Iron decon and clay combined...

Paul A.

Paul A.

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I've seen several pro level videos on YouTube where they combine iron spray treatment as the lube and then clay with it on the surface.

I can see the time savings with this approach but i personally don't like it.

What say you folks?
 
Paul A. said:
I've seen several pro level videos on YouTube where they combine iron spray treatment as the lube and then clay with it on the surface.

I can see the time savings with this approach but i personally don't like it.

What say you folks?
Click to expand...

I wear gloves when using iron spray and I HATE wearing gloves for any length of time at all because I sweat in them like crazy

I actually tried this once and it made me hurry through the claying process and I wouldn't do it again even if time and money were involved

But that's just me
 
Yeah, good point Chilly. I NEVER want any iron solution to dry on the paint.
 
I’d never do it because wouldn’t you have to spray the iron decon and give it 5min. to react? Then you’re expecting to use that almost dried liquid as clay lube?

And doesn’t most iron decon stink like crap? Why would you want to be up close and personal with Iron X? Plus I wipe off clay lube with clean drying towels and I sure as hell ain’t about to get iron decon on any of my good drying towels.

Not to mention I go through a sh!tton of claylube when I clay because it’s cheap and prevents marring and iron decon is expensive as hell.

What I do is pre rinse the vehicle, spray iron decon, let it react, then go straight to bucket washing with it on there. Then my mitts go straight in the washing machine.

I use Meguiars Ultimate Wheel Cleaner for iron decon, so I don’t have to deal with the stench.
 
I would also add that if there is one process where I want maximum tactile feedback it is claying

I want to feel every little bit of crap the clay goes over and gloves kill that for me

Ditto on the amount of clay lube used, and even using MEGS UWC for iron on paint (I do too) it would be way too expensive for claying

When I said I rushed through the process the one time I tried it I guess I should have added that in the long run it took me longer because I went behind and washed every section I clayed before moving on and that took a lot of time and was a very disruptive process

I guess there are certain clay/iron remover combos that will survive the process but the clays I have always used will eventually dissolve in the shampoo bucket so I would be scared spitless of long term use with iron decon

I am just old and set in my ways so feel free to do your own thing
I am sure the pros have this dialed in but like I said, I wouldn't do it again
 
I like your iron decon procedure, Eldo. Rinse, apply iron remover and give it a few mins then normal wash after. I think i'll change up my process to that.

My only question is when do you clay?
 
Paul A. said:
I like your iron decon procedure, Eldo. Rinse, apply iron remover and give it a few mins then normal wash after. I think i'll change up my process to that.

My only question is when do you clay?
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I clay immediately after that wash & dry. I know some people talk about leaving the vehicle wet and go straight into claying, but I don’t like doing that because water always winds up sitting around long enough to make me uncomfortable.

The only minor drawback to applying iron decon is rinse water water being on the surface and fear of diluting it or affecting clinging, but the agitation with the mitts far outweighs any of that.
 
I'm not as experienced as most on here, and I do detailing as a hobby. So I don't pay attention to time, it's more what I am enjoying that counts, and work off that. So I take a clean dry car and spray it down with iron decon. I started with Sonax Fallout remover then when it ranout I bought Bilt Hamber. I have also used Megs UWC when I was needing a bit extra. I let it dwell, then very lightly mist the car with water and let dwell some more. Doing that 2 or 3 times to let the iron do as much work as possible. Then rinse off fully and wash the car. Then I take a bucket of clean, soapy Megs Hyper Wash and clay with synthetic mitts and sponges. Dry and start compound/polishing.
Again being a hobby, when I have been striving to have the best look of the car at the end, before I started compounding, I have clayed again with a Sonax clay pad and glass cleaner as lube.
 
I have combined the iron and clay process as one step in the past, but I didn't care for the method for a couple of reasons -

Firstly, the stink factor. Even wearing gloves, I really don't like the smell of iron removers. NV Purify, which is sold as an iron removing clay lube, it smells the least offensive but still not nice. You end up with that stink in everything, your clothes, your towels, your clay media.

Secondly, I would only be using this method if the car is only mildly contaminated on a car you love, or if the paint is jacked and going to be polished straight after. My reasoning here is that you end up rubbing all that contamination into the paint.





I've sort of evolved my iron and clay decon process into the following -

1. Apply iron remover to the car from dry, no pre-rinse or washing beforehand. The reasoning here is you don't dilute the chemical and allows it to react as best it can. Naturally, you have to be mindful of it not drying on the car, so work in sections if needed. I'm usually doing this whole process early morning for that reason.



