Decontaminate Paintwork On A Microscopic Level With The Clay Bar Treatment
In a world of automotive care there’s no denying that, in the quest for achieving the perfect shine, cleaning and decontamination is just as important as polishing and adding protection. One of the most important parts of any big detail is removing tiny pieces of bonded contamination - such as mineral deposits from hard water, overspray and protein deposits from bird droppings and bug splatter - prior to polishing. This process, part of a 3-stage ‘decon wash’, is carried out using clay, a substance detailers use to physically pull contaminants out of paintwork, many of which are invisible to the eye. Here we’re looking to leave a glass-like surface that’s ready to polish without causing further damage in the correction stages. As you can imagine, sharp pieces of contamination swirling around on your applicator or machine polishing pad will always do more harm than good.
At Auto Finesse, we understand how important the humble clay bar stage can be to your wider detail, and that’s why we have a full range of professional products including our clay bars, clay lubricant and a clay bar detailing set, to help you address bonded contaminants before you polish.
Shop Clay Bars, Glide Clay Lubes and More at Auto Finesse
A clay bar treatment is a crucial step in the paint decontamination process. Conducted after the contact wash stage just before polishing, it removes the types of bonded contamination that washing alone cannot. If you are looking for a smooth, glass-like finish that’s ready for further defect removal and refinement, such as hand or machine polishing, Auto Finesse has the decontamination products to see you through the whole process from start to finish. Let’s take a look at our professional clay bar stage products:
- Clay Bar: A 200g block of ultra-fine, natural kaolin clay, our Clay Bar is the master at eliminating stubborn bonded impurities from any painted surface, along with glass and gloss plastics. Common contaminants can include the organic, such as tree sap, along with protein and mineral deposits. Or inorganic, like small iron deposits and light tar. With our Clay Bar, you are assured of an effective product for professional results at home. This product is capable of safely removing contaminants form virtually any hard surface.
- Clay Bar Lubricant: When using a Clay Bar to decontaminate the most sensitive surfaces it’s important to use a suitable lubricant to help the clay slide freely as it picks up contamination. Glide Clay Lube is the ultimate partner for your detailing clay, this advanced solution has been developed specifically to help your clay glide seamlessly over every exterior surface without sticking or marring. Glide also encapsulates and loosened particles, keeping them away from the surface and ready to be rinsed away after the claying process.
- Clay Bar Set: Our Clay Bar Kit comes with both of the products you need for the most intensive decontamination of paintwork. This comprehensive bundle includes our Clay Bar and Glide Clay Lube to help you deliver a professional deep cleanse and prepare for any polishing process.
Shop online from anywhere at any time to enjoy fast shipping from here at Auto Finesse Europe.
How To Carry Out The Clay Bar Process
Using a Cay Bar to remove bonded contamination is an important part of the wider 3-stage decontamination process. Before the clay bar stage, and after your pre-wash and contact wash stages, we recommend using Iron Out Contaminant Remover to rid your paintwork of heavy iron deposits and ObliTARate Tar & Glue Remover to eradicate any sticky residues. Then follow up with this Clay Bar process to remove bonded small particle contamination in preparation for polishing:
- Break off a small piece of your Clay Bar an kneed into a flat pad approximately 2-3 inches wide.
- Lubricate the panel with Glide, and then lubricate the surface of the clay
- Run the clay back and forth across the surface in straight lines with very light pressure – let the clay do the work.
- Periodically fold the clay to reveal a new surface as and when it gets dirty during the process.
- Continue claying until the clay itself stops gripping, you’ll feel the resistance get less and less and the painted surface get smoother and smoother.
- Move on to the next panel until you’ve completed every surface.
- Rinse off the whole vehicle and dry using a suitable soft Drying Towel. Now you’re ready to polish.
Get Your Car Ready for Polishing and Waxing with the Natural Kaolin Clay Bar from Auto Finesse!
At Auto Finesse, we are committed to keeping Europe’s car care enthusiasts and professional detailers geared up for every stage of car detailing. Clay Bars, clay lube and our Clay Bar Kit and are only a part of the complete arsenal of pre-wash, wash and decontamination stage products we stock to give your wet work professional results every time you detail. Explore more by checking out our range in our online store.
