After Claying......wipe off or let dry?

[Puckywuckums]

Mike
While on "another website" I watched a vid showing the tech not removing the clay lube after claying. They went straight to the polishing stage, allowing it to dry. Is this something you recommend?

Thanks.

[Mike Phillips]

Mike
While on "another website" I watched a vid showing the tech not removing the clay lube after claying. They went straight to the polishing stage, allowing it to dry. Is this something you recommend?

Thanks.

I'm going to guess you're talking about Adam at Adam's Polishes and Adam is a good friend of mine, we've been friends since around 2004. I have the highest respect for Adam and the success he's carved out in this industry, he's a good guy and an incredibly hard worker. That said, I agree everyone has the right to teach detailing the way they believe is right in their eyes. I don't always have to agree with their procedures. That doesn't mean I don't respect them.


Here's my take, I'll let you decide which "best practice" makes sense.


When you clay a car using detailing clay, "if" the car has contamination, claying loosens and removes the contamination.

Because the clay is tacky, the loosened contaminants "should" all stick to the clay and not be left on the paint surface in the clay lube slurry.

The above is a perfect world scenario.

Here's my take, when you loose contaminants off the paint, how will you know all contaminants have stuck to the clay? Couldn't some of them still be on the paint surface in the residual slurry?

It's my belief that you're better off to wipe the clay lube residue and any loosened contaminants off the paint immediately after claying a section. That's what I do when I detail a car, that's what I show when I make a video and that's what I teach in a class.

There's no benefit to leaving a film of spent clay lube and loosened contaminants on the paint.

Any loosened contaminants left on the paint will now be ground into the paint when you start machine buffing, that doesn't make good sense, it doesn't make a good "Best Practice" and it's working backward in the paint polishing process, not working forwards. I believe the goal to creating a show car finish is to always be working forward in the process, not backwards. That means each step you do to the car should take you closer to the goal, not away from the goal.

If you want to drill deep, the spent clay lube on the surface will dilute or adulterate the fresh compound or polish you'll be using when you buff on the paint, if you put things in extremes, (and I do because the nature of most detailers is to be anal retentive), adding spent clay lube slurry to fresh compound or polish doesn't make the compound or polish better. What's the opposite of better?


That's just my take. I wouldn't do it.

Heck, it only takes seconds to wipe off the clay lube residue anyways...


When I worked for Meguiar's, lots of people that were brand new to detailing in general and claying in specific could easily be freaked out anytime something didn't look good after doing a step or process to the paint, this includes leaving clay lube on the paint to dry.

As someone who teaches others the craft and art of detailing, you don't do things to Newbies that have the potential to freak them out about their car's paint. In fact, you do the opposite, you do everything in a way to increase their comfort level when teaching them detailing procedures.

[Puckywuckums]

Great! Thanks so much for the reply.

[KillaCam]

Would it be ideal to do an IPA wipedown or paint cleaning stage after claying but before applying a LSP? If there is no compounding/polishing required.

[SilverHawk]

After claying my Bike. I was going too rewash or is the wipe down better?

[Mike Phillips]

Great! Thanks so much for the reply.

No problemo, like I said Adam is a good friend and I'm sure he explains why he leaves the clay lube residue on the paint but that's not a technique I would use or share.

Would it be ideal to do an IPA wipedown or paint cleaning stage after claying but before applying a LSP? If there is no compounding/polishing required.

If the manufacture of the LSP you're going to apply recommends or states you must have a surgically clean surface then "yes", or use some other method of cleaning the finish, like carefully washing the car with a car wash soap or if you're so included a detergent soap.

See my articles here,

Miscible and Immiscible - Wax and Paint Sealant Bonding

How to Mix IPA for Inspecting Correction Results

After claying my Bike. I was going too rewash or is the wipe down better?

The problem with wiping with something strong enough to remove polishing oils and other unwanted substances is they don't tend to be the best lubricants and if you're working on black paint, if you inspect using great light you might see marring which is a warm, fuzzy term for shallow scratches.

If you're working on a light colored paint job, you might not see the marring but that doesn't mean it's not there, it's just hard to see on light colors.

I discuss this in-depth in this article,

Hologram Free with a Rotary Buffer

[sparklingwater]

Good common sense instruction. I iknow some people like to wash or have a short wash or quick pressure wash after claying, but like Mike said after you clay it might not be necessary to wipe the car down but it's better to be safe than sorry. Plus it would not take that long just to give each section a quick wipe after claying. No harm done! For me it's perfect instruction ! Many thanks! Godbless

[KBsToy]

Myself Dawn, Clay, Dawn. As mike says what works for you.

[Dr_Pain]

Myself Dawn, Clay, Dawn. As mike says what works for you.

[dcjredline]

I always wipe the residue off also. Just seems weird to me that you have it still on there when your buffing.