Guide to Using Automotive Clay Bars
Clay bars remove contaminants that shorten the life and protective properties of a vehicle’s finish. Claying ensures maximum shine after waxing a vehicle.
Preparing Your Finish for Claying
Wash your vehicle by hand. The most thorough washing possible optimizes the results achieved with the clay bar.
Choosing A Clay Bar
Clay bars from JDMuscle are a great choice to protect your vehicles finish. If you’ve never used a clay bar before, you will want to use fine grade. Using a fine grade bar minimizes the risk of scuffing your vehicle’s finish. The surface of your vehicle must be lubricated with a special spray before the clay bar can be used.
Shaping the Clay Bar
The heat from your hands makes a clay bar pliable. Work a 2 oz. piece of clay bar with your hands as you would modeling clay. The objective is to mold the bar into a circle about three-quarters of an inch thick.
Start with The Cleanest Area
Most of the debris you want to remove collects on the lower parts of the vehicle. Claying your vehicle from the top down is the most efficient way to use your clay bar. While claying your vehicle work on one 2’x 2′ section at a time. Before claying, saturate the section you are claying and the clay bar with the lubricating spray. Do not clay an unlubricated area.
Moving the Clay Bar
Only apply enough pressure to the clay bar to maintain contact with the surface of the vehicle. Work the clay bar by moving it up and down or back and forth. Never move the clay in a circular motion. Some resistance when you first start claying is normal. If the resistance continues, apply more lubricant.
Occasionally Check the Clay Bar
As the clay bar moves over the surface of your vehicle, it is picking up debris. Check the surface of the bar occasionally. If the clay is dirty, fold it over on itself to create a new cleaning surface, apply more lubricant, and continue claying. Before starting a new section, fold the clay over to create a clean surface. If you can no longer create a clean surface, it is time for a new 2 oz. piece of clay.
Check Your Work After claying a section, use a microfiber cloth to remove the lubricant. Run your hand over the section. If you feel any rough spots, that area needs to be clayed again. Repeat the above steps until your whole vehicle has been clayed. Now you are ready to wax or apply a protective sealant.
