I thought I was pretty good on cleaning and detailing a car, but recently this old dog learned a new trick. Using a clay bar to really clean all the contaminates on the paint surface. I had never used a clay bar before and was only doing it because I had an issue to deal with. I had a rubber bushing in my front driver side suspension replaced since it was worn. Being a rare Maserati (less than 400 in the US ) we had to wait a few days for the part. Guess while it was sitting in the shop on the lift there was a lot of fine contaminates floating around. Got it home and washed it, dried with towels and could feel that there was still a lot of drag when I slid my hand on the car. Waxed the hood to get an idea of where it was at. The waxing improved it but I could still feel minuscule grit in the finish. I had never used a clay bar, but this was the proper thing to do. So I got a fine clay bar and some detailing spray to use as the lubricant, read a couple articles on how to do it, and did a small test area.

Wow ! Now I could see why clay bar has become so popular. It cleaned off any grit/chemical contamination and the paint felt like glass. And I mean clean glass.

So I did more and continued to be amazed with the results. Clean and smooth like you you wouldn’t believe.

So I am telling you all; if you have never used a clay bar, do it.

This old dog has learned a new trick.

I didn't learn of clay bars until I was 44, and that was only due to doing a brief stint working at a car wash as a second job.

This after owning eight motorcycles - yeah it was a forehead slapper....

It’s a lot of work, but does pay off. To know if it would help, put a thin zip lock on your hand and feel the paint. The contaminates are easier to feel that way.
Best to Dawn wash first to strip any wax, then clay bar, then a resurfacing polish, fine polish and finally a topper wax.
Takes a while but the results can’t be argued wiith.