my clay + prep + topper routine 💛
posting this because three people asked in the Ceramic Coating group this week and i keep retyping the same thing. this is what i actually do on my a6 between full coatings, and what i tell newbies when they ask. it's the maintenance loop you do on top of a coat. or on top of bare clear if you don't have a coat yet, still works.
couple things before we start. one, the prep is doing the work here, the topper is just locking it in. two, i'm gonna call the last step a sio2 spray sealant not a "ceramic spray wax" because that's what it actually is, the bottle marketing is doing a thing. doesn't make it bad, i love mine, just want you to know what you're putting on.
**what you need**
- two buckets w grit guards, or rinseless setup if you're in a drought zone (no judgement, i switched)
- ph-neutral shampoo. i use Koch-Chemie Nano Magic Shampoo, any neutral one is fine
- iron remover. CarPro IronX is the one i keep buying, smells like death, works
- clay. i use CarPro fine clay (the white one), or a Nanoskin AutoScrub fine mitt if i'm tired and the car isn't that bad
- clay lube. plain ONR (Optimum No Rinse) at clay dilution, or CarPro Immolube. NOT just water
- panel wipe. CarPro Eraser. this is the step everyone skips and shouldnt
- the topper. CarPro Reload (sio2 spray sealant). this is the one i actually keep on hand
- microfibers, plural. The Rag Company Eagle Edgeless 500 for the topper buff, a few cheap ones for the clay lube wipe. dont cross-contaminate
**the actual process**
1. **wash first.** regular two-bucket or rinseless. you're not clay-ing a dirty car, you'll just drag grit. dry it. or leave it damp for clay if you're using rinseless lube, doesn't matter much.
2. **iron remover, panel by panel.** spray IronX on a panel, let it dwell 3-5 min, watch the purple bleed. rinse thoroughly. if nothing turned purple, congrats, no fallout, skip ahead. most cars over a year old will bleed a little. wear gloves, this stuff smells genuinely awful, your kitchen will hate you. don't let it dry on the paint.
3. **clay.** spray clay lube on a section maybe 2ft x 2ft. glide the clay (or mitt) over it in straight lines, light pressure, you should feel it go from rough to glassy in like 4-6 passes. fold the clay to a fresh face when it gets dirty. after a winter the a6 is like 15 min total for the whole car with the mitt, the bar takes me closer to 35. wipe each section dry with a fresh microfiber before moving on.
if you drop the clay bar on the ground throw it out. realy. don't try to save it. i'm not kidding, one piece of grit and you're swirling the whole car next pass.
4. **panel wipe.** this is the part everyone wants to skip and the part that makes the topper actually bond. spray Eraser on a clean microfiber, wipe a panel, flip to a dry side, wipe again. don't spray it directly on hot paint in the sun, it'll flash before you can wipe. you're pulling off the clay lube residue plus any leftover shampoo surfactants so the topper can actually grab the paint. the paint should squeak a little when you wipe the second pass.
5. **topper. Reload, one panel at a time.**
- 2-3 sprays on a clean folded microfiber, not on the paint. trust me on this, spraying it on hot paint streaks.
- wipe the panel in straight passes, light pressure. you barely need any.
- immediately flip to the dry side of the towel and buff. or grab a second towel. it should go from looking smeary-wet to looking clear and almost slippery within 20-30 seconds.
- if it streaks you used too much, just go back over with a clean dry microfiber, it'll come off.
6. **leave it alone for 1-2 hours before driving.** doesn't need to bake in the sun, just don't drive it through dust right away.
**how long it lasts**
3-4 months of beading and slickness for me, less in summer when the car sits in marine layer every morning. i top up just the hood and roof every 6 weeks because those panels eat it faster, full car twice a year. if you have an actual ceramic coat under it Reload extends that coat's life by a lot. if you don't have a coat, this IS your protection layer and you'll be doing it more often.
**stuff i'd skip**
- don't clay if your paint is already glassy. spray Eraser on a panel, run your finger over it with a sandwich bag, if it's smooth you don't need to clay. clay is mildly abrasive, no reason to do it for nothing.
- don't use dish soap to "strip" before the topper. it doesn't strip a coating and it dries out your rubber trim. Eraser does the job clean.
- don't layer Reload on Reload on Reload trying to make it thicker. the chemistry doesn't stack that way. clean panel, one thin pass, buff, done.
ok that got long, sorry. ask questions if anything's confusing, i'll be in and out between sessions today 💛
