Question for carwash

[AaronC]

So I wash my truck and suv about every 2 weeks, my question is how often should I do the clay bar and how often should i wax it? What process should I take from the options below. I'm trying to save time and really see what would be the correct process to take on them. I should probably say your usual "wash".

Op 1:
2bw
Dry
Detail spray

Op 2:
2bw
Dry
Clay
Wax
Detail spray

Op 3:
2bw
Dry
Clay
Detail spray
Wax
Detail Spray

 

[stilltipping3]

Wash, leave suds after second wash for clay lube. Then try n polish if u can or go straight to wax or a sealant n wax.

 

[Bunky]

If you clay once and keep it protected with a wax or sealant you will not need to clay for at least one year unless you have unusual environmental situation. The true test is just do the baggy test and this will tell you if you need to clay - not an arbitrary cycle.

So for the first wash, you clay, protect and then just wash/dry/detail spray until you need to re-wax. Again, you decide about re-waxing based upon preferences such as not sheeting or beading as well, harder to clean, etc. Depending on the wax/sealant used, garaged or not, environmental (trees, lots of rain), it can be 2 months to 5 to 6 months. Detail spray can extend the apparent durability.

 

[AaronC]

thanks guys, I think im going to give it a try and do the wash/dry/detail spray since its going to be 2 weeks ago that I did the clay and also waxed it. Ill see how that will work if not Ill just clay/sealant/wax it and go from there, once again thank you all. If you have different options please let me know.

 

[Romans5.8]

Keep in mind that different products, paints, and environments will have different levels of longevity. Sealants generally last longer, for example. On the flip side, if you have a coating on your paint; or the paint is heavily swirled or contaminated, sealants and waxes won't last as long as they won't bond as well.

There's a lot of discussion on whether beading matters- but I'm not versed enough in auto detailing to know any other way; so that's what I look for. If the beading has gone away, then the wax is 100% gone and the car has gone unprotected for at least some time. So I just look for changes in beading. I re-apply sealant every few months, and wax about once a month, but I pay attention to beading and other clues (like how it looks and how easily it cleans) to determine when additional wax layers are needed. That said, beading and other things can be affected by contamination, so even if the paint is protected, it may not bead well.

 

[mwoolfso]

If you clay once and keep it protected with a wax or sealant you will not need to clay for at least one year unless you have unusual environmental situation. The true test is just do the baggy test and this will tell you if you need to clay - not an arbitrary cycle.

So for the first wash, you clay, protect and then just wash/dry/detail spray until you need to re-wax. Again, you decide about re-waxing based upon preferences such as not sheeting or beading as well, harder to clean, etc. Depending on the wax/sealant used, garaged or not, environmental (trees, lots of rain), it can be 2 months to 5 to 6 months. Detail spray can extend the apparent durability.

To add to this..... the baggy test works best when the paint is stripped of any wax or sealant.