Clay Lube Questions

S

superstring

New member
Hi Folks



For those of you that use water as a lubricant when claying, do you use just plain water or a car wash solution?



Do you feel water is as good a lube as any of the quick detailers?



Cheers
 
Best place to clay is in the wash bay. Do one panel at a time with clay in one hand and soapy wash mitt in the other. It's far cheaper that using a QD, and far better for your paint than plain water.
 
I clay after an initial wash and make a new bucket of suds for the lubrication. Water by itself makes the clay grabby.
 
QEW, diluted by a fair amount and 20mls of AIO and 400ml distilled water makes a waterspot removing and polishing clay lube and it's better than QD's as all those that I have used including four star, menzerna, wolfgang, my own, sonus and meguiars is that it doesn't dry up

Shampoo is a great lube but it makes clay magic bars go all slimey and easier to drop.



QEW and AIO work wonders on waterspots and your cleaning and lightly polishing the paint as you go.
 
QD's are a superior lubricant than water when claying. But, they leave a product behind. This may not be what you want.



Soap (detergent) lubricates better than water, not as well as a QD, and can cause the clay to change physical properties. Some have had it become slimy, I've had it become crumbly.



Straight water works as a lubricant, but you'll get smudges, especially if you don't have a continuous flow of water.



Some have reported very good results with shampoo. Regular human hair shampoo. I've no experience, but it sounds plausable. Residues would concern me, especially with a conditioning type shampoo.



I've found temperature to be very important to claying. Cold cars smudge the clay a whole lot less than a warm car.
 
foxtrapper said:
Some have reported very good results with shampoo. Regular human hair shampoo. I've no experience, but it sounds plausable. Residues would concern me, especially with a conditioning type shampoo.
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Some people do strange things. Its human nature.
 
I have always used water when claying, never experienced any problems......(Sorry David, just my own experience) I have always felt too much lube isnt a good thing.
 
Posted by a.k.a. Patrick



I have always used water when claying, never experienced any problems......(Sorry David, just my own experience) I have always felt too much lube isnt a good thing.
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I presume you mean just plain water? Do you use a sprayer or a continuous stream from the hose?
 
After I rinse, I will purposely leave the water beading, as opposed to using the sheeting method. I lay the clay on my three fingers, and kind of spread the water around before the clay hits the surface.

Claying isnt really as technical as it seems.......;)
 
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