Meguiars Wax - Clay Time

Meguiar's was slick enough to provide two separately packaged clay bars. If one becomes soiled or dropped, you still have a fresh one. We ripped each one in half, and guess what-we then had four! We kept the clay out of the elements by placing it in the nifty plastic case supplied with the kit.

We kneaded the clay in our hands to create some heat. When it softened up, we shaped it into a thin pancake, spraying Quick Detailer on the clay to keep it moist and slippery. The Quick Detailer acts as a lube to prevent any potential damage to the paint.

We chose an area of the car to work on (as you would in waxing, say, a panel at a time) and liberally sprayed the Quick Detailer until it beaded up. And unlike other situations, where more isn't necessarily better, spray all you want. We even sprayed a bit on our hands to help keep the clay wet.

We rubbed the clay bar in a small, circular motion, all the while spraying Quick Detailer over the surface to help keep it slick. Go ahead and overlap already-clayed areas for proper coverage. It's OK to run the clay over glass and trim too.

Taking note of the condition of our pancake, we followed Meguiar's recommendation of folding the clay over on itself repeatedly as it became filled with material. Because the clay is white (clever engineering) it's easy to see when it gets dirty. The folding will make sure the bonded contaminants remain trapped in the clay and don't get pressed back into your paint.

Remember, the clay will work on any smooth surface as long as it's properly cleaned first and maintained afterward. We clayed everything-and we mean everything: rims, chrome bumpers, and even Lexan! The same process applied to all, although we made sure to have plenty of Detailer as a foundation before applying the clay.

You may feel some dull spots or areas where you notice the clay grabbing. It's OK, the clay is collecting bonded contaminants. Basically, the clay acts as an eraser, removing surface material from the paint. While this image is an extreme example, and it wasn't from our test subject, it certainly gives you a good idea of how badly some cars could benefit from this treatment.

Next, we wiped down the area to remove any clay residue. Again, more Detailer was used on the surface as we buffed it dry with the microfiber towel. We gave the surface a final evaluation with our hands for smoothness. If it doesn't feel smooth, it's a good idea to repeat the process.

When you're finished, keep that freshly clayed paint protected. To do so, we applied wax on the paint and buffed it out like Mr. Miyagi: Wax on, wax off. Not only did we notice a substantial difference in the way it felt, but the paint had a deep luster, and it really brought out the color.