Whether you use a detergent lube followed by a re-wash, or use a quick detailing spray followed only by a microfiber wiping depends on your goal in using clay bar. If you merely have a "scratchy" feeling surface (indicating environmental contaminants such as tree polen), use of detailing spray as a lube is quicker and faster. If you are wanting to strip off much of the old wax because it has a haze or has small scratches or swirls in the wax, use detergent such as Dawn in water solution -- and re-wash. You'll find that many small scratches and swirls are not in the clear coat or paint, but are only in the old wax. If you suspect this on your finish, the detergent lube would be the one to try.

In either case, use MUCH lube. Have the area you are working literally dripping in it! The clay should just glide along the surface with little pressure needed. If your clay is meeting resistance, you are not using enough lube.

 

how long will clay last for.

ex u can use a ping pong ball size of clay for a car 1x time or 2x or 3x?

 

If you don't drop it and try to keep it as clean as possible, the clay will last through several applications. I tend to use a fairly large wad of it, but that is personal preference and others use a smaller wad. You just have to experiment to find the size of clay that works best for you. The clay needs to be replaced when you can't simply fold it over several times and find a fairly clean looking surface. The clay will stay cleaner and last longer the more lube you use, as surface particles will tend to be floated off to be wiped up with the microfiber or washed off, rather than imbedding in the clay.