Mike Phillips
Active member
- Dec 5, 2022
- 51,004
- 6
Review and How To: Griots Garage Brilliant Finish Synthetic Clay
Gloss comes from a smooth surface
If you love a shiny finish then the first step to restoring a high shine finish is to remove any contaminants that doesn't wash off during the washing process. Contaminants like overspray paint, tree sap mist, industrial fallout, traffic pollution and other airborne contaminants build up on the exterior surfaces of your car and form a bond that is strong enough that normal washing simply won't remove. That's why after washing off loose dirt the next step to restoring the factory fresh appearance is to remove any bonded contaminants.
Griot's Garage Brilliant Finish Synthetic Clay
New from Griot's Garage!
Griot's has introduced an easy to use synthetic clay pad. It has an easy to grip, ergo foam handle built-in which makes it super easy to hold on both horizontal and vertical sides. In fact, it's real easy to drop a normal piece of clay patty when working on vertical sides and if this happens you must through normal clay away to avoid scratching your car's finish. But not so with this new synthetic clay replacement for regular detailing clay. First the easy-grip foam handle ensures you don't drop it and if you do, unlike normal detailing clay you can simply rinse this synthetic clay off and go back to claying.
Polymerized Rubber Surface
The important part however is the face of this Synthetic Clay as this is where the magic takes place. Like normal clay, this polymerized rubber surface contains a paint safe abrasive which as you rub the surface over contaminated paint it safely abrades off the contaminants to leave smooth clean paint behind. The diamond pattern creates channels for contaminants to reside until you rinse it off helping to prevent any scratching or marring since particles are not trapped between the paint and the surface of the diamond patterned surface.
Perfect size
The face of this synthetic clay pad is 4" in diameter and this is large enough to do entire large panels and even more perfect for working thin panels like you'll see me do on the 1970 Cuda I tested this new product out on.
Versatile
You can use the Griot's Synthetic Clay with the Griot's Speed Shine or with Griot's Brilliant Finish Car Wash when washing your car.
The SECRET to decontaminating paint during the washing step is to first wash and THOROUGHLY RINSE your car BEFORE using the Griot's Synthetic Clay to remove contaminants. Because the handle is made of soft foam sponge material it safe for use around clearcoat paints and when using it during the washing process you can squeeze it while rubbing it over the paint to release more soapy car wash solution to lubricate the surface as you remove contaminants.
Technique tip...
Break in your brand new Griot's Garage Synthetic Clay by rubbing it against clean glass with a spray lubricant. This will create a more perfect surface and help to prevent any marring to more scratch-sensitive surfaces.
How to use with Speed Shine
Step 1: Wash and dry car.
Step 2: Spray Griot's Speed Shine over a single panel. For large panels only tackle a section at a time.
Step 3: Rub the Griot's Synthetic Clay over the paint using a back and forth motion. After a few moments or after you feel the synthetic clay glide effortlessly over the paint, wipe off the excess residue and move onto a new section.
Step 4: Periodically rinse the face of the Griot's Synthetic Clay off under clean running water or in a bucket of clean water to remove any contaminants lodged in the diamond pattern face of the polymerized rubber face.
How to use when washing your car with Griot's Brilliant Finish Car Wash
Step 1: Working in the shade, wash your vehicle as you normally do.
Step 2: This is important - THOROUGHLY RINSE the vehicle to completely flush off all dirt loosened during the washing step.
Step 3: While the car is still wet, dip the Griot's Synthetic Clay into your bucket of soapy water and then rub in a back and forth fashion over a panel at a time. Rub for a few moments or until you feel the Griot's Synthetic Clay glide effortlessly over the surface.
Step 4: Rinse the panel you just decontaminated and then rinse off the face of the Griot's Synthetic Clay.
Step 5: Dip the Griot's Synthetic Clay back into your bucket of soapy water and clay the next panel repeating the process in step 3 and step 4.
Step 6: After using the Griot's Synthetic Clay over all the painted panels and any other smooth surface give the vehicle a final rinse and then dry off any standing rinse water.
Here's the Griot's Synthetic Clay removed from the packaging.
Here you can see the diamond pattern imprints on the surface of the pad and the channels it creates surrounding the diamond shaped nubs. These channels provide an escape for particles to flush into instead of being rubbed against your car's paint.
Easy to grip ergo foam handle makes removing contaminants easy PLUS helps to prevent you from dropping the synthetic clay when working on verticals sides.
Break in new pads
When using Griot's Garage Synthetic Clay for the first time break in the surface by rubbing it against clean glass using Griot's Speed Shine as a lubricant.
Rub the Griot's Synthetic Clay in a back and forth motion in the direction of the length of the panel to be decontaminated or in the direction of the length of the vehicle for larger panels.
Spray plenty of Speed Shine for lubrication while removing contaminants.
Results = Clean, smooth glossy paint
After using both the Griot's Synthetic Clay and the Griot's 6" Surface Prep Pad to fully decontaminate this 1970 Cuda the gloss has been restored.
