Clay bar question

[StillMach04]

My wife has a honda civic with some overspray from some paint where she works.

Will claybar remove it or will I be wasting my time. The overspray isn't automotive paint. It almost favors the texture of a vehicle that has sat under a tree and has tiny specs of sap all over it.
Any recomendation would be appreciated. I dont really want to have it painted.

[hawk]

I've seen clay take off a lot of stuff, like hard bits of tar and rail dust (rusty metal flakes) so I'd say give it a shot. Besides, if the car has a decent coat of wax on it, the overspray won't be stuck to it very well. Either way, it'll only cost you $20 (for the claymagic or mother's clay, or whatever), and a couple hours (and elbow grease) to find out, and it won't hurt anything. I bet it'll work.

[Totoland Mach]

clay bar should work. try the Mother's clay kit. it has the bar, detail spray, and cleaner.

[raj]

claybar is magic

[falcongtho3]

I would definitly give it a shot. Some of the plants around here paint from time to time and they end up with over spray on employee vehicles. They pretty much always clay bar them to remove the overspray and it does seem to work.

[EZ SPEED]

I have removed overspray with a claybar......hope it works for you. :THUMBSUP:

[StillMach04]

Thanks to all who replied it sounds like you guys know what you are talking about so I guess I'll give it a try.

[Shaker Dan]

try the claybar it should work out for you. I would wash it down with something like dawn diswasher soap. Claybar the entire car and than start your detail with polish and wax.

[wriggly1dog]

How is claybar used????

[hawk]

Originally posted by wriggly1dog
How is claybar used????

Well, the directions come with it, but it is pretty simple. You spray the lubricant on (which is really just quick detailer, and a bottle usually comes in the kit) and rub the lump of clay on the surface.

Periodically you fold and knead the clay to keep a fresh side of it out, and as long as you keep the area wet with the lube, everything goes smoothly. If you let it go across a dry part, just re-wet and the lump will pick up the clay that sticks and it will all be ok.

It doesn't seem to be doing much, but if you do the before and after baggie test (i.e. put your hand in a baggie and drag it over the surface) you will be amazed at how much junk the clay has picked up.

Don't fear the clay, dude!

[wriggly1dog]

Thank You!!

[SS2001]

I haven't had the Mach all that long, when I went to wash it the first time I noticed these tiny black specks on the paint. They wouldn't wash off, felt like they were stuck to the paint, tried to wax/buff them out, nothing. Then I read this thread and went out today and bought the Mother's Clay Bar Kit. Man, this stuff is great! It took off 90+% of the specks, whatever they were, it took some good hard elbow grease and about 3 hours from start (wash, dry, clay entire car, wax, light buff) to finish. Note: instructions say don't rub too hard, but my car had these specks all over it so I had to really rub it pretty good, but no ill effects and the car looks better than new!

[machtom77]

Good to hear. I also have black spces. Some of them are expanding into rusty colored spots and pissing me off. Clay bar in near future.

[substanger]

.........the clay bar is magnificant!!!! I have an 03 oxford white that had the rail dust in the paint as well. The bar removed all of it, I waxed when done, you wouldn't believe how soft the paint felt when I was all done. Excellent product!!

[Shaker Dan]

Claybars should be part of anyone's care care kit.

I heard a little tip from someone that using dawn and water as your lubricant works just as well and you save the QD for other important things. I have not done it yet but really need to.

[Mach1Mark]

Originally posted by Shaker Dan
Claybars should be part of anyone's care care kit.

I heard a little tip from someone that using dawn and water as your lubricant works just as well and you save the QD for other important things. I have not done it yet but really need to.

I had heard the same thing but instead of using Dawn, I heard you can use any car wash soap.
So I tried it with Armoral Car Wash and water.
It worked real well for awhile and then the clay seemed to start disintegrating. Tiny pieces of it would come loose and stay on the paint. Also the texture of the clay had changed. Of course it would wipe right off but was annoying.
I used a fresh piece of clay on another car but this time I used a Quick Detailer (Zaino QD cut in half with distilled water) and it worked beautifully! The clay bar was still like new afterwards, although a little dirtier.

Claybar is some amazing stuff!

[Shaker Dan]

Mach1Mark, thanks for the info. I had not heard that. You might have saved me some time and claybar.

[ArmyOfOne]

I just clayed my car today...a few tips:

1. Take a piece of celephane (the plastic on the outside of a pack of cigarettes), put it over your fingers and feel for rough spots in need of the clay bar. This will allow you to feel rough spots not normal felt with the bare fingers. It will also show you how well of a job you did when finished.

2. Remember, a clay bar is to be used to remove unseen contaminents, not to scrub tar and bug off your paint (this should be done during the wash)

3. When claying, I wash my car with car soap (I use Meguiar's), rinse, then refill a fresh bucket of the same as my lubricant. I just soak an area of the car that I'm claying with my mit, works great. After claying I wash again, like normal, dry, etc.

4. Rub the clay in straight lines, no circles.

Off Topic- I used Meguiar's Next Generation wax for the first time...it does everything claimed on the package...nice product.

Rich

[medicmatt]

The clay bar is unbelievable. I have done the Meguires 3 step on several occasions and it paled in comparison to the clay bar treatment. I had no idea how clean it would make my car. As the guy a couple of posts above me said, the paint feels soft and clean. Next time it's the clay bar followed by the 3 step with the Nxt. It may take 14 hours but it should burn your retna's just looking at it.

I owe this website and you guys for telling me about the miracle clay bar. thanks