The enlightened followers of this page knows how much i like my car 🙂 . I was reading in many forums (e.g. vwvortex forums) that clay bar was creating miracles on the body detailing of your car. I don`t believe in miracles 😛 I have to see it first…

I went to some auto parts shops to look for a clay bar this Sunday. (yesterday) Damn this thing is hard to find… Since I had no idea of how a clay bar looks like, i wanted to physically see it before ordering online. I found this kit and purchased it. Since i have no garage and washing my car is not allowed in my building`s parking lot 🙁 I went to a car wash place.

This car wash place is cool cause the machine cleans your car without physically touching your car. Also nobody cares if you dry/deep wash your car after.

After the machine wash i wanted to test my clay bar to clean my hatch. In hatchback cars the hatch gets very dirty because of the aerodynamics. All the road dirt sticks to the hatch and creates a very unpleasent sandpaperish feeling.

For guys who has no idea what a clay bar is (just like me before buying it) a clay bar is like a Playdoh ® or chewing gum bar (bar as in soap bar) that you use to clean brake dust and stuff from the clear coat of your car. (very good and detailed explanation here) The kit comes with a clay bar (surprise surprise!) a lubricant (which is basically a detail finish spray) and a carnauba car wax sample (mini bottle).

In order to use the clay bar you need to have a clean surface. (no dust or small particules) Then you have to spray some lubricant to the place you want to use the clay bar.

So you might want to ask that question. If the damn surface is “clean” why do you need a clay bar? Well, there are a lot of mini dust and small metal particules which are embedded in the clear coat of your car. Those are the ones that creates that poreuse and sandpaperish feel when you touch your car`s metal. Usually from brake dust and road dirt. Clay bar collects them all. (99% just to be sure hehe)

Flatten your clay bar and start to move it back and forth on the rough surface with your palm or tip of your fingers. You don`t need to press too hard, At first you will feel the friction of the clay bar and then it will start to smoothen. In most cases rubbing back and forth three four times is enough to clean that spot.

I`d suggest to apply the clay bar to small areas. Like no bigger than 1 m² (~11 sqfeet) After finishing back and forth moves, feel that the surface you are working on it is smooth like the first day.

There is one thing which is VERY VERY important: IF YOUR CLAY BAR FALLS TO THE GROUND OR TOUCHES A DIRTY SURFACE LIKE GRASS, DIRT, WORMS, MAGGOTS, etc.. IT DOESN`T BELONG TO YOU ANYMORE, IT BELONGS TO THE TRASH! There is a bigbig potential that the clay bar collected mini stones which will seriously damage your car`s paint!!!

After claying your car sweep the rest lubricant with a terry towel (i hate them) or microfiber towels. I prefer microfibers. If you wax the place afterwords, you will have a smooth and shiny car.

This weekend I will try to clay my rusty wheels and post here the results.

Go ahead and clay your car. NOW!