Claying post-waxing?

[SickOfItAll]

Now, normally I would never consider this - but in this case, I detailed a car for a friend and I didn't have any clay at the time (her car had never been clayed) - she said fine, just go ahead and wax without it, no big deal. This was last week. Today she called me and says that she picked up some detailing clay, and if I didn't wanna do it she was going to since it's easy. However, her car has a fresh layer of wax on it - should she go ahead and do it anyway, or will it be ineffective? Will it strip the wax, or will it work just fine? I simply dont know - I just planned on catching up the next time I did her car, would just wash with Dawn and then clay, but she wants to do it sooner.

 

[M-M]

It will strip the wax.

I like to Dawn wash before I clay, just to keep the way out of my clay.

But if I am just doing a spot claying, I clay and then put a coat of wax on.

 

[Nikon]

I wonder, does claying remove Klasse or Zaino? It doesn't seem to me that it should.



The reason I ask is that I had some water spots on the hood of my car that is protected with Klasse SG. To remove the water spots I used clay. However, when I used my Sonus QD after claying, the surface was not nearly as slick as before. This made me wonder if the clay had removed the Klasse.



What has your experience been?

 

[StLB5]

I'd say it depends on if the crap you're trying to remove is above or below your wax, and how durable your wax is. I'd agree with ERIK though.

 

[butchdave]

I wonder, does claying remove Klasse or Zaino? It doesn't seem to me that it should.



What has your experience been?

Well clay certainly did not like the Autoglym SR with a coat of EG on it. I did the roof of the 306 quickly while I had no clay and left a lot of contaminants (feels like lumps of sand if you run your hand over it) but when I tried to clay it, it was very hard work to get through the polymer to the contaminants below. I gave up after only doing a very small area because I wasn't convinced that I was really acheiving anything.

 

[Accumulator]

I'd say it depends on if the crap you're trying to remove is above or below your wax, and how durable your wax is.

The above/below bit is critical. FWIW, I spot-clay with every wash. Areas like the front of the vehicle (bugs) and behind the wheelwells (tar) get a LOT of claying. Never seems to affect my protection UNLESS I clay too aggressively or carelessly. As I only do a "full detail" on some of these vehicles once or twice a year, I'd certainly notice if the clay stripped their protection. To get away with this you've GOTTA be very gentle when you clay. And you can ONLY get away with it when claying off contaminants that are ABOVE or IN your protective layer.

 

[M-M]

Well if you wanted to clay, but couldn't and then waxed, I'd assume what you'd be removing is under the wax, and stuck to the paint. So if you remove the particles that is going to leave hole in the wax. And since these spots used to heve crap in them these spots need protection more than the rest.

 

[Nikon]

I'd say it depends on if the crap you're trying to remove is above or below your wax.

The finish was perfect when I applied the SG and topped with S100. The water spots resulted from a light rain that occured several weeks after. So my assumption was that these spots were on the S100/SG and not under. Unless of course, the stuff in the rain that left the spots went through the S100/SG to the paint.

 

[Decca]

but when I tried to clay it, it was very hard work to get through the polymer to the contaminants below. I gave up after only doing a very small area because I wasn't convinced that I was really acheiving anything.

Strange, I have not known this type of problem before. How much lube were you using and what make of clay?

 

[butchdave]

Strange, I have not known this type of problem before. How much lube were you using and what make of clay?

Ah! It was just the Megs clay and QD. I know not everyone likes the Megs clay but it works OK for me. I tried everything from no lube to lots and it didn't really make any difference.

 

[Decca]

I would recommend trying 3M's clay. I dont recall anyone saying anything positive about their clay, others products are great but I did not like the clay

 

[Cleanmaxx Brian]

It will strip the wax.

I like to Dawn wash before I clay, just to keep the way out of my clay.

But if I am just doing a spot claying, I clay and then put a coat of wax on.

If that is the case, then could you apply a new coat of SG if you previously applied S100 and then you just clayed it off...Right?