On Autogeek.com
Griots Garage Brilliant Finish Synthetic Clay
Griot's Speed Shine - 35 ounce
Griot's Brilliant Shine Car Wash - 64 ounce
All Griot's Products
Gloss comes from a smooth surface
If you love a shiny finish then the first step to restoring a high shine finish is to remove any contaminants that doesn't wash off during the washing process. Contaminants like overspray paint, tree sap mist, industrial fallout, traffic pollution and other airborne contaminants build up on the exterior surfaces of your car and form a bond that is strong enough that normal washing simply won't remove. That's why after washing off loose dirt the next step to restoring the factory fresh appearance is to remove any bonded contaminants.
Griot's Garage Brilliant Finish Synthetic Clay
New from Griot's Garage!
Griot's has introduced an easy to use synthetic clay pad. It has an easy to grip, ergo foam handle built-in which makes it super easy to hold on both horizontal and vertical sides. In fact, it's real easy to drop a normal piece of clay patty when working on vertical sides and if this happens you must through normal clay away to avoid scratching your car's finish. But not so with this new synthetic clay replacement for regular detailing clay. First the easy-grip foam handle ensures you don't drop it and if you do, unlike normal detailing clay you can simply rinse this synthetic clay off and go back to claying.
Polymerized Rubber Surface
The important part however is the face of this Synthetic Clay as this is where the magic takes place. Like normal clay, this polymerized rubber surface contains a paint safe abrasive which as you rub the surface over contaminated paint it safely abrades off the contaminants to leave smooth clean paint behind. The diamond pattern creates channels for contaminants to reside until you rinse it off helping to prevent any scratching or marring since particles are not trapped between the paint and the surface of the diamond patterned surface.
Perfect size
The face of this synthetic clay pad is 4" in diameter and this is large enough to do entire large panels and even more perfect for working thin panels like you'll see me do on the 1970 Cuda I tested this new product out on.
Versatile
You can use the Griot's Synthetic Clay with the Griot's Speed Shine or with Griot's Brilliant Finish Car Wash when washing your car.
The SECRET to decontaminating paint during the washing step is to first wash and THOROUGHLY RINSE your car BEFORE using the Griot's Synthetic Clay to remove contaminants. Because the handle is made of soft foam sponge material it safe for use around clearcoat paints and when using it during the washing process you can squeeze it while rubbing it over the paint to release more soapy car wash solution to lubricate the surface as you remove contaminants.
Technique tip...
Break in your brand new Griot's Garage Synthetic Clay by rubbing it against clean glass with a spray lubricant. This will create a more perfect surface and help to prevent any marring to more scratch-sensitive surfaces.
How to use with Speed Shine
Step 1: Wash and dry car.
Step 2: Spray Griot's Speed Shine over a single panel. For large panels only tackle a section at a time.
Step 3: Rub the Griot's Synthetic Clay over the paint using a back and forth motion. After a few moments or after you feel the synthetic clay glide effortlessly over the paint, wipe off the excess residue and move onto a new section.
Step 4: Periodically rinse the face of the Griot's Synthetic Clay off under clean running water or in a bucket of clean water to remove any contaminants lodged in the diamond pattern face of the polymerized rubber face.
How to use when washing your car with Griot's Brilliant Finish Car Wash
Step 1: Working in the shade, wash your vehicle as you normally do.
Step 2: This is important - THOROUGHLY RINSE the vehicle to completely flush off all dirt loosened during the washing step.
Step 3: While the car is still wet, dip the Griot's Synthetic Clay into your bucket of soapy water and then rub in a back and forth fashion over a panel at a time. Rub for a few moments or until you feel the Griot's Synthetic Clay glide effortlessly over the surface.
Step 4: Rinse the panel you just decontaminated and then rinse off the face of the Griot's Synthetic Clay.
Step 5: Dip the Griot's Synthetic Clay back into your bucket of soapy water and clay the next panel repeating the process in step 3 and step 4.
Step 6: After using the Griot's Synthetic Clay over all the painted panels and any other smooth surface give the vehicle a final rinse and then dry off any standing rinse water.
Here's the Griot's Synthetic Clay removed from the packaging.
Here you can see the diamond pattern imprints on the surface of the pad and the channels it creates surrounding the diamond shaped nubs. These channels provide an escape for particles to flush into instead of being rubbed against your car's paint.
Easy to grip ergo foam handle makes removing contaminants easy PLUS helps to prevent you from dropping the synthetic clay when working on verticals sides.
Break in new pads
When using Griot's Garage Synthetic Clay for the first time break in the surface by rubbing it against clean glass using Griot's Speed Shine as a lubricant.
Rub the Griot's Synthetic Clay in a back and forth motion in the direction of the length of the panel to be decontaminated or in the direction of the length of the vehicle for larger panels.
Spray plenty of Speed Shine for lubrication while removing contaminants.
Results = Clean, smooth glossy paint
After using both the Griot's Synthetic Clay and the Griot's 6" Surface Prep Pad to fully decontaminate this 1970 Cuda the gloss has been restored.
On Autogeek.com
Griots Garage Brilliant Finish Synthetic Clay
Griot's Speed Shine - 35 ounce
Griot's Brilliant Shine Car Wash - 64 ounce
All Griot's Products
