When to Use Clay or Compound | Meguiar’s

To Clay or Not to Clay

What separates clay from compound? When do I use which to clean my vehicle? My Magic 8 Ball didn’t know but Meguiar’s does. Watch as they tell you when and how to use each of them.

Run your clean, dry fingertips over the paint. If it feels rough, this indicates that you have bonded contaminants on top of the paint that need to be removed. These are things like rail dust, tree sap mist, industrial fallout, and paint overspray. If your paint feels completely smooth, you can skip this step and move on to compounding.
Visually inspect the paint for below surface defects like swirls, scratches, oxidation, and stains. Different types of lighting can reveal different defects. So, consider looking at the paint from several different angles and in different types of lighting so we can see all potential defects that may be present.

meguiar's clay kit
The Hybrid Ceramic Clay Kit has a Synthetic Clay Pad and Meguiar’s Hybrid Ceramic Detailer as lubricant. Glide the lubricated pad back and forth until the paint is smooth and wipe off the excess with the Supreme Shine Microfiber. Work in sections.

meguiar's smooth clay
With the Smooth Surface Clay Kit, you spray a section of the paint liberally with Meguiar’s Quik Detailer. Flatten the clay like a patty, spray once with the detailer and work it back and forth until the paint is smooth. Wipe off the excess with the Supreme Shine Microfiber.

meguiar's
If you have light to moderate below surface defects, Meguiar’s Ultimate Compound is a paint cleaner that’s the perfect way to remove defects in the paint without hazing or marring the surface like a traditional compound.

Apply a small amount of Ultimate Compound with a soft foam applicator by hand, or with a foam cutting disc by Dual Action Variable Speed Polisher. Work in a 1-2 square foot area with overlapping passes using light to moderate pressure. Wipe off the residue with a premium microfiber towel before it dries. Inspect your work and re-apply as needed to remove any remaining stubborn paint defects. Work in sections.

Once done, apply Meguiar’s Ultimate Polish for maximum shine, followed by your favorite Meguiar’s wax to ensure you have plenty of protection.

COMPANY DETAILS

Meguiar's Inc. logo

Company

Meguiar’s Inc.

Website

www.Meguiars.com

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Email

customercare@meguiars.com

Phone

(800) 347-5700

Address

17991 Mitchell South

Irvine, CA 92614

ABOUT Meguiar’s Inc.®

What began a century ago as a simple furniture-polish laboratory and plant in the garage of founder Frank Meguiar, Jr., now spans the globe as an international car-care brand. Celebrating its 110th anniversary in 2011, Meguiar’s has become one of the world’s leading surfac-care product companies, providing highly specialized products for almost every conceivable type of surface.

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