2. After allowing to dwell, I then foam a high alkaline soap over the top of the iron remover. I've found Carpro Lift my favorite but Gyeon Foam and NV Snow+ do well here too. Again, allow to soak for as long as possible. You will see the foam gradually turn purple as it draws the iron contamination from the car.





3. Rinse the car thoroughly.

4. Re-foam the car with an acidic leaning soap, I use Carpro Descale, but KCx have just launched the similar Reactivation Shampoo. From here, I wash as normal, then rinse.





5. With the car still wet, this is where I clay if needed. My reasoning here is that I have the surface as chemically clean as possible prior to rubbing on the car with clay media. To save a step, I don't dry the car before applying the lubricant. This then means I can rinse the clay lube off the car rather than drying it for a second time.



6. Dry the car. In my case, I again combine two steps by using a prep spray as the "drying aid", which then allows you to clearly inspect the paint properly prior to polishing or further actions.



All that might seem like a lot, and I suppose it is. But it takes me less time to do the above than it used to take me to wash, then dry, then clay and then dry as I did in the past. Time savings are to be had by not covering the same ground multiple times, and while you are waiting for the iron remover and alkaline steps to dwell, you can prep your buckets, foam cannon and other chemicals.
 
DFB said:
I have combined the iron and clay process as one step in the past, but I didn't care for the method for a couple of reasons -

Firstly, the stink factor. Even wearing gloves, I really don't like the smell of iron removers. NV Purify, which is sold as an iron removing clay lube, it smells the least offensive but still not nice. You end up with that stink in everything, your clothes, your towels, your clay media.

Secondly, I would only be using this method if the car is only mildly contaminated on a car you love, or if the paint is jacked and going to be polished straight after. My reasoning here is that you end up rubbing all that contamination into the paint.





I've sort of evolved my iron and clay decon process into the following -

1. Apply iron remover to the car from dry, no pre-rinse or washing beforehand. The reasoning here is you don't dilute the chemical and allows it to react as best it can. Naturally, you have to be mindful of it not drying on the car, so work in sections if needed. I'm usually doing this whole process early morning for that reason.



2. After allowing to dwell, I then foam a high alkaline soap over the top of the iron remover. I've found Carpro Lift my favorite but Gyeon Foam and NV Snow+ do well here too. Again, allow to soak for as long as possible. You will see the foam gradually turn purple as it draws the iron contamination from the car.





3. Rinse the car thoroughly.

4. Re-foam the car with an acidic leaning soap, I use Carpro Descale, but KCx have just launched the similar Reactivation Shampoo. From here, I wash as normal, then rinse.





5. With the car still wet, this is where I clay if needed. My reasoning here is that I have the surface as chemically clean as possible prior to rubbing on the car with clay media. To save a step, I don't dry the car before applying the lubricant. This then means I can rinse the clay lube off the car rather than drying it for a second time.



6. Dry the car. In my case, I again combine two steps by using a prep spray as the "drying aid", which then allows you to clearly inspect the paint properly prior to polishing or further actions.



All that might seem like a lot, and I suppose it is. But it takes me less time to do the above than it used to take me to wash, then dry, then clay and then dry as I did in the past. Time savings are to be had by not covering the same ground multiple times, and while you are waiting for the iron remover and alkaline steps to dwell, you can prep your buckets, foam cannon and other chemicals.
Click to expand...

Very similar process. I spray iron remover when dry.l and let dwell. Then spray Alkaline soap dwell and rinse. then us a ph neutral soap.

I then will clay and then rinse and dry. I don’t really see a need to prep spray at this point as I will do after polish. I don’t see anything left a prep spray would remove that washing, claying and iron removing wouldn’t.

I will how ever try replacing my PH neutral step with Purifica (acid soap)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Coatingsarecrack said:
Very similar process. I spray iron remover when dry.l and let dwell. Then spray Alkaline soap dwell and rinse. then us a ph neutral soap.

I then will clay and then rinse and dry. I don’t really see a need to prep spray at this point as I will do after polish. I don’t see anything left a prep spray would remove that washing, claying and iron removing wouldn’t.

I will how ever try replacing my PH neutral step with Purifica (acid soap)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

The use of the prep spray prior to polishing is something I picked up from watching Sandro's videos, something he tends to do as a matter of course. I do also wonder what its doing though, I guess removing any possible residual chemical, which would prevent a true indication of what the paint looks like? Probably overkill, but that's me.

