How To Clay Bar Your Jeep Grand Cherokee?

By Nick Marchenko, PhD

Updated: July 18, 2023

Have you ever thought about your Jeep Grand Cherokee's clean and mirror-shining look? If so, you might be interested in learning the skills of the technique called clay bar detailing.

The process looks like this: you take a clay bar brick and use it to collect dust and small pieces of dirt from the Jeep Grand Cherokee's body. Such a method is applied to the vehicle before it's polished or coated with ceramics. It has to be done to ensure the Jeep's body is clean and free from contaminants.

While driving, your Grand Cherokee accumulates various contaminants like dirt, dust, debris, and road grime. All this stuff sticks to your Jeep Grand Cherokee's body's paintwork, making it look dull and dirty like you've recently participated in a rally.

This is the case when a clay bar comes into play, acting as an effective and convenient solution that contributes to the Jeeps' body cleaning.

When Is It Appropriate to Use a Clay Bar for Jeep Grand Cherokee?

The clay bar is a powerful and handy tool for detailing Jeep Grand Cherokee, but you can use it only some times you wash your vehicle. A clay bar has to be applied in several cases, which we will count below.

• Bumpy or rough surface. If you run your hand over the surface of the Grand Cherokee’s body and feel roughness and minor irregularities, this is a sign of dirt on the surface. It can be tree resin, stuck dust or dirt, or road debris. A clay bar here will be handy for removing these hard particles and restoring a smooth body surface.
• Noticeable lack of shine. If you spot that your body paint has become dull and lost its usual shining look, various contaminants have contributed to it. A piece of clay bar not only removes all the dirt, but it also brings back shine and glare to the body paint of your Jeep Grand Cherokee.
• Preparations for waxing and polishing. Before applying wax or polish to your Jeep Grand Cherokee, ensure no dirt or other contaminants are on the surface. Using a clay bar first removes all dirt, letting wax or polish stick better to the vehicle's body surface.

What items do you need to clay bar Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Before beginning the clay bar task on your Jeep Grand Cherokee, it is always important to check if you have all the necessary items with you. Among them:

• Water (water in buckets or water hose);
• Car shampoo;
• Microfiber towels;
• Soft brush;
• Clay bar;
• Clay bar lube

How to choose a proper clay bar for your Grand Cherokee?

A right clay bar option guarantees that all the possible contaminants are removed, and no damage will be done to your Jeep's paint while detailing.

Here are some factors to consider while choosing a clay bar:

• Softness and aggressiveness. Clay bars can have different softness and aggressiveness levels. There are usually three types: mild, medium, and aggressive. The softness level indicates how gently the clay bar will act on your Jeep Grand Cherokee's paint.

NOTE: If you apply a clay bar to your Jeep Grand Cherokee for the first time, it's recommended to stick to the mild and medium levels. An aggressive type of clay bar is used when there is excessive dirt or contaminants, so one has to be careful not to damage the body paint.

• Size and form. Clay bars are in various sizes and forms, like larger or smaller pieces. Larger bars are convenient for even surfaces, while smaller ones are good for tiny and hard-to-reach areas.
• Clay bar lubricant. Lubricant is an important and inevitable part of clay barring. It prevents the clay from sticking to the Grand Cherokee's body or marrying with the paint. When you buy a clay bar, it may come with additional lubricant. However, sometimes you have to afford a lubricant in addition to the clay separately.
• Brand and reviews. A well-known product is a guarantee of its reliability and effectiveness. Search for a popular brand in the detailing industry while checking reviews about the product.
• Price. Clay bars cost differently depending on the brand, size, and quality. Look for an optimal option for you. Also, remember that a higher price isn't always a sign of greater performance.

How to clay bar your Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Clay-baring the Jeep Grand Cherokee's body is not difficult, meaning that every enthusiast can do it. However, you should stick to some rules so the job will flow easily and bring an impeccable result.

Wash your vehicle first

It is highly recommended to perform a clay-barring procedure on a clean vehicle. So before starting the process itself, one has to wash out all the exterior contaminants and, even better, run a complete detailing.

If you need a detailed guide on washing your Jeep Grand Cherokee properly - we have prepared a whole article about this topic, which you can read here.

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Prepare a clay bar for work

Knead a piece of clay in your hands until it becomes soft, and then form a disc from it, which will be used for polishing.

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Start with a small section

Choose a small section of your Jeep Grand Cherokee (2 ft x 2 ft). Apply lubricant to it, and start rubbing it with a piece of clay in vertical and horizontal movements. You may feel some resistance - a piece of clay will collect dirt from the Jeep’s body.

Continue with the body cleaning process. If necessary, add more lubricant if you feel the clay starts sticking to the vehicle's body.

Periodically check your Jeep Grand Cherokee bar

From time to time, look at the piece of clay you use to wipe the car. If dirt and debris particles have already accumulated on it, mash it so that you have clean clay in your hands and continue the work with it.

Wipe the lubricant off the Jeep Grand Cherokee with a clean microfiber towel

Wipe off the remaining lubricant with a microfiber cloth. Then look at the finished surface. It should be shiny and clear.

To be sure, you need to run your finger over it - it should feel like glass to the touch. If such a result has yet to be achieved, repeat previous actions.

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Move to another section

After achieving the desired result in one of the sections, move on to the next one. Select a 2 ft x 2 ft area and repeat mentioned actions on it. Do not try to treat the entire surface of the Jeep Grand Cherokee at once - but move in small areas until you finish.

Adding a final touch

This process should be finished by polishing or covering the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s body with wax - this will add a certain chic to the car's appearance and make it more shiny. And it also helps to fill in small holes on the Jeep's body previously occupied by small parts of dirt.

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Where can you use a clay bar, and where not?

A clay bar is not a universal tool for any surface or part of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. To not harm, it is worth understanding where exactly you can use a clay bar for cleaning dirt and where you can't.

A clay bar CAN be applied to:

• Paintwork;
• Glass;
• Clear optical plastics (headlights/tail lights);
• Polished metals (stainless steel, aluminum, chrome, etc.);
• Wheels;
• Carbon fiber;
• Exhaust tips;
• Clear bras

A clay bar CAN'T be applied to:

• Matte paintwork/vinyl wraps;
• Textured plastic trim;
• Rubber (door/window seals, tires)

To Sum Everything Up

Clay baring your Jeep Grand Cherokee is not a difficult procedure. Still, you have to be attentive and careful while doing this job not to cause any unnecessary damage to your car's body paint.

While choosing a clay bar, pay attention to its type, size, and brand, and don't forget to afford an additional lubricant.

If you do everything properly, you'll obtain the desired result, making your lovely Jeep Grand Cherokee look shiny and pristine for a long time.

 

FAQs

Can I Use A Clay Bar Piece After Dropping It?

No, you can't. A clay bar is a sticky substance, so dropping it will collect all the contaminants and dirt from that surface. Don't use such clay to rub your Jeep Grand Cherokee's body - you'll only damage it.

Small particles of dirt, sand, and debris will act as abrasives, which can even scratch your Grand Cherokee's body. So if you managed to drop a clay bar piece, throw it out immediately after that.

What Do I Have To Do After Clay Baring Is Finished?

When the process is done, you must protect your Jeep Grand Cherokee's body. In this case, it is advised to resort to waxing or polishing.

It will not only make your Jeep Grand Cherokee dazzling and fresh but also protect the pores of the Jeep's body from any type of contamination.