Life after Sea Sponge

D

detaildoc

New member
So I decided to try out the Sea Sponge. I washed it several times before using it and inspected it closely, but it still marred my car really bad. I am going back to my wool mitten and HD GS. Here is a pic. Though not the best pic, every panel had hundreds of swirl marks. It was the worst I had ever had.



before:

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Now my process

ONR with Wool Wash Mitt and two bucket system

Polished with Sonus SFX2 with UDM and Orange DAS Swirlbuster Pad. Some of the swirls were so deep that I had to hit them with the White DAS Scratchbuster Pad.

Polished with Sonus SFX3 with UDM and Blue DAS Wax and Finishing Pad.

Total of 8 hours polishing, that's how bad the swirl marks were, all over.



Applied Ultima PPP by hand with Sonus Der Wunder Applicator. I used the Sonus Der Wunder Polishing Towel to buff out the polish in all three steps.

Applied 3 coats of UPGP 12 hours apart with Ultima Autospa Microber Applicator.

Final buff with UDM and DAS Microfiber Buffing Bonnet over Blue DAS Pad.



After:

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nice job! glad you brought it back to to the way it should be... :up



p.s if you want to remove the front license plate for a cleaner look (if they drilled the holes into the bumper), check this site out... BumperPlugs.com
 
BigAl3 said:
nice job! glad you brought it back to to the way it should be... :up



p.s if you want to remove the front license plate for a cleaner look (if they drilled the holes into the bumper), check this site out... BumperPlugs.com
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I think in CAL you have to have them in the front and back.
 
Civicman86 said:
I think in CAL you have to have them in the front and back.
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you're "suppose" to, but many drive without them anyway (including my sister who has an 07 IS). since he as a nice luxury car, the cops probably won't harrass him as they would if it was a lowered car with loud exhaust, huge rims, etc...



by the way, i live in the same city as he does LOL...
 
how did you pre-wash your sea sponge and where did you buy it?

nice job on the polish.
 
correct me if i'm wrong but sea sponges are made of microscopic tubules that are similar to glass so that could be why it caused marring. i remember in high school bio my teacher had a large sea sponge lying around and i was about to touch it and she told me not to because it will irritate my skin and that was the reason that she gave me.



your car looks good in the end though.
 
pt91 said:
how did you pre-wash your sea sponge and where did you buy it?

nice job on the polish.
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I prewashed it by hand with woolite several times and rigorously. Then I decided to throw it in the washer, just to be safe (guess that did not help) I got it from autogeek.
 
accordmaniac said:
correct me if i'm wrong but sea sponges are made of microscopic tubules that are similar to glass so that could be why it caused marring. i remember in high school bio my teacher had a large sea sponge lying around and i was about to touch it and she told me not to because it will irritate my skin and that was the reason that she gave me.



your car looks good in the end though.
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Possibly. When dry, this thing is scary and it almost made me change my mind. However, once wet it becomes very soft, softer than the GS, so I decided to go ahead and try it. Never again.
 
BigAl3 said:
nice job! glad you brought it back to to the way it should be... :up



p.s if you want to remove the front license plate for a cleaner look (if they drilled the holes into the bumper), check this site out... BumperPlugs.com
Click to expand...





Thanks! I actually don't mind the license plate in the front and with my luck, I probably will get pulled over . By the way, are you going to share that $50 price with your neighbor? :D Congratulations!
 
You have got to be insane to even think of using a SEA sponge on your car. rubbing something that has lived it's life in sand on your car? C'mon, it doesn't take an MIT grad to figure that one out. Why would even spend the extra money on a SEA sponge when a grout sponge is more easily available and cheaper the plus....grout sponges don't spend their life in a watery environment filled with sand and salt.



YA YA I've heard all the "they are commercially washed to get the sand out blah blah blah" baloney they don't work. Hopefully your experience will educate others.
 
Sorry to hear about your experience with the sea sponge. Did you use with ONR? If so, maybe it isn't the best washing implement.



Once again I am reading about how insane people are for using sea sponges. This coming from those who proabaly don't use them or know anything about the proper ones to use to wash with.



I use sea sponges ALL THE TIME in conjunction with a foam gun and don't marr my finish. They are THE softest, most pliable, best free rinsing, silky and soft (when wet) wash tool I have ever used.



