This is great thread. I feel like running out to the store and getting some clay right now! As for the dish soap... a few people in this thread have said to use it, however, only one against it. I've always heard no on dish soap use. So, I am curious what others think/heard about the topic. I've been using Meguires or Turtle Wax brand car wash for a few years now with good results.
Have never heard nothing bad about either one of those products. And I to never use dish soap. If I want to strip my wax I use the clay bar and it takes everything off.
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Further talk about dish soap should go under the Çar Wash Thread...
About dish soap... I only use that when I want to strip all the layers of polish and wax off my car and give it a fresh coat of polish, wax and sealant!
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I clayed a few days ago and was glad that I seen paint contaminates coming off. I used meguires by the way. My only problem was the over spray, or orange peel, wouldn't quite come out. Is there a certain professional grade for this? I hate the overspray...
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91 GT Hatchback- 3.73 Posi, Flowmaster O/R H pipe, Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, Tremec TKO, Pro 5.0 Shifter, Center Line 15s, Upper & Lower Control Arms,Weld-on Subframe Connectors, Eibach Lowering Springs
03 GT Coupe- Roush CAI and Jack Roush classic shifter, 40 series mufflers, Hooker Long Tube Headers, Hooker O/R X pipe, Custom Tune
I clayed a few days ago and was glad that I seen paint contaminates coming off. I used meguires by the way. My only problem was the over spray, or orange peel, wouldn't quite come out. Is there a certain professional grade for this? I hate the overspray...
There is a more aggressive grade you can get at specialty stores that will remove overspray more easily.
Orange peel can only be removed by wetsanding, but that's not recommended unless you have a custom paint job and had extra coats of clear sprayed with this in mind.
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There is a more aggressive grade you can get at specialty stores that will remove overspray more easily.
Orange peel can only be removed by wetsanding, but that's not recommended unless you have a custom paint job and had extra coats of clear sprayed with this in mind.
Oh, I was under the impression that they were the same thing, overspray and orange peel. I look for some more aggressive clay. Thanks a lot.
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91 GT Hatchback- 3.73 Posi, Flowmaster O/R H pipe, Flowmaster 40 series mufflers, Tremec TKO, Pro 5.0 Shifter, Center Line 15s, Upper & Lower Control Arms,Weld-on Subframe Connectors, Eibach Lowering Springs
03 GT Coupe- Roush CAI and Jack Roush classic shifter, 40 series mufflers, Hooker Long Tube Headers, Hooker O/R X pipe, Custom Tune
I am having trouble with the hood of my car. It seems like the clear coat is stripping, no matter how many times I wax it. It's not necessarily fading, more like spotting. I've never used a clay bar, but could that help? Because every time I use wax it seems to be getting worse... Thanks a bunch.
Oh and another thought...if you use the bar, is it better to do the whole car or can you mitigate which parts you want and forgo the rest? I work a lot, that's why I'm asking...
A clay bar is just what it says it is - a hunk of clay. But it is highly refined. Remember Silly Putty? You would put it on a picture and it would raise the print. A detailing clay bar works pretty much the same way. As you move the bar across the finish, it will pick up all the very fine contaminates off your paint, leaving it better prepared for wax.
Now, if you do decide to use a clay bar, here are a few important things to remember:
1. Make sure that the car is clean. Get all sap, bugs, road grime off BEFORE using the bar. Otherwise your surface WILL GET SCRATCHED!!!!!
2. Rotate the bar often. Since the bar is picking up contaminates, rotating is will make sure that there is always a fresh surface touching the paint surface (remember Silly Putty?).
3. Try only going in one direction (I saw a detail shop do this one, but am not sure if it necessary).
4. Don't let your bar fall on the ground! If you bar falls on the ground, you either have to throw it away (it will pick up WAY TOO MUCH contaminates from the ground) or scrap off all of the areas that made contact.
5. Keep your bar in a plastic bag or travel soap bar container to keep it clean & free of additional airborne contaminates between uses.
Your paint finish will really feel 'smooth as glass' when you finish and is better prepared for a good quality wax.
I am having trouble with the hood of my car. It seems like the clear coat is stripping, no matter how many times I wax it. It's not necessarily fading, more like spotting. I've never used a clay bar, but could that help? Because every time I use wax it seems to be getting worse... Thanks a bunch.
I'll be honest... it "sounds" like a paint issue... if you wax and it gets worse.... Clay only takes off surface contaminants on and in the paint... the "cleaner" wax that comes with it - actually cleans the dirt out of your paint.... I saw this on my husbands yellow car that hadn't been detailed for 2 years... i thought the clay bar did OK, but the cleaner wax did the final trick...
I am hesitant to advise because it sounds like a paint issue... and I would do the whole car at once - or break it into 2 nights, anything more than that... well, you loose track of what you did, etc... but you have to follow the directions.
You can only do the parts you want... or need it... and leave the rest... but I would use the cleaner wax on the whole car....
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The greatness of a nation and its moral progress,
can be judged by the way its animals are treated. ~ Gandhi
I am having trouble with the hood of my car. It seems like the clear coat is stripping, no matter how many times I wax it. It's not necessarily fading, more like spotting. I've never used a clay bar, but could that help? Because every time I use wax it seems to be getting worse... Thanks a bunch.
Did you ever have your hood painted? If so, did you wait 90-120 days before waxing or sealing?
Did you ever have your hood painted? If so, did you wait 90-120 days before waxing or sealing?
Thanks to all of you, first of all for your help.
As to the question above, the hood is not original to the car. After I bought it I was told that the hood and front right panel was not original to the car, but was factory made. The hood was supposedly from a Ford Manufacture and painted there as well. As to whether the person who owned it before waited, can't say. However, I did use the clay bar, and no such luck. It did make the car glassy smooth (I was very impressed) but the white discoloration is still there. I noticed when I was washing it that when it was wet the hood was definitely dark black. I couldn't see any impurity in the paint while it was wet. Could this mean anything? Is there any way to simulate "water" with wax or such to cause the white impurity to disappear?
I'll post a pic within the next couple of days, if that's allowed and see if anyone can give me any advice. Thank you all for the above advice, and to anyone who wants to use a clay bar, I highly recommend it for smoothing your paint.
i claybar'd my mustang today and its smooooooooooooth. car looks amazing after the clay and a nice coat of wax. now if i could only fix the top
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