Just as the title states, do you need to wash after claying before polishing?

No. If you use an appropriate amount of lubricant for claying you should have no clay residue left on the paint when you're done. I move right from clay to polishing.

Thanks!

no.

i never have clay residue either. i dont spend a whole lot of effort wiping off the QD spray either, because it will come off during the polishing process.

Depends on what QD you used and what LSP you're planning on using. If you're using a QD with carnuba in it (most of them have it), then you should wash IF you're planning on using a synthetic sealant like Zaino. If you're planning on using a carnuba wax, then don't worry about it.

Yes, in theory the polishing phase of your detail regime should remove any carnuba applied, but if the car's really covered in QD, when you polish, you will sling it all over the place and compromise the longevity of your synthetic sealant.

If its somewhat bad off I wash after because I can get dirty QD running down the car or into the rain gutters that I dont want to constantly go after with my MF towel. If its my car, no, I just go to polishing since I clay it every year.

You can also do claybaring when you wash the car. Just make the soap extra soapy and keep throwing it on the car. If you have a really good soap, it will work just the same as a lubricant. Then you just rinse, dry off and go straight into polishing.

Cuts time dramaticaly...

Or make your clay lube out of your car wash soap...1 oz of soap for 15 oz of water

It really depends on the car for me. If it's a light claying I will just whipe away the QD as I go as to not leave any streaks. However I did a Saab for a friend of mine last weeking as as I was claying I could see the QD turning brown from all of the dirt being pulled out of the clear coat. For this I decided it would be better to just do a quick wash when I was done. Mind you this is a car that has never been clayed, and I doubt ever waxed before in it's life. But now thanks to my pro-bono work she has already referred me a new customer.

How long should it take to clay the entire car. Am I understanding correctly that you put the detailer on, and then flatten the clay, roll it, and continue onto a new spot? Or do you put the detailer on and swipe with the clay?

You swipe the clay on the lubed paint and the QD acts as a lubricant so it isn't a rough movement. First time took me about 45 minutes, but about 1/2 way through the car, you really get the hang of it and it goes a lot quicker.

How long should it take to clay the entire car. Am I understanding correctly that you put the detailer on, and then flatten the clay, roll it, and continue onto a new spot? Or do you put the detailer on and swipe with the clay?

Depending how bad the car is and what type of roads you drive on, it could take anywhere from 15 minutes to as long as an hour.

What you want to do, if you are using a Quick Detail (QD) is spray on a good amount, take the flat clay and then lay it on the QD. There should be enough QD on the car that it glids along the surface. You want to move it across the surface lightly, only with a small amount of pressure. DO NOT PRESS DOWN into the paint. You will hear a distinctive sound as the clay picks up the contaminents. You will also FEEL it pick it up. After you don't hear it anymore or feel it, take off the clay, wipe away the QD and move on. Do 1/2 body panels at a time, and don't do it in the sun.

OR

You could try it out when you are washing the car, and make the soap extra sudsy (2-3 times extra soap) and go from one panel at a time, and just make sure you keep the car wet. Do the same thing as the QD just take a sponge and pour on a good amount of suds on a panel and do the rest as described. Except you don't have to wipe it down, just keep the car wet and dry the car off, and you're ready to go polish.

I can get through my car in around 25-30 minutes

I can get through my car in around 25-30 minutes

Your lucky... here in south florida there is always construction (the worst in the US) and we have the beach to deal with. Crap is on all the major roads (even ladders or mirrors!). We have the construction trucks. Yea, apparently none of them know how to secure the tarps, so going for a quick drive on ourhighways, you get stuck behind trucks spewing out rocks at your car and there is nothing you can do about it :(

woah... ranted there for a second... damn insomnia