stubbord the contaminents are on your paintwork. The | | | | |