Car Care & Detailing Guides

Using appropriate products and techniques gained from many years of experience, UF has published a series of car care guides with the car enthusiast in mind. With careful application and attention to detail, you too can correctly look after your car, make it look amazing and then keep it that way. Protecting your investment starts here …

Car Care & Detailing Guides Published by Ultimate Finish

9. Detailing Clay

Detailing clay is not, as the name suggests, made from clay! It is a man made combination of polybutene resin and abrasive particles and is designed to remove bonded contamination from the surface of paintwork, wheels and glass. Originally used by the body shop industry as a tool to remove over-spray from freshly painted cars, it is now an essential tool for the car care enthusiast looking for a superior finish!

Clay comes in different ‘grades’ of abrasiveness and the correct grade should be selected depending on how contaminated the surface to be treated is. Clays depend on a lubricant to work effectively, some require a quick detailer spray and some work with just tap water.

9.1 Selecting The Correct Grade of Detailing Clay
9.1 Selecting The Correct Grade of Detailing Clay

Detailing Clay is useful for removing bonded c. Badly contaminated surfaces typically require a more abrasive grade of clay to remove the contaminants, although a softer clay may do the trick and could take a lot longer! Select the finest grade of clay suitable for the job, as the more abrasive clays have the potential to introduce marring (marking) to paintwork, particularly if the paint is soft (refer to 10.5 How Hard Is My Paint?) .

Most clay bars are available in blocks of 50, 100 or 200 grams. Cut the block into several segments – not only does this make it more manageable to work with it gives the added security that should you drop a piece on the floor you will still have some spare!

All clay bars require a lubricant. Some use a standard quick detailer, some use tap water. Whichever you opt for it is important to ensure the surface you are working on is always adequately lubricated in order to ensure the clay slides easily over the panel. This allows the clay to work on the contaminants without abrading the paintwork.

Clay can be used on most surfaces (paintwork, glass, metal, alloys) with the exception of textured trim. Before starting any claying process, it’s advisable to have decontaminated, washed and rinsed the car using previously discussed methods (refer to sections 1, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8).

Equipment:

  • Clay bar (soft, medium or hard)
  • Lubricant in a spray bottle

Method:

  • Step 1 – Spray lubricant on to panel
  • Step 2 – Using finger-tip pressure only, rub the clay over the lubricated panel. Initially this should catch and feel grabby
  • Step 3 – Apply more lubricant as required
  • Step 4 – When the clay runs smoothly over the surface this section is contamination-free
  • Step 5 – The surface of the clay will now be contaminated. Manipulate the clay, folding the outside face to the inside in order to present a fresh section of clay to the next panel
  • Step 6 – Repeat Steps 1- 5 until the whole car is contaminant free
  • If you drop the clay on the floor – THROW IT AWAY !

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9.1 Selecting The Correct Grade of Detailing Clay PDF

9.2 Clay Lubricants - Water or Quick Detailer?
9.2 Clay Lubricants – Water or Quick Detailer?

All clay bars require a lubricant. Some can be used with water, some work better with a quick detailer spray (liquid suspension of carnauba).

Always follow the instructions as noted on the clay bar – if the instructions say to use water, then it has been formulated with this in mind. If you try to use a quick detailer with it instead of water you may find the clay starts to break down and disintegrate in your hands. Equally, if the instructions for a clay bar say to use a quick detailer, then water will not suffice and you may find trying to use water with it will cause the clay to stick to the paintwork instead of providing lubrication.

The single most important factor when claying is to ensure the surface being clayed is well lubricated. If there isn’t enough lubrication then the clay bar will mark the paintwork. Whilst this marring can usually be removed during the polishing stage it’s best to avoid making any additional work for yourself!

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9.2 Clay Lubricants - Water or Quick Detailer? PDF