Can't decide on wash mitt or sea sponge!

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evo77

New member
Hello to all. My first post here!:)



After doing alot of reading on this site and trying to take in all the info I still can't decide which product to use to wash my new car. I have a 1 month old 03 SE-R Spec V. And after having owned many cars in the past I want to do things the right way this time. (yeah sure..I always say that when I get a new car and end up doing something wrong to create the dreaded swirl-o-rama.:rolleyes: )



So it comes down to these popluar forum choices:



Viking Cotton Chenille wash mitt

MF wash mitt (is CMA the only place that carries them?)

Natural Sea Sponge (from CMA?)



Is it all personal preference or is there one that actually peforms better than the other?
 
If you do a search on wash mitts, most of the members own more than one type of wash mitt, and prefer different types depending on how dirty the vehicle is.



I can't comment on the MF wash mitt or sea sponge, as I haven't tried them. However, I've tried cotton chenille and lambswool. My general observation is that cotton chenille is the gentler of the two. I now relegate my lambswool mitt to the lower portions of my car.
 
First, Welcome to Autopia :wavey





Most of us prefer 100% cotton chenille wash mitts. They're soft, easy to use and affordable. MF mitts are expensive. Sea sponges are a little too small, kinda pricey, and sometimes have little pieces of sand embedded in them that can come out.



If you've done some reading of posts here (that's the best way to learn how to do things right) you've found that most of us do a 2 bucket wash with at least two mitts. So I suggest buying four (4) mitts to start with, 2 for use and 2 for back up. Replace every couple months and buy more for back up. I buy wash mitts 10-20 at a time.



Hope this helps.
 
Granted you're using a quality car shampoo with good lubricity, I personally don't see any cons in a cotton chenille mitt. The only con I can see is the build quality of the mitt itself. The cheap cotton chenille mitts are distinguished when the chenille strands get wet and you're able to see and feel the rough backing of the mitt. This shouldn't be the case though with a quality chenille mitt.



The chenille mitts generally look fine in the store, but once you get 'em wet, that's when you'll see how thin the nap is.
 
Sounds good! Note though that it's more technique than anything else. The free Autopia eBook should have that covered, plus all the tips and tricks hidden all over this forum. :)
 
evo77- Welcome to Autopia! You're smart to be doing your research on how to wash; it's probably the single most important aspect of detailing :up



The regulars here know that I NEVER miss an opportunity to plug the Griot's Garage boar's hair brushes. I use them to wash my cars and I love 'em. AND, Griot's Car Wash is an ultra-high lubricity car shampoo. I switched to it from other popular soaps and noticed a HUGE decrease (like, to NONE) in washing-related swirls. OK, end of Griot's commercial :o



The one downside I've found with the chenille mitts is that they CAN trap abrasive dirt. If this dirt isn't rinsed out (sometimes easier said than done, regardless of method) it can scratch the paint. So as bretfraz said, get plenty of spares. If a mitt gets dirty, switch to another one. For the same reason, I've retired my MF mitts (now used to dust the house). Those WILL trap stuff that will NEVER rinse out. This is why I like the boar's hair brushes, they rinse clean SO easily! I DO use chenille mitts on some cars, but not too often.



As jduarte said, it's really really SO important to use the proper technique, but washing/drying (get some waffle-weave MF towels to dry!) is one area where using the wrong stuff can sabotage even the BEST technique; it can be the tools and supplies that will do the damage, no matter how you use them.
 
Funny, there was just a discussion on using a boar's hair brush on a nissan forum I regularly post in. My view was that I can't convince myself that a brush will not marr the paint even though some insist that it won't.



I'm afraid to even try.:(
 
evo77- Many people have found it hard to believe the boar's hair won't mar. And in SOME (rare) cases, it does. We sorta beat this to death in another thread (do a search) or two. I'd hate for yours to be one of those rare cases! I just never miss a chance to throw out my $0.02 on the BH brushes ;) Generally, used PROPERLY, it's perfectly safe. And most ANYTHING will mar your paint SOMETIME; there's just gonna be that little speck of abrasive in the wrong place at the wrong time, so you're wise to avoid those products that might make it happen more often.



If you don't trust it, don't try it. Seriously. BUT, consider what you're using it on, some paints are a lot harder/resistant to marring than others. It ABSOLUTELY doesn't mar my Mazda or Subaru silvers. It HAS been known to mar BMW black.



If you want to try it, you might post back and get some tips on using it. If you just scrub the finish with it you WILL swirl it up big time! If you do try it, and it messes things up (besides having to SMR your car and being :angry at me!) you can return it to Griot's for a refund.



At any rate, you might want to pick up some of Griot's smaller BH brushes to use in your car's nooks and crannies (gas filler pocket, door jambs, etc.). Those are really handy.



What's the general consensus Re the BH brushes on the Nissan forum?
 
Actually it wasn't a full discussion but rather a thread for detailing in general. One member said he uses the boar's hair brush and can vouch that it does not mar his paint. We both have the same car and color, Cloud White. But I don't know, I would feel more comfortable with using something like the chenille mitt.:)



How does this look so far?



Viking Chenille wash mitt(s)

Eagle One Wet car shampoo

MicroFiber waffle towels



Of course doing the 2 bucket method.
 
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