Further, there are different types of sponges. There are sea grass, yellow, and wool. Further still, sea sponges come from either the Bahamas or Florida.



When purchasing sea sponges, you want sea WOOL sponges that come from Florida. The best being Rock Island Sea Wool sponges. That's what Autogeek and CMA sell and I have both. They have worked perfectly.



The idea that there are shells in there is way overblown. These sponges are vigorously cleaned and belached before shipment. Have I found a bit of shell in my sponges? Yes, in one of the 6 or 7 that I own, I found a little nugget at the base where the sponge attached to the rock when in the ocean.



You have hundreds of people who use synthetic grout sponges to wash. I tried them and absolutely hated it. But when it comes to real sponges, everbody freaks.



People marr the hell out of their finish all the time with sheepskin, microfiber or cotton. Why? They don't use it properly. So for me, the sea sponge when used properly like with other wash tools, won't marr the finish.



I am not doubting your experience and fully respect your right to dislike it. The point of my post if for those who make comments and have never used one or are completely misinformed about them.



Hopefully my experience (from someone who uses them) will educate others.
 
Spilchy said:
Sorry to hear about your experience with the sea sponge. Did you use with ONR? If so, maybe it isn't the best washing implement.



Once again I am reading about how insane people are for using sea sponges. This coming from those who proabaly don't use them or know anything about the proper ones to use to wash with.



I use sea sponges ALL THE TIME in conjunction with a foam gun and don't marr my finish. They are THE softest, most pliable, best free rinsing, silky and soft (when wet) wash tool I have ever used.



Further, there are different types of sponges. There are sea grass, yellow, and wool. Further still, sea sponges come from either the Bahamas or Florida.



When purchasing sea sponges, you want sea WOOL sponges that come from Florida. The best being Rock Island Sea Wool sponges. That's what Autogeek and CMA sell and I have both. They have worked perfectly.



The idea that there are shells in there is way overblown. These sponges are vigorously cleaned and belached before shipment. Have I found a bit of shell in my sponges? Yes, in one of the 6 or 7 that I own, I found a little nugget at the base where the sponge attached to the rock when in the ocean.



You have hundreds of people who use synthetic grout sponges to wash. I tried them and absolutely hated it. But when it comes to real sponges, everbody freaks.



People marr the hell out of their finish all the time with sheepskin, microfiber or cotton. Why? They don't use it properly. So for me, the sea sponge when used properly like with other wash tools, won't marr the finish.



I am not doubting your experience and fully respect your right to dislike it. The point of my post if for those who make comments and have never used one or are completely misinformed about them.



Hopefully my experience (from someone who uses them) will educate others.
Click to expand...



Spichy...Can you please explain how you would properly use one? I just purchased one but I have yet to use it.
 
[Note: FWIW, Accumulator used Sea Sponges for years before switching to BHBs and mitts.]



Same 'ol same 'ol: you simply *gotta* CD-test any wash/dry media before you touch automotive paint with it or you may be in for unpleasant surprises. No, the test sure isn't perfect, but it beats experimenting on irreplaceable clearcoat.



detaildoc- Nice save, you did a great job of getting the finish looking good again.



One thing I noticed from the before pic- your marring is of considerable length, looks like some of the scratches are a few inches long. Since a short scratch doesn't show as badly as a longer one, I always recommend that people wash in short, interrupted "jiggling" motions. Not only will this ensure that any marring that *does* occur will be comprised of little scratches, but the interruptions will also provide a pause during which contamination can be flushed away so it doesn't mar in the first place. Just my $0.02...
 
Accumulator said:
[Note: FWIW, Accumulator used Sea Sponges for years before switching to BHBs and mitts.]
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You have got to be insane to even think of using a BHB on your car. rubbing something that has lived it's life stuck to a boar? C'mon, it doesn't take an MIT grad to figure that one out. Why would even spend the extra money on a boar brush when a grout sponge is more easily available and cheaper the plus....grout sponges don't spend their life in stuck to an animal that wallows in its own fesces.



YA YA I've heard all the "they are commercially washed blah blah blah" baloney they don't work.

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:nana: Too sarcastic?
 
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