The Need For Claying

[deadonkey]

Ok. So I'd never heard of claying before I read about it on this forum.

From what I understand by reading other posts is that claying is required to remove the nasties that washing alone cannot remove. So on a car such as mine that has never been clayed before (5 year old) Its bound to have a whole lot of surface contamination and so should be clayed.

On the flip side however Ive also read that you can tell if your car needs claying by feeling the surface of the paint. If it feels like glass then it doesnt need claying.

When I "feel" my cars paint it feels as smooth as glass but its bound to need claying after 5 years and almost 100k miles isnt it??

 

[rory182]

any tar stains, tree resin / sap etc? it removes that kinda stuff

 

[Rich]

Use a plastic bag, put you hand in rub it gainst the piant after washing, it will allow you to easily feel anything stuck to the paint. Will remove anything washing alone won't.

Depending on the cars use it may be fine. Mine has never been clayed as it never has lived outside for more than a few hours lol

 

[TJ182]

When your car is clean and dry, look at your rear window where it meets the boot. if its not been clayed you will probably see lots of tiny little brown dots. It’s easier to tell if you rub the back of your hands rather than the front (as they’re more sensitive). I did my boot the other day and my oh my, it has one silky rear now.

When you are sliding the clay across lightly you should feel the roughness at first and then it will just glide smoothly across.
Most people test with a plastic bag.

 

[Darren S]

When your car is clean and dry, look at your rear window where it meets the boot. if its not been clayed you will probably see lots of tiny little brown dots. It’s easier to tell if you rub the back of your hands rather than the front (as they’re more sensitive). I did my boot the other day and my oh my, it has one silky rear now.

When you are sliding the clay across lightly you should feel the roughness at first and then it will just glide smoothly across. Most people test with a plastic bag.

Yep - the boot was by far the worst on mine - loads of contaminents on it. That, and up the side of the doors, behind the front wheels.

D.

 

[makavelli]

When your car is clean and dry, look at your rear window where it meets the boot. if its not been clayed you will probably see lots of tiny little brown dots. It’s easier to tell if you rub the back of your hands rather than the front (as they’re more sensitive). I did my boot the other day and my oh my, it has one silky rear now.

When you are sliding the clay across lightly you should feel the roughness at first and then it will just glide smoothly across. Most people test with a plastic bag.

Yep - the boot was by far the worst on mine - loads of contaminents on it. That, and up the side of the doors, behind the front wheels.

D.

ditto that

my boot is always the worst

 

[Rich]

You boys and your dirty arses!

 

[Brand86]

You boys and your dirty arses!

That's what happens when you bring your car outside its hibernation zone and drive them Rich!!

In Winter I was complaining about road salt and rain, now I am annoyed with insects and tree sap. So annoying!

 

[Igster]

Tree sap is a pain in the boll**ks, worst enemy in the summer for me that!

 

[Brand86]

Tree sap is a pain in the boll**ks, worst enemy in the summer for me that!

Yeh it is annoying, even if your not parked under a tree it carries in the wind, and in the sun it bakes on. Man I hate trees! Concrete jungles for me hehe...

 

[wozzaa]

2 trees above my drive car can be cleaned and polished up and 2 hours later its sticky again from the sap off the trees. clios windows actually got stuck after a few days due to the sap.

my mate used to give me stick for washing my car so much saying i was obsessed etc he stayed here 1 night and went to his car first thing he said was how bad the sap was on his car.

 

[Brand86]

Yeh pretty annoying. If your paints ok apart from a bit of sap you can get away with just claying the top surfaces though, sides and lower surfaces shouldn't be too bad if it is just the sap. I find the insect on the front are pretty annoying though too.

 

[TJ182]

Dust is a a&se as well.

 

[thecremeegg]

Wheres the best place to buy clay from and what is the best brand?

 

[Rich]

All much of a muchness as long as you don't get aggressive ones.

The Meguiars Quick Clay works well enough from Halfords or look into the Sonus Clay http://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/detailing-clay/cat_9.html