Clay vs. Prepsol/Final Clean ??

O

Old Rattle Flat

New member
When winter finally ends, and I'm doing my initial spring detail, after washing but before using an AIO product, I clay and then follow the clay with a rub down with Dupont Prepsol or Duppont Final Clean or a NAPA Fin-L-Wash type product. (It's all in my mind — after clay, I still don't believe the car is clean enough...)



The Final Clean or the Fin-L-wash products clean the surface to be ready accept fresh paint. If I am getting the surface clean to the point of accepting fresh paint, it would seem to me, that I do not need the clay step.



Any opinions as to clay vs. prepsol, or the need for both?? :nixweiss
 
The clay will PULL containments from your paint. EX. rail dust, brake dust, and paint overspray.



The Dupot rub down will just clean the paint but will leave the rail, dust, brake dust, etc.



Just clay the car and start polishing. No need to do steps that aren't needed.
 
IMO cleaning a surface for the purpose of ensuring paint adhesion and cleaning it for optimal appearance are two different things.



Nothing wrong with PrepSol type products, I use them all the time and they can be great for dissolving stuff like tar. But IMO they aren't a substituted for clay (or for deconatmination systems either).



As stiffdogg06 mentioned, contamination that's physically stuck in the paint will be better removed by the clay. Note that snowplow blades deposit ferrous contamination that's pretty similar to rail dust; it's not unusual to get it stuck in the paint after a winter and clay's a decent way to deal with it. And there's always similar stuff from brake rotors too.
 
I think that a good solvent wipe down is a smart idea *before* claying. It can extend the life of your clay bar! If you can remove some contaminants (like tar and sap) with 2-3 ozs of solvant that costs next to nothing, it will save it from getting picked up by your $20 clay. I'd do it before claying instead of after and make sure it doesn't mix with your clay bar.
 
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