Maniac-Auto Tutorials: Decontamination
DETAILING STEP N°3: DECONTAMINATION
After a thorough wash, it is essential to carry out a decontamination in order to obtain a completely smooth and clean surface ready for polishing or waxing. These contaminants are not particularly visible to the naked eye but are very much present on your bodywork.
What kind of contamination and how do I know if my vehicle is contaminated?
It could be tar, polluting industrial fallout, resin, road film... By running the back of your hand over the bodywork of your vehicle, you can feel a rough, non-smooth texture. The good news is that a thorough decontamination will allow you to restore a beautiful, like-new appearance.
This step is crucial and must be performed at every restoration (every 6 months) or before each re-waxing. To learn how to use the clay, please watch the video above.
You will need a clay bar (a moldable clay bar) and a clay lubricant (either ready to use, or a quick detailer diluted for this purpose). We recommend using around thirty grams per vehicle. If after use it is too contaminated, you can throw it away.
Which decontamination clay to use?
On a new or very recent vehicle, you should use a fine clay. For slightly older vehicles, a medium clay will do the job. Hard clays should only be used on older vehicles that have never been decontaminated. Be careful with these as they can leave defects that can only be removed by polishing.
Best sellers:
Blue Medium Clay Bar, Valet Pro
Clay Bar Yellow Light / Medium, Chemical Guys
Which lubricant to use?
The choice is very easy, as lubricants are very similar to one another. The real question is: do you want a ready-diluted or concentrated product?
Best sellers:
Citrus Bling, Valet Pro
Luber, Chemical Guys
Glide Clay Lube, Auto Finesse
Nett' Lux, Alchimy7
Maniac-Auto tip
Once your vehicle is well washed and rinsed, don't dry it! Just make sure it is in the shade and at a reasonable temperature. Indeed, you can apply your clay directly to your wet car, which will promote lubrication and save you a step. However, make sure to lubricate the surface well, even if it is already wet.
What alternatives?
Recently, some brands have been trying to differentiate themselves by bringing new products to market: decontamination mitt, decontamination microfibre, clayblock... Our favorite? The decontamination mitt, which allows you to wash your car while decontaminating it at the same time. Be sure to add lubricant when using the clay mitt to avoid marring and other micro-scratches.
Surface Cleansing Mitt Medium Grade, Chemical Guys