How To Clay Bar A Car

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Like most car detailing jobs, clay barring your paint isn’t difficult, but it is time-consuming. Being prepared is the key to making it as easy as possible, while still getting the best results. I’ll walk you through the procedure and go through a list of must-have items, along with a few detailing tools and products that will make life easier.

A clay bar strips contaminants off your car’s finish without cutting into the clear coat. Although some products do contain fine polishes, most clay bars aren’t designed for polishing. Clays use mostly adhesion to grab onto things like brake dust, fallout, and bugs that have bonded or adhered to your paint. Using a product like Chemical Guys’ Medium Duty Clay Bar Bundle, like the one I used in the accompanying photos, not only improves the car’s shine, but also smooths out the surface for a glassy feel. Best of all, anybody can use it to kick the maintenance routine up a notch.

The Drive’s crack informational team is here to tell you what to buy, how to use a clay bar, and when to use it. Follow our step-by-step guide below.

Clay Bar Basics

Estimated Time Needed: 1-3 hours, depending on vehicle size

Skill Level: Beginner

Vehicle System: Body/Paint

Everything You’ll Need To Clay Bar a Car

Home detailing starts with being able to perform a thorough car wash. For the list of tools and supplies you need, I started with the basics. This is for the traditional two-bucket method. If you’re feeling fancy, you can step up to a pressure washer and a foam cannon, which will make things easier, but your results will be marginally better.

Tool List

Consumable List

I wish I could say that everything above isn’t absolutely necessary, but for the most part it is. You can skip the second bucket if you like. If I’m totally honest, I generally use one bucket, and I rinse the wash mitt before it goes back in the soap. I would suggest having a number of microfibers on hand, more than you think you’ll need. I always have some that I don’t mind getting a little dirty, just in case.

a fresh bar right out of the package — Febbo

Here’s How To Clay Bar a Car

Let’s do this!

Wash and dry the vehicle. You can read The Drive’s guide for how and how often to wash your car. It is critical the surface of your car is as clean as possible or you will contaminate the clay bar right away.
Make sure your car is completely dry, including jambs and shut lines. While you let it air dry, gather everything you need for the clay bar process.
Don’t use the clay directly out of the package. Work the clay with your fingers and flatten it into a disk shape that covers your four fingers.
Pick a small section of the vehicle, such as a quarter of the hood, not bigger than 2×2 feet, and liberally spray it with clay lube.
Lightly glide the clay across the wet vehicle using a back and forth motion until the entire area has been clayed.
Wipe excess clay lube off with a clean and dry microfiber towel.
Fold the clay over onto itself, work it in your hands, and once again flatten it.
Repeat steps 4-7 until the car is complete.
Using the back of your hand, or your hand inside a thin plastic bag, feel the paint to double-check for rough spots that might have been missed during the first round.
The claying is done, now you need to cover your finish in a good-quality wax. I chose Chemical Guy’s Hydroblitz Hybrid Ceramic Spray Wax as it goes on fast and has a little bit of extra protection from a ceramic additive.

chemical guys. clay bar on lubed surface — My paint was pretty free of contaminants. Febbo

stored clay — My paint was pretty free of contaminants. Febbo

Pro Tips To Clay Bar a Car

The Drive’s editors have detailed countless vehicles and learned how to clay bar from the pros. Here are a few tips we picked up in the process:

Never reuse clay that’s been dropped on the ground or touched any surface you know isn’t impeccably clean.
Detailing spray can be used instead of spray lube, but never water. Clay barring needs a certain level of lubrication, and without it, you risk damaging the vehicle’s paint and some clay is water soluble.
Brand-new cars need a good clay bar treatment as much as older cars. Most vehicles are transported by train, and rail dust is a horrible contaminant.

kneading clay bar in gloved hand — I usually suggest gloves for detailing, but clay is too sticky. Febbo

How Often Do You Need To Clay Bar A Car?

This will largely depend on how often you drive the vehicle, how often you wash the vehicle, whether or not the vehicle is waxed or coated, and the type of outside conditions the vehicle encounters. The touch test, if it feels rough to the back of the hand, should do the trick, though.

chemical guys clay bar kit on hood — Spend a little extra money on the best equipment; you’re worth it. Febbo

How Much Does It Cost To Clay Bar A Car?

A clay bar kit can be purchased for $15-30.

just a clean and shiny tiguan fender — Febbo

How to Maintain Your Car’s Clean Exterior

Once a car is washed, there are several ways to elevate its cleanliness, smoothness, and shininess. To give you that extra shine, follow The Drive’s other detailing and cleaning guides to add protection and gloss to your ride: