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clay then remove scratches???

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  LifeTech 
#1 ·
I read the detailing sticky post and I noticed that is says to wash, clay, then remove swirls / scratches, but I'm wondering why this is the case...

I know that a clay bar is suppose to remove tough stains and such, but it also helps to repair the clear coat... correct? Why would I clay and repair the clear coat then attempt to remove scratches within the clear coat?
 
#2 ·
The short answer is no, claying alone wont "repair" the clear coat, it simply removes surface contaminants caused by everyday exposure. These contaminants can be anything from rail dust accumulated during transportation from the factory to the dealer by way of train and truck, salt spray for European cars coming by ship, fall out, tree sap, bird poop and so on. Claying pulls these contaminants, along with dirt and debris, out of your clear coat prior to polishing and waxing. If you were to skip the claying process you would only be trapping in these contaminants under a layer of wax.

A good detail should start with a wash/clay then move to a polishing process to remove your swirls and imperfections in the paint. You can do the baggie test to check to see if you need to clay. Place your hand in a thin plastic sandwich baggie and rub it over the paint after you've washed and while the car is still wet. If your paint feels like fine grit sandpaper, then you need to clay. After you've clayed test the area again until it feels smooth as silk.

Hope that gives you a better understanding of the claying process.
 
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