[DarkCydeCA]

Hey all,
Looking at doing a big clean and polish job (iron removal, clay, etc.) on the car and I'm wondering how to get into all of those small areas: the thin little flats in front of the headlights, the smaller flat trims on the grille, the mirror stalks... I've included some photos with the areas highlighted.



Is it just good ole elbow grease? I'm concerned that you'll see some difference between the surfaces done with the polisher and the surfaces done by hand. Some of these surfaces are pretty... beat up.



I'm a backyard hacker but want to get a decent result without spending three days working on it.



P.S. I know the car is filthy, just got it back from the dealership and it rained that day. Also, not sure why the pics are so GD big... wow.


TIA!

[WhiteMale]

You're overthinking the differences with machine and hand, IMHO it's speed and convenience vs results that really differentiate the two. Also, clay bar will mold to fit. Clay pro tip is don't buy the bottle of their spray lube, use a spray bottle with a heavy squirt of dish detergent...works like a charm for much less.

[Dagstar]

OP, I was wondering the same thing. I just went wild buying a bunch of paint correction goodies during Amazon Prime Day and it'll be my first time doing it. If you haven't bought the clay yet (a bar I'm assuming), look into getting a surface prep mat. It's basically a cloth lined with clay and it's supposed to make the job much faster.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1

[DarkCydeCA]

Originally Posted by Dagstar

OP, I was wondering the same thing. I just went wild buying a bunch of paint correction goodies during Amazon Prime Day and it'll be my first time doing it. If you haven't bought the clay yet (a bar I'm assuming), look into getting a surface prep mat. It's basically a cloth lined with clay and it's supposed to make the job much faster.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...KIKX0DER&psc=1

Yeah, I've been looking at the synthetic clay mitts as well. I've used clay bars on other cars and I like the outcome but it's a ton of work. If I can get to 90% of clay bar results in 20 mins... I'll take it. Thanks for the tip.

[DarkCydeCA]

Originally Posted by WhiteMale

You're overthinking the differences with machine and hand, IMHO it's speed and convenience vs results that really differentiate the two. Also, clay bar will mold to fit. Clay pro tip is don't buy the bottle of their spray lube, use a spray bottle with a heavy squirt of dish detergent...works like a charm for much less.

I've also heard that the no-rinse wash concentrates (like Optimum) work really well for lube.

[Staves]

Easy, I don't. Just wash and dry with a rag.

[KirkH]

The pros use:

Small natural hair brushes for the nooks

Plastic picks to remove bug wings, maple seeds, etc.

“Detail Stixx”, stiff metal or plastic tools with rubber tips are wrapped with microfiber

Qtip style detailing swabs with plastic heads

Mini dual action polishers like the Griots G8

Edit: synthetic clay is great for removing grime. If you need to remove paint transfer or unknown gunk, real clay works much better.

[NYblack1le]

I use an rupes ibrid nano for all the small spots.

[KirkH]

Originally Posted by NYblack1le

I use an rupes ibrid nano for all the small spots.

Thats a really nice machine.

[peteric]

I use a finger pocket with some polish on it.

[joekd]

Originally Posted by Dagstar

If you haven't bought the clay yet (a bar I'm assuming), look into getting a surface prep mat. It's basically a cloth lined with clay and it's supposed to make the job much faster.

I use the chemical guys ones, they save a LOT of time and effort (dont have to rework the clay) and are reusable

Best part is if you do accidently drop it you can rinse off and keep using unlike clay where you have to throw it out

[serper3]

Originally Posted by DarkCydeCA

I've also heard that the no-rinse wash concentrates (like Optimum) work really well for lube.

I just clayed two of my cars over the last 2ish months, and I really recommend Mckees N-914 for a clay lube, waterless option.

https://www.amazon.com/McKees-37-Rin...NsaWNrPXRydWU=

It is diluted for use as a clay lube, and waterless or rinseless wash. I have been using this to waterless wash a panel or two at a time to get the dust off the car also before I polish or whatever step I am working on. This container will last a loooong time.

I think the lubricity is better than dawn, car wash soap, or quick detailers than I have tried in the past. also i would much rather this dry on your car than pretty much anything else.

This has no cleaners, waxes, etc which I appreciate because I do not want any of that stuff before I polish or if I am just wiping off some bugs, I dont want any residue/wax/etc on top of my ceramic/wax etc.