# Clay bar safe? **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [April 7, 2017, 1:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723 "2017-04-07T01:13:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Andy-Ke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/andy-ke/32/41664_2.png) [@Andy-Ke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Andy-Ke)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/1 "2017-04-07T01:13:45Z")
Is the use of a clay bar safe on cars if used sparingly. ? ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/2 "2017-04-07T01:15:05Z")
Yup. Be sure to use the accompanying spray to lubricate it, but claybar isn’t going to hurt anything. ---
**Author:** ![Barkydog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/barkydog/32/2470_2.png) [@Barkydog](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Barkydog)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/3 "2017-04-07T01:15:45Z")
Clay bar is a good tool, I have never had it hurt anything, but you are trying to fix something, better info, better answers. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/4 "2017-04-07T01:15:55Z")
I use it on my cars twice a year. It pulls all the contaminants out of the paint which is a good thing. You can feel the difference but follow directions and use the lube. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/5 "2017-04-07T01:18:42Z")
As a retired chemist you should be able to look at the clay bar web site or the package it self and probably determine the possible risks. ---
**Author:** ![Andy-Ke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/andy-ke/32/41664_2.png) [@Andy-Ke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Andy-Ke)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/6 "2017-04-07T01:44:38Z")
Thanks to those who gave me feedback on clay bars. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Andy-Ke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/andy-ke/32/41664_2.png) [@Andy-Ke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Andy-Ke)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/7 "2017-04-07T01:45:04Z")
Thanks Bing. ---
**Author:** ![Andy-Ke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/andy-ke/32/41664_2.png) [@Andy-Ke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Andy-Ke)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/8 "2017-04-07T01:47:01Z")
> [@Barkydog](#): > > Clay bar is a good tool, I have never had it hurt anything, but you are trying to fix something, better info, better answers. Thanks. I got my car waxed. Detailer recommend clay bar, but he was a little difficult to understand when I asked about the clay bar. The area I live has a lot of refineries near by, so the air quality is less than ideal. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/9 "2017-04-07T02:48:45Z")
Yeah, that makes sense then. Refineries, coal plants, anything with a smokestack really, will belch junk into the air that’s composed of tiny little particles. Those particles get on your car and can be hard to get off. You can even feel that the paint feels rough when it’s bad. A clay bar will lift those contaminants away without damaging the underlying paint and clearcoat. You’ll end up with a smoother finish, and smooth = shiny, so your car will look better. Reminds me. I need to claybar mine one of these days. ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 3:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/10 "2017-04-07T03:45:04Z")
If you ever drop the clay bar on the ground, don’t use it after that. It’ll pick up grit that will damage your finish. ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 3:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/11 "2017-04-07T03:56:47Z")
I agree with above. I have only needed to use it on one of my cars; bought used and the paint was always rough when I was waxing it. So bought a pack on amazon and watched some videos just to be on the safe side. It worked fine. On the other hand, on my other cars that have had regular wash and wax, the paint is smooth, so I have not seen the necessity for doing it. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 5:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/12 "2017-04-07T05:09:20Z")
A little clarification. You use the clay bar before you wax or polish not afterward. ---
**Author:** ![Andy-Ke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/andy-ke/32/41664_2.png) [@Andy-Ke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Andy-Ke)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 6:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/13 "2017-04-07T06:00:45Z")
The guy who gave my car a wax job showed me the benefits of a clay bar. He just showed me the difference between using it and not not using it. I could feel the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Manolito](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/manolito/32/3070_2.png) [@Manolito](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Manolito)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 12:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/14 "2017-04-07T12:59:06Z")
I found a soft rubber mit on a detailing site that does the same thing a clay bar does with a lot less time and effort. You mix the lubricant with distilled water and use the spray bottle to clean the mit between patches. The before/after difference in feel in the finish is similar, but my shoulder, elbow, and wrist feel much better afterward with the mit. When the mit arrives, it is coated with some sort of preservative sealant to keep the soft rubber from degrading. Too bad they dont sell that sealant because I am likely to store the mit for a year or two between uses. Perhaps I should put it in a ziplock bag. ---
**Author:** ![Ben-T\_Spanner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/58956e/32.png) [@Ben-T\_Spanner](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Ben-T_Spanner)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 1:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/15 "2017-04-07T13:19:25Z")
I use a product which is a plastic holder with a mesh like bottom. Use it just like a clay bar with lubricant. Advantages: easier to hold in my old hands; no kneading, if you drop it, you can wash it off, and it lasts for many uses. At least two companies make similar products. Price is comparable to clay bar kits. I got mine at Pep Boys. They have a decent selection car cleaning products. As a free bobus, I got to microfiber cloths which a big enough to shine my teaspoon. ---
**Author:** ![Andy-Ke](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/andy-ke/32/41664_2.png) [@Andy-Ke](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Andy-Ke)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 10:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/16 "2017-04-07T22:33:51Z")
Thanks gentlemen for the great tips. 🙂 I will use them. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 10:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/17 "2017-04-07T22:40:32Z")
> [@Ben\_T\_Spanner](#): > > As a free bobus, I got to microfiber cloths which a big enough to shine my teaspoon. Not quite sure what is being said here. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/18 "2017-04-07T22:52:00Z")
Depending on the brand, with the bar of clay, you get the lube/quick detailer and sometimes a micro fiber cloth with it. I’ve converted almost entirely to micro fiber. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/19 "2017-04-08T01:15:16Z")
> [@bing](#): > > I’ve converted almost entirely to micro fiber. My golf shirt inventory is evolving to micro fiber technology. Fore! _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![insightful](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/insightful/32/2732_2.png) [@insightful](https://community.cartalk.com/u/insightful)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723/20 "2017-04-08T01:44:08Z")
I just use Play-Doh…a lot cheaper and the grandkids can play with it. (Oh shoot, Apr. 1 was 6 days ago…) ;-] [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/clay-bar-safe/102723.md?page=2)