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My car's finish felt bumpy and sticky from dirt, bugs, and tree sap, even after hand washing, drying, and waxing with Brand "X". Have you ever used paint cleaning clay on your car ? I discovered Griot's paint cleaning clay is the perfect tool for removing dirt, tar, and bird droppings. 

I start by taking a small amount of clay and kneading it into a ball, spray Griot's Speed Shine over a 18"-24" area, then wipe the clay back and forth quickly with light pressure covering all the area. Do not use clay without using a spray lubricant or you will scratch the finish. The clay is sticky and lifts away the contaminants. If the clay starts getting dirty, try re-kneading it which gives you a clean surface. Wear latex gloves or your fingers will pick up the clay. I speak with the voice of experience! Follow up with a generous spray of Speed Shine and wipe down with a micro fiber towel. You should now feel a baby smooth finish. Now is the time to protect that clean finish with a fresh coat of quality wax. Since I just happened to have a brand new Griot's car care kit, I decided to try the Best of Show Wax. I was amazed that the wax did not build up in the cracks or leave white residue on all the seals like most of the products I have tried in the past. Of course after buffing out with my micro fiber towels, I was not disappointed, the finish was brilliant and deep. I only use micro fiber towels on my Mercedes, as the others leave stray lint. I recommend washing micro fiber towels separately with a special micro fiber cleaning solution and then drying on high temperature WITHOUT using fabric softener sheets, which gum up the micro fibers. 

I recommend using clay and waxing very 3-6 months or at least once a year. The clay is easy to apply and you will be pleased with the results. You can wash, dry, clay, and wax in a couple of hours. My next project is to buy the random orbital buffer so I can apply and buff out the wax like the pros. Stay tuned. 
 

Ken Salter