Another vote for Bilt Hamber Regular Clay and the classic method with spray lube.

 

I have never liked the idea of using a black clay mitt.  Everyone I have seen with them works far too fast.

 

White clay shows how much the clay surface has become contaminated and then you can fold and offer a clean surface to the paintwork.  I understand that you can dip your clay mitt into the lube/shampoo/water but noone can tell me that they know the surface has released all the lumps of hard tar etc.

100% agree, I prefer the clay bar for the same reason. Each to their own though.

They work far better than youve been lead to believe Mark

However, I always decontaminate with Tar remover and Iron Fallout first, that way it minimises risk

You can literally hear the paintwork getting smoother...I highly rate Clay Mitts

Yep you shouldn't be claying a car with tar on

They work far better than youve been lead to believe Mark

However, I always decontaminate with Tar remover and Iron Fallout first, that way it minimises risk

You can literally hear the paintwork getting smoother...I highly rate Clay Mitts

  

Yep you shouldn't be claying a car with tar on

I was speaking from experience rather than referencing others.

I always advise caution around claying, with too many people claying too often and at times not in a routine that involves a correction polish after and for as long as I have been on here I have advocated a chemical decon before claying. Yet, even after this clay will find particles on the paint, on a bar you can see these with a mitt you wont. Both will remove the contaminants well, a bar for me is more controlled and offers a greater range of grades for different levels of contamination.

Experienced detailers will haveno issue with either bar or mitt, but as always I like to see balance in these discussions so novices can get plenty of info before deciding what they want to try.

Some people prewash some foam some both, we all detail, just differently at times.

I can feel when the particles are no longer on the paint , i dont need to see them on a clay bar , for me claying is very much a means to an end to prepare the paintwork for polishing , truth be told I very rarely clay my own cars. I only ever clay other peoples that have rarely if ever been properly cleaned and polished

Quite

We all have different routines and I always advocate balance as well so that novices will understand ...Thats what advice is all about for me

Some forget that Mark

I can feel when the particles are no longer on the paint , i dont need to see them on a clay bar , for me claying is very much a means to an end to prepare the paintwork for polishing , truth be told I very rarely clay my own cars. I only ever clay other peoples that have rarely if ever been properly cleaned and polished

Me too...Mine is so regularly washed that claying is only done once a year on my car at most

I can feel when the particles are no longer on the paint , i dont need to see them on a clay bar , for me claying is very much a means to an end to prepare the paintwork for polishing , truth be told I very rarely clay my own cars. I only ever clay other peoples that have rarely if ever been properly cleaned and polished

I want to see what has been picked up, my point is more about seeing when the contact surface of the clay has picked up a lot of contamination and the risk of marring with this rather than knowing if I cleaned the paint, I use a shopping bag for that Junkman style, but I take your point. A man who learnt to clay with a bar will be fine with a mitt.

Definitely agree on frequency of claying, I dont think this isnstressed enough and people are claying just to feel they are doing it right.

I still use a bar occasionally , especially on wheels , but mitts are so much easier to use with no risk of dropping on my gravelled drive

I still use a bar occasionally , especially on wheels , but mitts are so much easier to use with no risk of dropping on my gravelled drive

There is little in life like clay rage when you drop a fresh piece.

There is little in life like clay rage when you drop a fresh piece.

 

Very true indeed!    :peek: 

I've used a clay bar for the first time ever and couldn't believe after a wash how much dust was still on the clean surface (i thought) , tested it on my wife's car first, I would definitely advise people to use on their car, might try one day the mitt people are going on about. I'm using the meguiars smooth surface clay bar kit.

Edited 6 May, 201511 yr by stuart vrs

Are you polishing and waxing/sealing afterwards?

Just reading all of this and sorry if this is a hijack but what does claying do and when should it be done?  I am waiting to get my car sorted properly but just getting a date is difficult with my shifts.  As a result I doubt very much if I will bother with claying as the car will without doubt have all it needs doing done to it as and when I can organise it but I am just curious.  I have learned loads on here already and keep my car cleaner and do it better than I ever have before but until I joined the forum I had never heard of claying.

Best thing I can do Chris is point you to this excellent guide.....all explained

http://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/acatalog/decontaminating-paint.html

 

If you want a drive over here, I can do it all for you and protection afterwards too

I do Chris you know I do it is just a case of when.  Half term is coming up soon so with a bit of luck may manage it then fingers crossed and if the price of fish remains the same.

 

EDIT:  Just read that Chris and not something I would want to tackle really but interesting nonetheless.  Thanks.

Ok .....Pm'd