I would like to discuss some of the various applications of clay bar. For those who might not know already, “clay bar” is a piece of clay specifically designed to remove various substances from the car’s paint. This include pieces of metal, tree sap and paint overspray. The repeated use of clay bar (I like to do it once a month of my car) gives and maintains that “factory” shine.
Now, when I first started using it, I was exclusively using it for cars’ paint. I love Mothers’ products. I’d get the kit which comes with 2 bars, the spray and a towel. The process is pretty straight forward:
- Wash and completely dry vehicle
- Flatten the piece of provided clay to make it easier to work with (you may also wish to break it apart in two to get the most of each piece)
- Rub the clay bar on the area you sprayed
- If the clay bar sticks of is leaving behind residue (the bars I use are yellow and therefore they leave behind yellow residue), apply more spray.
- The clay bar will pick up dirt/debris. Therefore it is important for you to keep turning the clay to use the clean parts of it
- Wipe off with the microfiber towel
- Use a dry towel to remove any extra spray left over
I started experimenting on other parts of car. I found great results when I used it on the windows to remove dead bugs, tree sap, etc. However, instead of using the spray I used Invisible Glass Cleaner. You can still use the spray. However, I do not like doing so since it is much like spray wax and it may leave a greasy film on the windows. Sure, this can be removed but you would just be adding an additional step to the process. In cases when I run out of the provided bottle of Mother’s spray, I switch to regular Spray-On Wax (I prefer Turtle Wax). Once you saturate the area, you repeat the same steps as above.
Before the clay bar
It also works miracles on chrome bumpers and front grills. The main thing I believe merits repetition is that the area must be soaked with the spray (or wax) you use. Otherwise, the clay bar will leave residue behind and this might be difficult to remove. The last thing you would want is to leave the area you are working on looking worse than before you started working on it.
After using clay bar
Once the clay bar reaches its “maximum capacity” (it will be very dirty) you can use it to clean your wheels. Sometimes I have had a particularly hard time removing the brake dust/grime from the wheels. The best part is that the clay bar is not at all damaging on any type of wheel. I have used it on aluminum hubcaps and chrome wheels and have seen really good results with both. You may also use it to clean the painted area within the wheel well. Again, the same steps as above would be repeated to clean any of the parts I have discussed.
Marty is originally from Bulgaria. He came to the US at the age of 15. He lived in Syracuse for 15 years. He has customers in Buffalo, Syracuse and Binghamton. He worked as a car washer/detailer for a Saturn dealership in the Syracuse, NY area for over 2 years. He loved cleaning cars and after leaving Saturn, he decided to pursue his passion. Marty has had many satisfied customers over the years.What makes him stand out from the competition is that he will come to your house and do your vehicle in a place of your choosing.
All photos courtesy of Martin Kostadinov
