For about the last decade it seems like clay barring has be come the latest trend for the diy car care enthusiast. Those who have a more utilitarian outlook towards their vehicles might ask what a clay bar is and what its used for. A clay bar is just as it sounds, its a sticky, malleable play doh like substance that is used for removing embedded surface level contaminants from a vehicles paint. This treatment is applied after a through exterior wash to remove the embedded contaminates that the was is unable to remove on its own. A clay bar lube is used to reduce friction while the clay bar glides across the service capturing particles and reducing the scratching and marring this process can cause.

The downsides of clay barring

That’s right this process can cause marring and micro-scratching to the paint and clear coat, especially if done incorrectly. This is the main reason why I say that clay barring is overused today with many detailers offering a wash, wax, and clay bar without paint correction and many diy enthusiasts telling me they clay bar their vehicles every time they wash them.

A growing number of clients have specifically asked me to clay bar their cars in hopes it would remove the micro-scratches and swirls. This unfortunately is a common misconception. It is actually the paint correction that accompanies the clay barring that will achieve the results these clients are hoping for.

While clay barring the bar picks up more and more particles making the bar less effective and causing more friction to the painted surface. This is mitigated some what by the clay bar lube and by kneading the clay bar to reveal a cleaner surface trapping the dirtier side within a few times, then once the bar becomes too contaminated, replacing it with a new place of clay entirely.

While this technique will help to reduce scratching and marring, from a microscopic level it is still occurring from the moment the bar picks up particles and glides across the paint. While this may sound like this process is more destructive than helpful there is still a very essential place for clay barring. That is in prep for paint correction and ceramic coating.

The proper way to clay bar a car

In proper order the vehicle receives a thorough wash, would then be given a chemical decontamination with an iron remover. This step further reduces the amount of contaminants for the clay bar to pick up. Then the clay bar is applied to remove the rest of the contaminates not removed chemically. Following this procedure the amount of marring and micro-scratching should be minimal. All of what was just described would be considered prep work for paint correction, wet sanding (if needed), and ceramic coating to protect the freshly polished surface.

Now of course this is a personal choice based on my experience and their are scenarios where a vehicle can benefit from a wash and a clay bar followed by a wax without going farther. Such a scenario might be a car that is parked outside under trees and encrusted with pollen. However, there is also a fine line between a car with mild contamination that would benefit from this treatment alone and a car with heavier contamination that would require paint correction following the decontamination.

How to know when not to clay bar

A simple rule of thumb for the risks of clay barring is the newer, cleaner, and lighter paint color cars are more likely to benefit from an occasional/as needed clay barring without the additional steps while older, more neglected, and darker color paint cars are more likely to show micro-scratching and marring if paint correction is not performed after the clay barring. This is a judgement call an experienced detailer must make to avoid damaging a clients vehicle and hopefully new information to many owners that can spare themselves the hassle of creating needless problems in their car care journey.