Welcome back to the Proje’ blog. One of the oldest and best auto detailing processes has got to be claying. And for good reason – it’s incredibly effective and nothing can come close to the immaculate smoothness and uniform shine that clay provides. General vehicle use causes contamination from brake dust, general pollution, sprays, debris and just the quality of the air around you. Often, metal contaminants cause tiny chips in your paintwork meaning that dirt can penetrate below the surface, which can lead to nasty oxidation and rust issues in the long-term. Claying is sometimes the only way to remove deep-set contamination. The light friction cause by rubbing the clay across your bodywork drags all the deep dirt out and keeps it out as you move the bar across your paintwork. It’s an absolute must before polishing and applying wax – if you wax a vehicle that hasn’t had all dirt removed in the most effective way possible, then the wax will come under attack from beneath, meaning that it doesn’t last as long and can create a bobble that ruins your smooth coat. Claying is the process that solves these potential issues and it isn’t even difficult to do.
Now, at Proje’ we like our combinations – so many products work so well with each other, that it makes sense to bundle them up. It saves you time, effort and money. Our clay kit does all of this – but it also reminds you of a vital stage in the claying process that a lot of people don’t remember. Here’s what you get:
Vital Car Wash Soap
Yeah, that’s right: we start our clay kit with a washing product. Why? Well, claying should never be done on a really dirty, greasy car. You run the risk of scratching, or just not getting the same level of result. So, kick it off with Vital Car Wash Soap. It’s is a unique handpicked blend that is designed to softly release dirt from the painted surface of your car while maximizing the protection that lies underneath. Its unique blend can be used in a traditional bucket or in a foam cannon that produces incredible suds. It is designed to softly release dirt while maximizing protection. And the key here is that it separates dirt from paintwork so that you can wash it away easily, without any risk of scratching. The suds and bubbles are formed as a result of a special pH neutral chemical reaction with water, which is tough on dirt and grease but will not damage any wax or sealant.
Remember, to get a really great wash – use the two-bucket method. For a detailed, step-by-step rundown on how to wash your car this way, head on over to the Vital Car Wash Soap product page, where we’ve written everything down for you.
Throwback Clay Lube
So, your car is washed and completely dry – check out the accessory we’ve included to help you dry your car below.
Now, it’s time to lube. Throwback Clay Lube is specially formulated with wetting agents to increase lubricity and reduce friction, making your claying process more effective while ensuring you do not scratch your paint. Throwback Clay Lube also helps to extend the life of your clay bar by giving it the lubricants it needs to last for multiple applications. Works perfect with traditional clay bars, clay mitts, towels and even clay disc.When using a clay bar, lubrication is required so that friction is reduced and the clay bar doesn’t stick to and remove the paintwork. This will keep your bodywork completely safe from any scratching. Throwback Clay Lube is designed for maximum lubricity, so your clay bar will move easily across your paintwork without any risk of scratching. What’s more, the versatility of our lube means that you can use all kinds of clay bar, from soft to hard, on your bodywork with no problems.
Clay Bar
Of course, no clay kit would be complete without a clay bar. The key to the perfect clay bar is not to go too heavy-duty. A good clay bar like the Proje’ Traditional Clay Bar will remove all roughness and dirt extremely easily with just a couple of passes, leaving your paintwork feel as smooth as crystal. Contaminants such as debris, dirt, brake dust and droppings embed themselves in your paintwork over time, which can eventually lead to oxidization issues – the dreaded rust. These contaminants can also rub off in to your pads, rendering them far less effective and hitting you in the pocket when you need to replace them more often. A clay bar is the perfect way to remove absolutely all these contaminants, leaving a perfectly smooth surface to work on for your future processes.
Remember to check if your car needs claying using our simple plastic bag technique; just put your hand inside and rub it over the bodywork. If you can feel any roughness, it’s time to clay. Make sure this is something you have time to commit to, and use plenty of lube to keep the surface from drying and the clay bar from sticking. Then scrub the bar over the lubricated area – not too much of an area at a time. You might need two or even three passes, but when the bar moves smoothly and with ease across the surface, you know that all the contaminants have been removed and you are ready to move on to the next surface section.
Big Giant Drying Towel
This is the ultimate drying towel. A huge 25" by 36", it can hold up to 7 times its weight in water. Rated at a premium 480 GSM, making it the softest towel that Proje' offers, the high GSM rating ensures that you will never introduce swirls or scratches to the paintwork when used correctly. Fold it into many sides or use it wide open - the choice is yours. Either way it's the perfect size for any car.
The brilliant thing about a towel this size is that it can cover so much space in one go, meaning that you’re wrapping up part of your car in a big hug! You can also fold it multiple times to do standard bodywork drying duties, meaning that it will keep going for a really long time before getting saturated. As with all our microfiber towels, you can use it on any part of your vehicle without the risk of scratches or swirls, but it’s best used after our Vital Car Wash Soap, because you can dry your entire vehicle in one go, with just one towel! Then, you’re ready to clay and get the best possible results from your home!
The Cost
You can get hold of our clay kit for just $39.96! Two processes, complete with accessories, in one convenient package. Have fun and remember: lubricity is key!
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading this week’s blog – stay tuned for more tips and tricks next week.
If you have any questions about any of the techniques or products that I’ve mentioned in this post, just add a comment below and we’ll post a reply! Remember that we stock only the best auto detailing supplies, so why not click some of the links in this blog post, or visit our products page to find out more? From all of us at Proje’, Enjoy the Process!
