Any - Clay mitt - a wonder product that works! | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

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Fri 7 Feb 2020 12:07

Any - Clay mitt - a wonder product that works! - catsdad

The paint on the Golf has always had a reasonable shine, appearance-wise. However it felt rough even after a wash and using a good polish on a test area. I was beginning to wonder if there was a serious paint issue as it was so bad to the touch.

Off to the usual online store and people were extolling the virtues of clay barring ( which sounds a faff) or using a clay mitt. Apparently the latter offered a wipe on/wipe off with only limited elbow grease with the right lubricant. So that's what I ordered despite doubting that it could be that good.

Well I have to say it was brilliant. You feel the mitt binding at the first pass but it soon glides over in successive passes and the finish still looks shiny but feels completely smooth. A good wax later and the job's a good un.

So having been disappointed in many a wonder product (scratch pens etc) it was great to find one that actually worked.

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Sat 8 Feb 2020 08:25

Any - Clay mitt - a wonder product that works! - paul 1963

I regularly clay my car ( 4 times a year) and agree it does make a huge difference to the finish, with a normal clay bar you have too keep folding it in order to present a fresh surface, how does a glove get on? presumably you throw it away afterwards?

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Sat 8 Feb 2020 10:07

Any - Clay mitt - a wonder product that works! - catsdad

Paul I am not sure of the life. The blurb says it lasts five times as long as a clay bar which is meaningless! However it looks feels as good as new after one use. It has a rubberised texture on the panel that you use and there is no clay residue as you rinse it during use so presumably the clay is incorporated in the rubber. There is an obvious risk that a bit of grit gets in and, as you are not refreshing the mitt surface as you would a clay bar, it could mark the car. I only intend to use it this once anyway as its smoothed the surface.

I think a dedicated bar user would stick with the bar but the mitt is good for the casual user.

As you are a regular bar user can you say what you do after claying? I rinsed it thoroughly and applied a good wax but on close inspection I can see some slight wipe marks under the wax. I guess I should have polished before waxing? Its black which doesn't help.

Rather than try to remedy now I intend to just let the wax weather off and then polish and rewax in a few weeks but I would be interested in your view.

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Sat 8 Feb 2020 12:02

Any - Clay mitt - a wonder product that works! - paul 1963

Here's my method ( if your not 'into' car cleaning you may need to look away!) I first go around the car and rinse any loose dirt off using a 5 litre garden sprayer (hot water and shampoo) I then spray it all over with Autoglym Magma, this stuff is great, loosens any iron particles and turns blood red as it works so you are able to see just how much carp was on the paint.

I then give it a good hand wash using a noodle mitt, traps dirt rather than spread it around as a sponge does,after a rinse I then begin claying by wetting a small section of a panel with a spray bottle filled with water and a tiny drop of shampoo and using a thumb size piece of clay flattened out work my way over the panel, you can hear and feel the clay trapping contaminates so you need to be constantly turning the clay (use a fresh piece as soon as it becomes dirty all through) and always go back and forth rather than round and round. After a panel is finished I wipe it over with a wet micro fibre towel and move on round the car.

I don't generally polish afterwards as my paints in good nick but I've done a couple of cars that needed it and I use Autoglym super resin polish, it's nice and gentle..

Now the paints ready for wax, I use turtlewax triplewax, it's at least as good as more expensive brands, I apply it with a damp foam applicator and buff up with a long fibred sheep skin towel ( I forget the brand!).

Incedently I clay the whole car including the plastic trim and glass, large sections of trim get a coat of Autofiness "revive" (wear gloves, it's the the most slimey stuff imaginable) the glass and tricky bits of trim get a tiny spray of Autoglym aquawax, a little goes a long long way.

I use Autoglym "pure" shampoo along with there clay ( red and white tin ) as it's very gentle.

Apologies for all the product placements but these are the things I found to work, some car cleaning wonder products are snake oil imho.......

I suspect the marks you can see are due to doing a large area at a time or clay residue,

Edited by paul 1963 on 08/02/2020 at 12:05

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Sat 8 Feb 2020 22:20

Any - Clay mitt - a wonder product that works! - catsdad

Much obliged for the detailed reply. I think you are right about my doing a large area.

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