ALL ABOUT CLAY

Detailing clay is sweeping the car care industry. Formerly reserved for professional detailers and car dealers, clay has made its way into the garages of hobbyists and do-it-yourselfers thanks to its ease of use and fantastic results. It’s a car care revolution!

Clay was invented in Japan in the late 1980s to remove overspray and minor flaws from freshly painted vehicles at body shops. The preferred (and only) method of dealing with surface imperfections in the states was compounding, which does remove tiny layers of clear coat every time you do it.

When clay finally made it to the U.S., it didn’t make waves right away, not even a ripple. That’s because only dealers and body shops were privy to the new technology. It took years for clay to trickle down to the car-loving masses but once it did, enthusiasts were hooked. Silky, shiny, clean paint without polishing? You bet! That’s the magic of clay.

WHAT IS CLAY?

Clay can be natural or synthetic, but most manufacturers produce synthetic clay on account of its superior longevity. Basically, clay is a malleable plastic resin. It comes in 2-8 oz. bars and it can be shaped as desired.

WHAT DOES CLAY DO?

Clay has the ability to grab the tiniest of debris and hold onto it as it glides across the paint. Used with the proper lubricant, clay is not abrasive and will not affect the paint surface with the exception of cleaning it. Anything that protrudes above the top coat surface will be grabbed by the clay and pulled out. The lubricant will prevent this debris from scratching the vehicle. Once clayed, the paint will feel remarkably smooth and have the shine that comes with perfectly clean
paint.

Clay pulls out things you can’t see, like industrial fallout, rail dust, and brake dust. Though they are not visible, they feel bumpy or gritty and they may cause patches of paint to appear dull, even after waxing. Even worse, as these contaminants oxidize, they create rust spots within the paint. Once this happens, the oxidation is considerably harder to remove and will most likely take a good bit of paint with it.

Likewise, chrome and coated metal and glass are subject to the same environmental pollutants as the paint. Use clay to clean these surfaces, too. It will not scratch metal or glass!

Clay also easily removes tar, sap, overspray, and gum. It’s much safer than corrosive spot cleaners and it leaves the surface incredibly smooth

 

If ordinary dish soap (like Dawn or Sunlight...not Ivory or anything with hand softener in it) doesn't work, take it to a carwash and use the tire clean or engine clean. Spray it on only let it sit for a few minutes (no more than 1 or 2 tops!). Soap has a degreaser in it. Because the bubble stuff (which is essentially soap) stayed on for so long, it might be a little hard to remove. It can be a tad acidic and can damage a layer of your clear coat.

We own a carwash and have been amazed what that tire clean can do. We occasionally wash our bikes with it, and the results are remarkable. Word of warning though, it is extremely powerful stuff, NEVER leave it on your paint for any length of time. Usually, only the time it takes to spray it on is enough then rinse off completely. Removes dried on proteins from bugs and road grime like likitysplit!

A good buffing with wax might help too. Good luck!

 

hey...i like to blow bubbles in the bath...wifey dont like it tho

 

Ditto on the Clay Bar. But, it since your bike's paint will be cleaner than new after you clay it, make sure you take a few minutes to dress iti up with some polish/wax.

 

I went with dawn dish soap. and used just a tiny bit in a bucket of warm water. a microfiber cloth and about 15 minutes of hard rubbing and I got it all out. Looks like new again.

While I was putting some maguires #24 wax back on, the neighbor came out and was talking with me . . . I told him what the bubbles did to my bike. He appologized and then looked at his new firebird. . . it was covered in bubbles. and it has been out in the sun for two days.

He was livid! He's got his kids out in the driveway washing his two cars and my minivan. (the van was filthy it probably needed some soap bubbles)

I doubt they'll be blowing bubbles on cars any time soon.


I'm glad they could learn a lesson. But mostly I'm glad that my new SG looks as good as ever.


Thanks everyone for your ideas. I appreciate your help.

 

It's funny how the most innocent of things affects so many. I feel you pain, and glad it all came out in the wash..

GET IT?? The wash.. haha..

Nevermind..

 

That degreaser is alot like "Simple Green." It will work wonders to clean, but it also removes the wax. I owned a detail shop and used it to remove oil residue, tar. I would not recommend using it alot on paint just because it is primarily a degreaser.

 

Damn, I thought this was the joke about the broad that got so drunk she Blew the neighbors Dog........

 

I was going to ask how old is Bubbles.

 

bitchslap the kids!