Striker,
That Blackfire Clay Mitt looks exactly like the SM Arnold Mitt even in the same plastic container..
If this is the case and it is the same but with a different name, then it will want to become a little tacky if its too warm.
So that means it might want to stick to paint, so keep the paintwork cool either in the garage or in the shade, and that will help prevent the Mitt from wanting to get "sticky"..
I fold it in half and then half again, and try to get all 4 squares broken in and then change them around as I go..
I read the directions and it says to "break it in" by first using it on all the glass of the vehicle, so don`t forget to do that.
And a great benefit from that is that your glass will be so much cleaner - especially the windshield - and that is always a plus in bad weather, etc..
Yes, you can use good car wash soap and have the hose handy to rinse and keep going across the entire vehicle..
Keep the surface wet and make sure the Clay Mitt is rinsed, which will be really easy since everything just washes off of it; nothing I have ever seen has stuck to it, and had to be removed..
What you might consider doing, is go over a panel, rinse it, dry it, and go over it with your clean, dry, hand and fingers and see if you can feel the surface really smooth... If it is not smooth compared to an adjacent area that has not been gone over, then you need to go over it again, to get it smooth.. You will be able to tell the difference...
I always use back and forth motions, no circular, crazy random directions, just back and forth, like you are sanding the paint or a piece of wood, etc...
Smooth, even, pressure; figure out how much pressure you need to get it smooth and keep that in mind as you go..
The areas that are done will shed water way different than the rest, which is good, and means that paint is really clean....
Keep your soap bucket clean and don`t use the soap if the bucket is full of dirt at the bottom, dump it, rinse it, and make new soap..
Remember, the idea is to clean the paint without scratching it or marring it; if it goes bad, then you may have to consider correcting the parts that have self made defects, if you want to go to that level..
This will be fun and your glass and all the paintwork, etc., will really benefit from this and whatever you do after to it will work much better, because you have removed a lot of embedded gunk that will not come out easily without this step..
Dan F