Using the acidic soap I guess would depend on the cars usage patterns and how much mineral content its exposed to. One of my Falcon's for instance never sees rain or wet roads, so the chances of mineral deposits would be minimal. On a daily driver, the acidic soap would be helpful.

What I love though is having so many different options to achieve the same result.
 
I truly appreciate the comments guys. I'm adjusting my wash and decon procedures as a result.
 
Iron decon is not cheap. Clay lube is cheap. I can't see using iron decon as clay lube. That's probably 4X as much iron decon as you need to use.
 
After using Iron remover (and letting dwell) I rinse it off thoroughly… as opposed to claying or applying a soap, as in other replies here.

I’m too worried about it drying on some rubber or plastic somewhere I can’t see.

:dunno:
 
DFB said:
I have combined the iron and clay process as one step in the past, but I didn't care for the method for a couple of reasons -


I've sort of evolved my iron and clay decon process into the following -

1. Apply iron remover to the car from dry, no pre-rinse or washing beforehand. The reasoning here is you don't dilute the chemical and allows it to react as best it can. Naturally, you have to be mindful of it not drying on the car, so work in sections if needed. I'm usually doing this whole process early morning for that reason.


2. After allowing to dwell, I then foam a high alkaline soap over the top of the iron remover. I've found Carpro Lift my favorite but Gyeon Foam and NV Snow+ do well here too. Again, allow to soak for as long as possible. You will see the foam gradually turn purple as it draws the iron contamination from the car.

3. Rinse the car thoroughly.

4. Re-foam the car with an acidic leaning soap, I use Carpro Descale, but KCx have just launched the similar Reactivation Shampoo. From here, I wash as normal, then rinse.


5. With the car still wet, this is where I clay if needed. My reasoning here is that I have the surface as chemically clean as possible prior to rubbing on the car with clay media. To save a step, I don't dry the car before applying the lubricant. This then means I can rinse the clay lube off the car rather than drying it for a second time.

6. Dry the car. In my case, I again combine two steps by using a prep spray as the "drying aid", which then allows you to clearly inspect the paint properly prior to polishing or further actions.
.
Click to expand...

Do you do iron remover, high alkaline, then high ph as your standard process, or only when it is determined to be necessary?

:D
 
vaced said:
Do you do iron remover, high alkaline, then high ph as your standard process, or only when it is determined to be necessary?

:D
Click to expand...

This is the process which I do when required, generally on neglected vehicles or when I'm getting ready to polish and ceramic coat -

1. Iron Remover over the whole vehicle from dry. Allow to soak.
2. Foam with high pH/alkaline soap over the top of the iron remover. Allow to soak.
3. Rinse.
4. Foam with low pH/acidic soap, then contact wash.
5. Rinse.
6. Clay treatment, while still wet.
7. Rinse
8. Dry, usually with Carpro Eraser or similar.
 
I guess if you're polishing it anyways it matters a bit less that a lube that isn't a lube was used.....lol. Claying is harsh enough as it is why make it more so? Crazy. Never seen that before but wow.
 
LSNAutoDetailing said:
This is going to sound blasphemous and contrary to anything I've ever previously said, but I stopped using iron decon products.
Click to expand...

Don't feel bad. I've never used one and not really seen the point. I used a color changing wheel cleaner wheel cleaner years ago, and it never changed color, so I didn't really see the value there either.

Back on topic. One thing I haven't seen anyone mention regarding using an iron remover together with a clar bar is lubrication. How slick are the iron removers? After some terrible experience with Nanoskin Glide offering no lubrication, I'm very conscious of that every time I pull out a claybar. The last thing I want is the clay bar to inflict more marring on the paint than it normally would under normal circumstances.
 
Desertnate said:
Don't feel bad. I've never used one and not really seen the point. I used a color changing wheel cleaner wheel cleaner years ago, and it never changed color, so I didn't really see the value there either.
Click to expand...

I'm not a huge user of iron decon products, but oddly enough I've had the same experience with wheels, maybe it's from changing over to ceramic pads, but I get very little color change on my wheels. However, I have had some pretty extreme color changing on a trunklid/back bumper, but that was on a car that sat on a highway dealer lot for a while, not far from an airport, if that had anything to do with it. I don't think I did the whole car, I think it felt gritty in the back there so I sprayed it and it bled quite a bit.
 
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