Quote:
Originally Posted by Cmike2780
Polishing doesn't remove the stuff stuck to the surface that the a clay bar can remove. The clay bar pics up about 90-95% of the stuff that doesn't belong on your paint. Polishing works basically like sand paper and you want the surface to be as clean as possible to get the best shine. Some polishes will clean some of the those loose particles off, but not nearly as well as a clay bar. You should do the baggie test to see if claying is required. Take a plastic bag, place your hand in between the plastic and run it lightly across the surface of the paint. If you can feel little bumps and debris, a clay bar is required & can take that off. It should come out smoother than glass when you're done.
Using a clay bar when required makes a huge difference. It would be like not sanding before applying paint if you don't.
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This is what i always do before deciding if i need to clay. You don't want to take the chance of any unknown contaminants being on the paint that can stick to the pad as you continue to polish. As an even more cautious step, you can do an IPA wipedown after claying before polishing too, just to ensure the surface is as clean as possible.
