There’s at least one video on Youtube where the car enthusiast guy suggests using clay bar (which I gather is usually used to clean a car’s paint) to also clean the windshield. He says it loosens and removes impurities that a glass cleaner won’t get.
So his method is to wash the windshield with a glass cleaner, rub it with clay bar and lots of misted water, wash it again with class cleaner to remove anything the clay bar loosened up but didn’t remove, and then dry with a microfiber cloth. Then to keep it easy to clean he recommends using regular auto paste wax. He says the wax lasts 4-6 months, and makes the windshield easy to keep clean with a damp cloth or paper towel.
Has anyone tried either clay bar or paste wax, or both, in this way?
If I want to get the glass really clean, I use very fine steel wool. I never heard of clay bar before today. I may have to try one out on my car and bike.
I was wondering if this was one of those dubious Life Hacks involving modeling clay. I came at that one maybe 6 different ways in my head, and it doesn’t seem like it would have the desired results.
So, I’m gonna take it as a given that modeling clay is a different thing from a clay bar. What’s clay bar made from?
I’ve done the clay/microfiber cloth thing and it works very well. So well that I just marveled at the clarity of what I was seeing.
It’s a lot of work to do right, though, especially on a big, steeply angled windshield.
Yeah, I’ve been using car clay for years on my vehicles’ paint, and the difference is truly amazing. That gritty feel to the surface is gone; your car’s paint surface is like glass. I buy mine from Griot’s Garage, along with their Speed Shine product, which acts as a lubricant for the clay while also giving your car a protective shine.
I’ve used a clay bar in the past and it worked as advertised. However, there are now clay bar mitts that are easier to use and are reusable. Dude on the LegitStreetCars youtube channel does all his cars with this, then buffing compound and then seals it with a nano ceramic coating product that looks pretty spectacular.