A nice, shiny exterior is something we assume most people want for their cars. Waxing and clay barring (a procedure some may not be familiar with) are good ways to help that sheen last as long as possible. But not many people take the time to apply that level of care. In 2020, The New York Times ran a piece noting that younger people (millennials and Gen Z) are less likely to clay bar and wax than older generations.
That’s a problem.
If you’re not waxing, you end up with dull paintwork that’s more prone to scratches. Even if you place the utilitarian aspects of your car ahead of the aesthetic ones, that visual aspect can still have a practical impact down the line – cars that don’t look good sell for less money later. So, you need to clay bar and wax your vehicle. The question now is what is it and how much should you do it?
What is Clay Barring and Waxing?
Most people have heard of vehicle waxing. Type “mobile car waxing buffing near me” into Google and you’ll get dozens of results showcasing mobile car detailers that can wax your car. The idea is simple. Your detailer (or you, if you go down the DIY route) applies wax to your vehicle that you buff into the paintwork to create a nice sheen. The wax also forms a protective layer around your car’s paintwork, guarding it against the elements and the fading effects of ultraviolet light.
As for clay barring, that concept may not be as familiar. Clay bars are what the name implies – bars of clay that you rub over your car’s exterior. Specifically, the bar is a compound of clay and elastic designed to remove particles from your car’s surface that would otherwise stick in place even after washing. Those compounds include little bits of road grit, dust from your brakes, and the industrial pollution that we drive through every day. Don’t sleep on that last one. In 2023 alone, around 66 million tons of pollution were emitted into the atmosphere by the U.S. alone. That’s a lot of pollution for your car to handle, even if you can’t physically see the nasty particles in the air that surround your vehicle every day.
Clay bars get rid of those particles, preparing your vehicle for waxing. So, the two work in concert, even if the utility of clay bars often goes underappreciated.
How Often Should You Clay Bar and Wax?
You now know a little more about why you should clay bar and wax, even if you see your car in a purely utilitarian light. But how often should you do it? We recommend waxing your vehicle at least once every six months, which means you should clay bar at the same frequency. You could even use a seasonal rotation – clay bar and wax every three months to account for the changing of the seasons.
Why?
Wax doesn’t last forever. Even a high-quality wax coat will only last about 12 months before it wears away, leaving your car’s paintwork exposed once again. Applying a fresh coat without clay barring is also a problem because the remaining wax layer carries contaminants too thanks to being exposed to the elements for months. So, clay bar first, followed by a wax coating, every six months.
The Steps for Clay Barring and Wax Coating
We’ll assume you have a clay bar and wax at the ready. But you’ll need more tools than those two, as we explain in these steps:
Step 1: Wash your car to remove any loose dirt and grime that would be smeared in if you clay barred immediately. Use a mild car cleaner, deionized water – which ensures no water minerals get trapped onto your paintwork – and a clean microfiber towel for drying.
Step 2: Knead a small section of your clay bar until it becomes pliable and spray a portion of your car’s exterior with a clay lubricant.
Step 3: Take your kneaded clay bar and glide it over the lubricated surface. Don’t scrub. Use light pressure in a back-and-forth motion otherwise the clay will scratch your paintwork. Let the clay do the work – it’ll pick up contaminants as it glides.
Step 4: Once you’ve finished clay barring the lubricated portion of your car’s exterior, repeat Steps 2 and 3. You can use the same chunk of clay bar you were already using. Just fold it over and knead it again to expose a clean surface. Keep repeating until you’ve clay-barred your entire car.
Step 5: Give your car another quick wash and dry it with a clean towel. You’re ready to break out the wax.
Step 6: Grab a clean microfiber cloth – don’t use the towel you used when cleaning your car – and apply some of your wax product to your cloth. Spread the wax over your vehicle’s paintwork using circular motions and medium pressure.
Step 7: After you’ve applied the wax, wait for approximately five to 10 minutes. You should see a slightly dull haze come over your paintwork, which is your cue to buff the wax off your vehicle. Use another clean microfiber cloth for buffing, again using the circular motions and medium pressure you used when applying your wax. This time, you’re using these motions to remove excess wax.
Step 8: Repeat Steps 6 and 7 until you’ve waxed all of your car’s exterior.
That’s it – you’re done. The only issue is that clay barring and waxing your car can take several hours, especially if you’re new to the process. Use a local car waxing detailer in Gilbert AZ if you don’t have all of that time to dedicate to cleaning. Detailers know what they’re doing – making them more efficient than DIYers – and will use the best-quality clay bars and wax to give your car its new protective coat.
