Q: What is fallout and why do I need to remove it?
A: Fallout is a term applied to any contamination that becomes bonded to your paint, although we will be talking about bonded iron contamination in this article. Over time iron contamination builds up on external surfaces causing them to feel rough. This roughness will eventually effect the way light is reflected from the paintwork which results in a reduction in paintwork gloss. The embedded iron contamination will also begin to rust over time. Owners of white cars may see a collection of tiny orange dots on their paint, that they cannot wash or polish away. This is iron fallout starting to oxidise.
Q: What does a fallout remover do and why would I need one?
A: The job of a fallout remover is to break the bond between the iron and your paintwork, or any other surface that they are used on, allowing it to be easily rinsed away. Iron contamination cannot be washed away with a regular shampoo and requires a special process to get rid of it. You can use a chemical process, or a clay bay. Chemical processes are often preferred because they allow you to treat entire vehicle quickly vs the clay bar method.
Q: So why do clay bars still exist?
A: Clay bars may take longer to use, but they remove more than just iron from vehicle surfaces. Clay bars can be used to remove iron, tar, tree sap and paint overspray, so they definitely still have their place on your detailing shelf.