*** The Car Cleaning Thread ***

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Sorry, late night from Super Bowl, comprehension fail. You are correct, a lot of the perfectionists do it but I agree it's a totally unnecessary extra step. That said, I suppose the danger is there is still containments left in the lube which is still on the car, I'd be happy with just another rinse with the pressure washer personally.
 
What do you guys find best for drying? I use a largish microfibre towel at the moment which works OK, but 3/4 way through it starts getting a bit saturated and is difficult to wring out.

I'm thinking of simply getting another towel to switch to to finish the job, or is there a better method?
 
Raymond Lin said:
No it just some bog standard AG stuff and it doesn't remove any wax but that isn't the point? After the clay bar there won't be any left anyway.
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What lube do you use for your clay bar? Because if you aren't washing this off then all you are doing is polishing in lube onto your car...

You need to do the 2 bucket method again after claying, if you have the attitude it doesn't need to be done. Then just do it for the satisfaction of your 2nd bucket being spotlessly clean water like when it started!
 
Bithammer clay or whatever its called, lube is water.

And its not about the attitude or satisfaction, I do things for a reason. If there isn't a reason then I am not going to spend another 15 mins washing my already clean car again for the purpose of getting my hands wet. I get satisfaction from cleaning it as much as anyone but I also hate wasting my time to doing pointless steps.
 
I use BiltHamber clay too but I have noticed that the water left on the car seems to be oily as if you get the sun hitting it you get the rainbow effect. Whether this is from the clay or from the car though I don't know. Whether I wash again though depends on what I am going to be doing after.

1. If I am going to be polishing then no, the polish will remove anything left.
2. If re-applying a wax that was on then, again, no
3. If applying a different wax or sealant I will give the car and APC/ Fairy wash to be 100% sure of the removal of all old LSP.

In saying that though, in the points above I will give the car an pre LSP wipe down with IPA dilution or with something like car pro erasor. Both will remove any residue of oils or wax left behind.
 
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I've used various clays from 3 makers, Sonus, AG and Meg's and each one of them has removed the Colinite 476s wax, wax that lasts 12 months, on my car. I only clay once a year and wax once a year fully, maybe a wax top up mid year if it's been a heavy year weather wise.

Clay + whatever speed detailing spray is to hand otherwise soapy water in a sprayer.
 
rossk26 said:
Didn't you apply 3 different brands of wax at the same time?
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2, and it was a while ago, you live and learn. I don't do that anymore and if I did then I didn't learn from it.

Which brings me to the washing it after claying, if you can give a justification to wash it again and a benifit to the car then it's all part of learning. I am not doing it because is "satisfying".

So, if you are going to wash your car after claying, care to explain why?
 
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rossk26 said:
1. To remove the loosened dirt that may be on the car from claying...
2. Remove any residue left from the claying procedure...
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1 - Isn't that the point of snowfoam to loosen dirt? If that didn't work then the mitt would have in 2 buckets. If that didn't work, the claying should have. You can visibly see it on the clay bar, its why you fold it in after each area. Which brings me back to what i said earlier, if after all 3 steps there is still dirt on the car then there is something wrong or I was really lazy with my washing. There is no reason why there would be any dirt left after snowfoam, 2 buckets AND then claying. In fact, if you use the same mitt you used earlier with the same water you are risking putting the dirt you took off back on the car. The more contact you have with the paintwork the more chance you will scratch it, especially when it is bare with no wax or sealant...aka AFTER you've just clayed it. I consider this to be the most vulnerable part of the cleaning process. Rinse with the hose is the most I do.

2 - It's a clay bar, not cheese. First you said removing lubricant, I already said it is water so there is no lubricant. The clay bar lifts up dirt, that is its job and its design, be generous with the water and there is no way it stick. In fact, there is more chance of it slipping out of my hand then leaving bits of it on the paintwork.

I see no logical reason to wash it with 2 buckets and shampoo after claying, I really don't.
 
Ray,

It's called being extra careful with your paintwork, some people will go the extra mile to ensure it stays looking the best it can.

I would always rinse off after a claybar because you never know what is still left on the paint work, nothing to do with snow foam etc not getting everything off, it's just being extra careful.

Carry on with what you're doing and then one day, you will drag a piece of grit across your paint work that your clay or snowfoam missed.

That should be #3 reason as to why to wash again.
 
Raymond Lin said:
I see no logical reason to wash it with 2 buckets and shampoo after claying, I really don't.
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But you do see a reason to apply 2 different waxes in the same session or that waxing your windows helps?

Just take the advice and stop trying to score points because he pointed out your faults.
 
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