Anyone in the detailing world will tell you that taking a clay bar to a car's paint is the best thing you can do prior to paint correction / polish / sealant. This pulls out all the industrial fallout from the paint instead of driving it into the paint during the paint correction / polish / sealant process. The problem with the clay bar process is that it takes a considerable amount of time and energy. Finally there is a solution that slashes that process considerably.
Now it is possible to use a foam pad on a DA polisher to 'clay' the paint in a fraction of the time. There's two components to this process (Also there is the DA - I use a porter cable 7424).
First, lets talk about Optimum No Rinse Wash and Shine. Anyone in the detail business should have this on hand. In different dilution rates, it will act as a waterless car wash, clay lube quick detail spray. There are plenty of Quick Detailer sprays and clay bar lubes out there. This is my personal preference.
Here are those concentrates for ONR:
Wash solution: ratio 1:256 or 1 oz/2 gallons or 30 ml to 7.68 liters of water (3.9 ml per liter)
Clay lube: ratio 1:64 or 2 oz/1 gallon or 60 ml to 3.84 liters of water (15.6 ml per liter)
Quick Detailer: ratio 1:16 or 8 oz/1 gallon or 240 ml to 3.84 liters for water (62.5 ml per liter)
Note the source for those ratios: Optimum Forums
Personally, I just use the QD as the clay bar lube. For the wash solution I use tap water (yes I know distilled is best, but I'm not actually washing the car with this solution). Note - never put a dirty MF towel into the wash solution!
Next, lets talk about Nanoskin Autoscrub pad. There are multiple manufacturers of a synthetic clay pad out there. I use the Nanoskin Autoscrub pad Nanoskin (AS-003) AutoScrub 6" Medium Grade Foam Pad for DA Polisher
The Nanoskin will attach to the same backing plate I already have for the DA. I use it on a low speed.
Finally, lets talk about the process!
1. First step is to wash the vehicle thoroughly.
2. Put a few clean MF towels into the 2 gallon waterless wash solution. Take one MF towel and ring it out a bit. You want it damp. Fold it in half, then in half again. This will give you 8 usable sections of the MF towel. Do the same for a second MF towel. Towel number 1 will be to clean the pad. Towel 2 will be used on the paint.
3. With the QD in a spray bottle, mist a section of the car (2x2? 3x3 foot?). Then mist the pad. Take the machine to the paint and work the section you just misted. The important part here is to make sure there is sufficient lube. If not, micro-marring can occur.
4. Once done with that section, take MF towel 1 and wipe the pad. Make sure NOT to use that section of MF towel again - its dirty now. You still have 7 sections left!
5. Take MF towel 2 and wipe the section you just completed. Same thing in previous step, don't use that section of MF towel again.
6. Repeat steps 3-5 for the next section. Section by section work your way around the car until its done.
That's it! If you are able to have someone help you with steps 4 and 5 while you concentrate on step 3, the process can be done in less than 30 minutes. You could also use the Nanoskin as a mit and do this process by hand.
