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PHOENIX · 02-07-2006, 12:02 AM

The way you use clay is very simple. You wash the car and rinse it like normal. Dry it as you usually would, but leave a little water here and there to help in lubricating the clay. Clay Magic usually comes in a kit that includes a bottle of spray lubricant. Using that with the extra water on the surface will make the job much easier.

Clay usually comes in a 100g sized bar. You can break that into three or four pieces very easily. Break off a chunk and begin with that. If you drop it then at least you didn't just throw away an entire bar of clay. One clay bar is good to clay probably half a dozen cars or more. You shouldn't need to worry about replacing this bar often. You won't really have to use it that often.

Using the spray lube provided with the kit, spray some lube on the surface of the car. I like to start with the front of the car on the hood or the fenders. Don't go too heavy with the lube. Just a spritz is really all you need. Then going in back and forth motions in the direction that the air blows over the car while driving, go about 10 or 12 inches at a time. Just rub it back and forth along the surface until you have covered the whole car. Do not use clay in circular motions. Go in straight lines from front to back. Don't go up and down or in circles. There is no need to wipe down the area after you are done either. Usually I just pull the car back out of the garage and wash it again when I'm done. That is actually the easiest way to do it.

Claying your whole car should take about an hour. Once you get good at it then it is possible to cut that down to 20 or 30 minutes. Its not a very hard job to do and the difference after claying is amazing. You will notice that the surface is noticeably smoother and has more shine. As you are claying you will feel that the surface grabs at the clay at first and then allows the clay to glide after a couple of passes. That is how you know the clay is working. It isn't rocket science at all. I am amazed everytime I explain the principle of clay to someone that they have never heard of it before. This is the easiest way to work by hand and actually repair damage and prevent future damage on your car.

After claying your car you can follow it up with whatever paint cleaner or polish you normally use. While clay will remove many of the black and brown dots that are caused by IFO, it may not remove them all. Using a good paint cleaner or polish will clean off the rest of the stains. The metal shavings are gone and all that remains is the stain. That should be easy to clean up as preparation for a sealant or a wax.

The only risk involved with clay is that you may pick up some grit in the clay and it could act as an abrasive on the car causing scratches. To avoid that, you should fold the clay often and inspect your work and the clay frequently. If you feel rough particles in the clay then you should try to either get them out of the clay or get a new piece. Folding only helps so much. If you have lots of gritty particles in the clay then its time for a new piece. Its not worth the scratches you could cause in the car if you choose to ignore the particles. Clay is cheap at a price of only about 10 bucks. Your paint is worth buying a new bar if you have run out instead of using a piece that is gritty and could cause damage.

To store your clay you should either choose a zip loc bag or some other kind of container that will protect it from dirt. 200 gram sized bars of clay usually come in their own box. I store my clay in an empty wax jar. Choose whatever works best for you. Protect the clay from dirt and it will be there to protect your car from IFO for a long time.

You should only really need to clay twice a year. I clay in the spring to clean up from the winter and then I do it again in the fall as I prepare the car for the winter. Unless you notice the orange dots coming back then you shouldn't need to clay more than that. The most common place for IFO to appear is the back bumper and trunk. That is where your own exhaust deposits pollution and the wind blows your own brake dust behind you. Those areas may need to be clayed more often. Follow clay with the sealant or wax you normally use.

Well, that may seem like a lot of work, but it really isn't. This article is mostly informative rather than actual instructions. To summarize what is written, these are the steps you should follow:

-Wash the entire car with the car wash of your choice. You may leave a bit of water on the surface when drying to assist in the lubrication of the clay. To clay you just lubricate the surface with either a soap and water mixture in a spray bottle or with the lube included with the clay kit and glide the clay along the surface. Do not use circular motions. Rub the clay on the paint in straight lines from back to front in the direction the wind blows over the car while driving. The clay will grab at first and then glide with ease when the surface is clean. Do not drop the clay. Inspect it often for grit or other particles that could scratch. Clay the whole vehicle and then rewash the car. Apply a paint cleaner or polish to remove the remaining brown dots and then seal or wax.-

That is as much as I think I can say about how to handle those annoying dots that appear on your car. Don't just polish the car and be satisfied that the brown dots are gone. Protect the car properly with a sealant and remove the IFO with clay. That way the dots won't come back unless more IFO penetrates the sealant. Keep an eye on your car and care for it well and your paint should please you for many years.

