sheepskin vs. cotton mitt on black car?

O

ogie_s

New member
As I mentioned in a previous thread I'm a newb to proper detailing and I've found something that has me confused.



From reading the autopia guides I got the impression that sheepskin mitts were the best choice for washing but then I ran into a thread that said cotton or microfiber mitts were better for black cars. Is that true or did I misunderstand?



I searched old threads and found a lot of posts that said sheepskin was okay on a black car so now :confused:



Thanks to anyone who can explain.
 
I gotta say I find that absurd. You shouldn't have issues with sheepskin mitts provided you selected the softest ones of the bunch .
 
ogie_s .. you will probably never get everyone on a forum like this to agree on one product, so you will notice conflicting advice in threads from time to time. On the mitts, all I can tell you is the sheepskin mitts I use (hand picked from Walmart; dense and soft mitts only) have never caused me any problems and I have three of them.
 
Been using sheepskin on black for years with no ill harm. Sheepskin does have a little less bite, so it doesn't necessarily work best for very dirty cars. I remedy that by using a stronger solution.



At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference.
 
RedondoV6 said:
ogie_s .. you will probably never get everyone on a forum like this to agree on one product, so you will notice conflicting advice in threads from time to time. On the mitts, all I can tell you is the sheepskin mitts I use (hand picked from Walmart; dense and soft mitts only) have never caused me any problems and I have three of them.
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I got the impression that was the case but seeing a bunch of people say sheepskin was bad for a black car just made me want to make certain I didn't miss something in my newbieness. My new car's just made me absolutely paranoid :scared: And as they say " Better safe than swirly!"



Thanks for the replies everybody.
 
ogie_s said:
I got the impression that was the case but seeing a bunch of people say sheepskin was bad for a black car just made me want to make certain I didn't miss something in my newbieness. My new car's just made me absolutely paranoid :scared: And as they say " Better safe than swirly!"



Thanks for the replies everybody.
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No problem! Check out good washing techniques to keep your new car swirl free. Most here will recommend a "two bucket method", I use three buckets with one dedicated to wheels only and I think one of our senior members uses four buckets! Search on "two bucket method" or read DavidB's article using the link below for advice on washing with minimal damage.



http://autopia.org/kb/index.php?page=index_v2&id=35&c=16
 
Being a newbie, and being armed with the search button on this forum, is enough to confuse anyone! However the wealth of wisdom is GREAT, its a double edge 2000 pad/sword;)



Duan
 
i've used a spun gold (plush) wash mitt for years and have had no problems. i have recently switched over to lambs wool wash mitts, and am pleased as well. i can't really tell the difference between the two, and just like anything else.... it's a personal preference. :)
 
I've tried a few different approaches, and have come to like Chenile sponges the best. I don't really like mits, and I think a lot of folk who buy mits use them like a sponge.



I tried microfiber mits and sponges, but found that they got dirty easily, and the dirt doens't seem to come off quickly without washing. The Chenile seems to soak up the dirt, and release it quickly in a bucket of clean water.



But, I completely agree with what everybody else is saying. This is a personal choice, and proper washing technique is going to be critical no matter what tools you use.
 
The Uncle said:
.. proper washing technique is going to be critical no matter what tools you use.
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Absolutely :xyxthumbs



As long as you don't somehow get a "bad one", chenille/MF/lambswool *when wet with carwash solution* are all, in and of themselves, soft enough to use on almost *any* autotomotive paint, even the soft stuff on my '85 Jag. Even a high-quality BHB will seldom scratch automotive paint when it's full of wash solution.



Tests on CDs will give varying results, but remember that CDs are softer than the paint used on vehicles. FWIW, NeoPrufrok's old test, comparing lambswool, BHB, and chenille, showed that only the chenille didn't scratch a CD for him. Many MF mitts are even softer than chenille. But that was a test case using a clean CD, not an in-the-field test with a dirty car.



The problems come from the dirt that you're trying to clean off. It can get stuck to the panels, it can get stuck to the mitt, it can get ground into the finish. IMO dirt doesn't "migrate" up into the nap of a mitt/pores of a sponge/bristles of a brush quite as well as one might hope, but rather stays between the mitt and the panel, fully capable of marring the finish given a little pressure.
 
I like the idea of a mitt because you can place your hand in it, eliminating one less thing potentially slipping.
 
I've used a Griot's Garage terry mitt to wash my black '98 Subaru since it was new (same mitt BTW :eek: ) and never had a reason to think about changing to something else.......until I discovered Autopia! ;) I would agree that washing technique is as important as the type of wash mitt. I've always used two buckets; I rinse OFTEN and my rinse bucket is a 5 gal. one, so the crap tends to sink to the bottom.



But having said that I just bought a new sheepsking mitt. Haven't used it yet, I'll see how it goes. :)
 
I like the idea of a mitt because I can force wash solution through it from the inside to provide constant lubrication and flushing of the surface ;)



Preferably with a foamgun, of course ;) but you can get pretty good results just by filling it in the wash bucket and holding the cuff shut while you move it over the surface, allowing only the strands of the nap to touch the finish.
 
seeing a bunch of people say sheepskin was bad for a black car just made me want to make certain I didn't miss something in my newbieness.
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Some people put their hands inside the mitts and then put a lot of downward pressure when washing. It has been said this type of washing technique may cause marring.

Using just the weight of the mit along with the soaked up soapy water when washing the horizontals of a slightly dirty vechicle maybe a better washing technique.
 
Thanks for all the replies, guys! I washed and Zainoed the car today for the first time but only got one layer on because the temp started dropping.



Now I'm thinking of buying a PC to speed things up. The weather report is finally showing some warmer days coming thankfully!
 
imacarnut said:
i've used a spun gold (plush) wash mitt for years and have had no problems.
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I used to use mitts like that and would marr my black paint really bad. Those "spun" mitts I found would trap grit and bugs, etc. and not release them.



I've had much better results with sheepskin mitts and use them almost exclusively now, and occasionally use chenille cotton as well.
 
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