My complicated relationship with the clay bar

[Mikepol2]

So I won't be here long and apologize for clickbaiting but... I HATE the clay bar.

For endless time the thought has been that black cars are hardest to keep clean.

I would volunteer that it is actually WHITE cars that are hardest to keep clean.

I washed my white 2019 Ram a couple days ago and discovered a field of tar spots from headlight to taillight.

Affter 4 hours with the clay bar, the finish is ready for CQuartz 3.0. My shoulders are aching and every spot required its own rub.

Make no mistake: There is no easy recovery from tar spots. Goo-gone, isopropanol alcohol, and tar remover had NO effect. It's clay bar, elbow grease, hunker down and work like they did in they 1950's.

I hate the clay bar. But love the results.

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[wingnutt]

Agreed…until I found the clay bar mitt!

https://www.amazon.com/Griots-Garage-10678-Fine-Surface/dp/B01JIOG9MG

…game changer, for me

 

[DFB5.0]

Sometimes, only a traditional clay bar will get the job done. But yes, I hate using them too.

I will say that newer styles of clay treatments are more user friendly for mild to moderate contamination. I'm also keen to try the new TRC Ultra Clay Scrubber -

Ultra Clay Scrubber | The Rag Company

 

[MLO 351]

Its all in the prep, it will be well worth the effort when you look back at the finished product.

 

[Seanuf99]

i washed my white 2019 Ram a couple days ago and discovered a field of tar spots from headlight to taiilaight.

Would have been easier to just sell it.

 

[Mikepol2]

Would have been easier to just sell it.

I actually have been considering selling it and getting something in burgundy or silver. Didn't really want white from the get-go but had to buy something quick and now am kicking myself for settling instead of being patient and getting what I wanted.

 

[MrMike]

I use Griot's synthetic clay. It's my favorite form factor of the synthetic clays, but I'm developing carpal tunnel so YMMV. Cut my time to clay by more than half compared to traditional clay.

https://www.griotsgarage.com/brilliant-finish-synthetic-clay/

 

[22MAVXLT]

You really should try an iron remover spray. Wash your vehicle, get a quality iron remover spray and spray it all over the vehicle. Let it dwell for 5 mins, you will see it start to turn purple where the contamination is. Wash it again with a clean mitt. It really cuts down on the clay barring. Your shoulders will thank you.

 

[Mikepol2]

I use Griot's synthetic clay. It's my favorite form factor of the synthetic clays, but I'm developing carpal tunnel so YMMV. Cut my time to clay by more than half compared to traditional clay.

https://www.griotsgarage.com/brilliant-finish-synthetic-clay/

Saw this at the store and thought about buying it instead of more clay but chickened out.

 

[Mikepol2]

You really should try an iron remover spray. Wash your vehicle, get a quality iron remover spray and spray it all over the vehicle. Let it dwell for 5 mins, you will see it start to turn purple where the contamination is. Wash it again with a clean mitt. It really cuts down on the clay barring. Your shoulders will thank you.

Crap. I have some but didn't think it would make a difference on the tar. Maybe I'll hit it before ceramic just to see what bleeds out.

 

[22MAVXLT]

It may not help with the tar, but it should loosen it up a lil. But you will be amazed how much iron gets embedded into white (any color really) paint. Give this a whirl before you start ceramic coating, you will be very glad you did. Paint correction is the BIGGEST part of ceramic coating.

 

[Mikepol2]

Crap. I have some but didn't think it would make a difference on the tar. Maybe I'll hit it before ceramic just to see what bleeds out.

Iron-X done. Got a little purple out, mainly on the hood. Dries much faster than I expected. Annoyingly hard to rinse out of crevices, like edges of emblems. Also it smells awful. Eraser then ceramic today.

 

[larr12]

I have the Rag Company clay mitt and its really good.

https://a.co/d/jetbKg5

 

[22MAVXLT]

Iron-X done. Got a little purple out, mainly on the hood. Dries much faster than I expected. Annoyingly hard to rinse out of crevices, like edges of emblems. Also it smells awful. Eraser then ceramic today.

Best way to rinse with an iron remover is to remove the water hose nozzle and just let it rain down over everything. It works so much better. It does smell horrible, I will admit. But the product works well. I do it twice a year on my vehicles that get driven all the time and once on my Mustang. Whether I think they need it or not.

 

[jblue]

Agreed…until I found the clay bar mitt!

https://www.amazon.com/Griots-Garage-10678-Fine-Surface/dp/B01JIOG9MG

…game changer, for me

You're one of the first people that I've seen with a reply about the clay mitt. Once I found them, I love them, it makes claying easy and enjoyable. It also makes it much quicker, and I am a big fan of clay mitts. Spreading the word may help others. I have found some good mitts on Autogeek website too.

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