For more information, please visit www.ocdetails.com

This article is coutesy of jngbrdman (anthony) owner of ocdetails

02-07-2006, 12:02 AM	#2 (permalink)
PHOENIX Beams Owners Group Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: On Hiatus....... Posts: 7,915 Thanks: 84 Thanked 260 Times in 197 Posts Blog Entries: 1 My Google Map iTrader Rating: (46/100% )	The way you use clay is very simple. You wash the car and rinse it like normal. Dry it as you usually would, but leave a little water here and there to help in lubricating the clay. Clay Magic usually comes in a kit that includes a bottle of spray lubricant. Using that with the extra water on the surface will make the job much easier. Clay usually comes in a 100g sized bar. You can break that into three or four pieces very easily. Break off a chunk and begin with that. If you drop it then at least you didn't just throw away an entire bar of clay. One clay bar is good to clay probably half a dozen cars or more. You shouldn't need to worry about replacing this bar often. You won't really have to use it that often. Using the spray lube provided with the kit, spray some lube on the surface of the car. I like to start with the front of the car on the hood or the fenders. Don't go too heavy with the lube. Just a spritz is really all you need. Then going in back and forth motions in the direction that the air blows over the car while driving, go about 10 or 12 inches at a time. Just rub it back and forth along the surface until you have covered the whole car. Do not use clay in circular motions. Go in straight lines from front to back. Don't go up and down or in circles. There is no need to wipe down the area after you are done either. Usually I just pull the car back out of the garage and wash it again when I'm done. That is actually the easiest way to do it. Claying your whole car should take about an hour. Once you get good at it then it is possible to cut that down to 20 or 30 minutes. Its not a very hard job to do and the difference after claying is amazing. You will notice that the surface is noticeably smoother and has more shine. As you are claying you will feel that the surface grabs at the clay at first and then allows the clay to glide after a couple of passes. That is how you know the clay is working. It isn't rocket science at all. I am amazed everytime I explain the principle of clay to someone that they have never heard of it before. This is the easiest way to work by hand and actually repair damage and prevent future damage on your car. After claying your car you can follow it up with whatever paint cleaner or polish you normally use. While clay will remove many of the black and brown dots that are caused by IFO, it may not remove them all. Using a good paint cleaner or polish will clean off the rest of the stains. The metal shavings are gone and all that remains is the stain. That should be easy to clean up as preparation for a sealant or a wax. The only risk involved with clay is that you may pick up some grit in the clay and it could act as an abrasive on the car causing scratches. To avoid that, you should fold the clay often and inspect your work and the clay frequently. If you feel rough particles in the clay then you should try to either get them out of the clay or get a new piece. Folding only helps so much. If you have lots of gritty particles in the clay then its time for a new piece. Its not worth the scratches you could cause in the car if you choose to ignore the particles. Clay is cheap at a price of only about 10 bucks. Your paint is worth buying a new bar if you have run out instead of using a piece that is gritty and could cause damage. To store your clay you should either choose a zip loc bag or some other kind of container that will protect it from dirt. 200 gram sized bars of clay usually come in their own box. I store my clay in an empty wax jar. Choose whatever works best for you. Protect the clay from dirt and it will be there to protect your car from IFO for a long time. You should only really need to clay twice a year. I clay in the spring to clean up from the winter and then I do it again in the fall as I prepare the car for the winter. Unless you notice the orange dots coming back then you shouldn't need to clay more than that. The most common place for IFO to appear is the back bumper and trunk. That is where your own exhaust deposits pollution and the wind blows your own brake dust behind you. Those areas may need to be clayed more often. Follow clay with the sealant or wax you normally use. Well, that may seem like a lot of work, but it really isn't. This article is mostly informative rather than actual instructions. To summarize what is written, these are the steps you should follow: -Wash the entire car with the car wash of your choice. You may leave a bit of water on the surface when drying to assist in the lubrication of the clay. To clay you just lubricate the surface with either a soap and water mixture in a spray bottle or with the lube included with the clay kit and glide the clay along the surface. Do not use circular motions. Rub the clay on the paint in straight lines from back to front in the direction the wind blows over the car while driving. The clay will grab at first and then glide with ease when the surface is clean. Do not drop the clay. Inspect it often for grit or other particles that could scratch. Clay the whole vehicle and then rewash the car. Apply a paint cleaner or polish to remove the remaining brown dots and then seal or wax.- That is as much as I think I can say about how to handle those annoying dots that appear on your car. Don't just polish the car and be satisfied that the brown dots are gone. Protect the car properly with a sealant and remove the IFO with clay. That way the dots won't come back unless more IFO penetrates the sealant. Keep an eye on your car and care for it well and your paint should please you for many years. For more information, please visit www.ocdetails.com This article is coutesy of jngbrdman (anthony) owner of ocdetails Last edited by PHOENIX; 02-07-2006 at 01:39 AM.