How to clean a car with blue clay?
The resulting effect
Motorists use blue clay both directly, in the form of pressed bars, and in the form of 3M polishing and cleaning paste (mainly made in China), which is used as a consumable for polishing automotive paintwork.
The effectiveness of blue clay for car cleaning is determined by the following abilities:
- Healing traces of oxides.
- Elimination of small and medium surface scratches.
- Obtaining a high degree of gloss.
- Elimination of small damages on the surface of rubber or plastic parts of the car.
- The formation of a protective film that protects the surface of the body from external contamination.
- Facilitate vehicle washing.
Of particular note is the reduction in labor intensity of all the above operations, since blue clay is well adapted to mechanized car polishing.
Blue clay in the form of bars improves the accuracy of the processing process, reducing the consumption of the product (compared to those compositions that are applied to the surface by spraying). The residue is easily removed with a damp cloth or special aerosols, for example, 3M 55535.
Types and nomenclature
All brands of blue car cleaning clay are designed to use the patented Flex-Clay technology, which provides high-quality cleaning of the surface from all kinds of contaminants. Accordingly, the following products are produced:
- Blue Light Duty - “light” polishing, removal of traces of insects, dust, excessive spraying of cleaning aerosols from the surface of body parts.
- Light Clay Bar - preliminary cleaning of surfaces from any materials.
- Chemical Guys Light - removal of stubborn dirt and traces of oxides, obtaining a glossy surface.
All of the above compounds do not contain abrasives, and therefore can be used repeatedly, without the risk of scratches. Since blue clay is an environmentally friendly product that does not contain aggressive components, it is successfully used for cleaning and polishing not only metal parts, but also plastic, auto glass, Kevlar, carbon fiber.
Recommended applications for blue clay for a car are usually determined by the color of the product packaging: for light loads, the packaging should be blue, for medium loads, gray, and in especially severe cases, black.
How to apply?
It is possible to process the car with blue clay before any application of wax, paintwork or polishing. The material in question has been proven to draw out foreign particles and contaminants that have become embedded in the paint, so the product is especially effective before painting a car.
Blue clay is considered an effective tread, but its correct application also includes the need to lubricate the surface that will be processed by the pressed bar. Lubrication facilitates sliding and helps to better capture foreign particles. For these purposes, it is necessary to use special formulations, but not car shampoo or soap, which, with regular use, destroy the clay bar, thereby limiting its cleaning ability and reducing its service life. The most successful lubricant developed for this purpose is Chemical Guys Clay Luber. It consists of:
- antifriction components.
- Moisturizers.
- action stabilizers.
This combination allows the treatment with blue clay not necessarily immediately after lubrication, which guarantees the achievement of a high-quality result when cleaning the car.
Judging by user reviews, these cleaning compounds are characterized by a wide spectrum of action and provide a good surface condition for such car parts as the body, doors, rims, headlights.
