You can carefully wash your vehicle, keep it away from sap-dropping trees, and store your car in the garage at night. But still, you could find bonded contaminants messing up the finish of your sweet ride.
Whether the source is birds, trees, or chemicals from the road, your car’s finish picks up bumps and sticky items. Fortunately, there is an easy solution to these problems: clay bar treatment.
Shop now for clay bars and kits
The Sandwich Bag Test
A clay bar is the size and shape of a bar of soap but consists of a soft, bendable clay mixture that helps trap and remove dust, dirt, and other undesirable embedded materials.
Are you not sure if your car needs a clay bar treatment? Put your hand inside a regular plastic sandwich bag and rub your hand along the body panels. If you feel the bag snag and catch on to something, it’s time for the clay bar.
Vendors on eBay sell clay bars of various sizes and compositions. Some companies also sell a clay bar lubricating solution. But it’s easy to make your own. Add liquid car wash soap to the one-quarter mark of a spray bottle. Then fill the rest with tap water. The goal is to create a slippery mixture that the clay bar can glide over.
Wash the car first, using the two-bucket wash method. That will help knock off surface dirt and grime. Then, find a shady spot so you can get to work.
Handling the Clay
Next, cut the bar into thirds. Squeeze one of the pieces into a thin rectangular shape. Bend one end into a slight U shape to make it easier to handle.
If you happen to drop the bar on the ground, expect to throw it away. If the clay bar picks up any large sand or dirt particles, you risk adding scratches and swirls to your paint. (It’s a bummer, but it’s better to toss away the contaminated piece of clay bar than mess up your car’s finish.)
Liberally spray a car panel with the clay bar kit’s lubricating soap mixture and glide the clay bar in smooth straight strokes. Try to avoid using a circular motion. After two to three passes, look at the bar, and you’ll see the gunk that the clay removed from what you thought was your clean ride.
As the grime accumulates, squeeze and massage the clay to expose a fresh, clean surface—and resume claying. Remember to use straight strokes and regularly freshen the clay.
Repeat the Clay Bar Treatment Every Six Months
When you are done, rinse down the car again and dry. Put the clay in a plastic bag, and spritz it with a little lubricant to keep it moist and pliable for the future. Now would be an excellent time to add a nice coat of wax to protect the car’s finish and help reduce future bonded contamination.
Depending on your car and your local environment, plan to use a clay bar kit every six months. It only takes about an hour, but it makes a huge difference in how your vehicle looks and feels.
