Does a using a clay bar ruin any previous waxing?

I am planning to do this tonite if it doesn't rain but cusious if I need to re-wax the car after doing it.

 

yes, it will strip wax

 

it will strip wax but it cleans the finish too like no other so wax right after

 

1. Wash '8 with Dawn dishwashing detergent to strip all prior wax.
2. After drying, clay bar, using ample detailing spray as a lubricant.
3. Polish with a very mild abrasive, optimally using a random-orbital electric polisher.
4. Apply a coat of high carnauba content wax or a synthetic like Zaino or Nxt Tech 2.0.

That's the basic process.

 

^ plus 1 i do 2 rounds of polishing and one with swirl remover though

 

sigh..

I'll have to de-swirrly and wax it again. did it a few weeks ago with Meguires swirl stuff and the NXT 2.0

I suspect the clay bar might rip off touch up paint that was applied as well?

 

Clay bar shouldn't rip off touchup paint, unless it was blobbed on and didn't dry properly.

Remember to amply lubricate the clay at all times with detailing spray. Work a small area at a time.

Polishing is best for swirl/scratch removal, and of course not imparting swirls to begin with by drying with high quality microfiber towels and/or chamois.

 

I only use microfiber towels for the wax/swirl removers but they probably aren't high quality.

Also, can those detailing sprays be used inside the car?

 

There are specific interior detailing sprays, not the same formulation as exterior [paint] detailing.

I meant make sure you dry the car properly. Most swirls are imparted by improper drying and/or full contact machine washing. But polishing will remove most swirls and fine scratches, as well as "orange peel" finish.

Remember to also wash & dry in the shade so you lessen the chance of water spots from dried high mineral content water, or better use a deionized water rinse like the Mr. Clean wash system filter.

An ounce of prevention .........

 

I never understood the washing with a harsh dish detergent to remove old wax. If you're applying the same wax that you used previously, what's the harm in not "stripping" it first? I could understand wanting to strip it if you wanted to use a new type of wax... I don't think that claying by itself will completely remove wax.

 

claying will definitely remove wax.
starting from bare clearcoat for a complete detail is just the norm.

on that note, polishing will 100% NOT remove orange peel. orange peel will definitely require sanding

 

There are degrees of flaw of course, but my random orbital and Griot's #3 polish took out the orange peel I had from my '05 sitting on the lot for nine months prior to my purchase.

btw: If I said the Earth was round I'll bet somebody here would argue that it's flat (and yes I know it's not perfectly spherical).

 

I'll take your word for it

 

If claying removes wax, why can't you feel it on the clay? Doesn't the spray lubricant prevent it from creating enough friction to remove wax? I hope that a car wax would be hard/durable enough to survive a clay bar... That's like saying that rubbing your finger across the paint will remove all the wax...

My understanding is that the clay bar just glides across the top of the wax and pulls out impurities that got stuck in the wax/clear coat/paint. Perhaps the wax had already started to wear out by the time you needed to re-clay...

Anyway, maybe its just because I have sensitive hands, but dishsoap just ruins my hands. Griot's wash however, is very very nice

 

wax after clay bar use? = clay bar then wax. and your good.

 

Just to clarify, I meant, when you clay, you should still have some wax from the previous wax job on your paint... if you didn't wash with something harsh like Dawn. In that case, the clay should glide over the surface of the wax, no?

 

no, it will strip it
you can try it yourself, wax, clay one area and compare the difference in water beading.

 

the clay will strip the wax.
This is a good thing though... Even though my car gets zaino'd almost monthly, every year I take a clay bar to it to remove all the polish and any contaminents that have gotten on it since and I start the process all over again.

sooooooo smooooooth.

 

Just thought you guys would be interested in this. Nothing new, but FYI. http://www.inmygarage.com/?p=1449

Zaino once a month? How do you get the time and the money? lol

 

On a microscopic level, clay is composed of layers of little flat plates that slide over one another. When you clay the car, those plates get caught on asperities in the surface, and that is what lifts the contaminants. With sufficient lubrication, the plates just slide over the smooth spots, which is why clay is friendly to the paint but grabs the dirt. It's like shaving -- you lubricate your skin; the razor glides over it but catches on the hairs and cuts them.

Wax functions in large part by filling the microscopic pits in the paint surface. This has a levelling effect, and the asperities of the contaminants will be less pronounced. Wax is also hydrophobic, which hampers the ability of the water or water-based lubricant to wet the surface.

So, the wax will reduce the clay's effectiveness. Not to say that you won't eventually get results.

 

The clay bar works wonders, after i did the hood it was brown. Just make sure you nead the clay after every panel that you do to keep it clean.
Then just use a good polish, and then a good wax. You will be extremely pleased after this.

 

Well stated Nubo. It's all about plate tectonics. My skin is also hydrophobic, but I still take a daily shower.

About the only downside to clay is that if you don't liberally lubricate it will fill the rock chips.

 

Thanks for educating me =) I think it's time to detail my car this weekend. Gotta test out the replacement random orbital that Griot's sent me >=)