clay barring question

[dangle]

I'm new to the DA game. I've purchased a G110v2 and am awaiting its arrival. I have a couple questions before I let loose with the DA.

When claying, can you use water as a lubricant? (i.e. have water in a spray bottle instead of quick detailer)

The reason I ask is because I usually wash then clay then wash then continue on to correction, etc. the quick detailer leaves residue after the claying is completed. By using water as the lubricant, I might be able to skip the second wash.

Or is it safe to proceed from claying (using the quick detailer as lubricant) to correction with the DA without washing the car?

[PPLd]

Re: clay barring question

I'm new to the DA game. I've purchased a G110v2 and am awaiting its arrival. I have a couple questions before I let loose with the DA.

When claying, can you use water as a lubricant? (i.e. have water in a spray bottle instead of quick detailer)

The reason I ask is because I usually wash then clay then wash then continue on to correction, etc. the quick detailer leaves residue after the claying is completed. By using water as the lubricant, I might be able to skip the second wash.

Or is it safe to proceed from claying (using the quick detailer as lubricant) to correction with the DA without washing the car?

Congratulations on your new purchase. I have yet to try the Meguiar's DA polisher.

As far as I know, water alone is not sufficient to lubricate the clay. You are likely to scratch your paint or leave behind clay residue. At least use car wash soap as clay lube. The drawback of using soap is that your clay may break down faster.

It is safe to go from clay to DA correction without washing the car actually.

[Murr1525]

Re: clay barring question

You would clay with a MF towel in your hand, so you would spray, clay, then dry a panel. A little residue from the QD wont stop a paint cleaner from working.

[dangle]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll stick with the QD and wipe with a MF as I go. Previously, I'd clay the entire car without wiping it down.

[ahooah48444]

I clay a half a quarter panel or so at a time. If the lube dries, I just mist with detailer and wipe with microfiber to clean it up. Then polish process begins once the entire car is clayed.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: clay barring question

There shouldn't be any "residue" from a quick detailer used as a lubricant when claying. It's the same QD you would use to wipe down a car to remove light dust and fingerprints, and that doesn't leave a "residue". Now, if you're allowing the QD to self dry on the paint

The reason I ask is because I usually wash then clay then wash then continue on to correction, etc. the quick detailer leaves residue after the claying is completed. By using water as the lubricant, I might be able to skip the second wash.

If you wash, clay and wipe the QD dry after claying a section, there will be no need for the second wash prior to correction. And that wiping off of the QD while claying is much faster than another full wash would be. And the QD is just a much better lubricant than plain water.

[STRIFE]

Re: clay barring question

When i clay my vehicles, i never let the QD dry, I do one panel at a time, in some cases a quarter of it, if it was the hood. I keep a stack of clean dry MF close by (usually about 8-10...sometimes more)
Once dry, I've never had issues using my DA

[dangle]

Thanks for the feedback. The residue I was referring to was in fact the dried QD from claying the entire vehicle without wiping it dry as I went.

Looking forward to my first DA detail