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When to clay? The "baggie test" will always tell you
As I seemed to have referred (more than once) to a so called recent thread yet a likely non-existent thread in which I describe the clay "baggie test," I thought I should just start from scratch on the topic. The question of when to clay seems to be a common one these days anyway.
How to determine whether or not you need to clay:
Do the clay "baggie test". It never fails!
Place your hand in a plastic baggie, such as a sandwich baggie or a sandwich size ziplock baggie.
On a clean, dry car, gently rub your fingers over the paint (while still in the baggie).
Do you feel grit or bumps?
If yes, then you need to clay.
If not, then you do not (although it never hurts either)
Tips:
*Remember to try the baggie test on a couple of different places on your car. Contaminants can buildup more and less in different areas.
And yes, often times even new cars need to be clayed. You never really know until you do the baggie test!
Do you wonder why the baggie? Try the same test without the baggie. You'll see that the baggie helps increase your ability to feel the small bumps and grit. (BlimeyCab- is that better?? )
Last, remember to do the baggie test as you clay too! This is a great way to see if you've removed all the gunk and contaminants in each area you clay.
Sorry for referring to something that only existed in my imagination! Now you have it fully described... for real this time.
Novice detailing question. When you clay a car that has a decent layer of wax on it, does the clay remove the wax? Is it always necessary to wax again after claying?
the question RCBrust asked is interesting. i would also like to know.
but then again. i would wax after the claying. make it feel REAL good.
gotta do the plastic baggie test when i wash my car tomorrow!!
(even tho i already clayed it less than a month ago)
THANKS Heather!!
Novice detailing question. When you clay a car that has a decent layer of wax on it, does the clay remove the wax? Is it always necessary to wax again after claying?
Thanks,
Randy
This is actually a tough question to answer definitively due to the numerous variables (type of wax, how long it's been on the paint, how aggresively you clay, etc).
In most cases though, clay will at the least significantly wear down wax and at the most remove it completely. So...
Bottom Line: Always assume claying has removed your wax and rewax after claying to be safe.
I always tried just using my finger and to tell the truth I could never tell if it was really smooth or not. Thanks for the tip. I'll need to try it out when I get home from college.
Heatherino, you are the queen.... I thought my finish was slick, but when I did the baggie test... wow, time to clay. You are just full of good stuff. See you at the Dragon, if I can find you...
By 'Rubbing Compound' do you mean like, the stuff that actually says 'Rubbing Compound' or soemthing like 'Scratch-X'? If you want to use locally availible stuff I would do...
Wash
Clay
Scratch-X
A Meguires Polish (#7 if you can find it)
Wax
Wax
Or if you want to order stuff...
Wash
Clay
Prima Swirl (you do need to work this pretty good when using it by hand.)
Prima Amigo (Polish that also has some fillers to fill minor swirls that wern't removed with Swirl {temp fix})
Prima Epic (Really only need one coat, but if you want to do two, be sure to wait 24hours between coats so that it can properly cure all the way)
I thought I should just start from scratch on the topic. 
The question of when to clay seems to be a common one these days anyway.
) 
Yes, I worked very hard at making sure that was the case this time! 
2006 Astro Black Ragtop, pure stock, for now. #138 GWR
