What to products to wash/dry with?

M

MidnightHour

New member
What do all of you Autopians use to wash and dry your car with? I'm speaking of different towels and mitts/sponges and soaps. :) Also, it would be nice if you added why you used the products you use.



Brandon
 
To dry I have an Absorber, waffle weave microfiber towel, and a California Water Blade. I don't use them all but some cars need different care. Mostly I use the water blade for the windows, the absorber for the engine, and the waffle weave for the rest of the car. The waterblade is like a squeegee and gets the water off the windows really fast to avoid the waterspots. The absorber is tough beyond belief. I used to use it on the car but I traded that for the waffle weave. It works great on drying the engine bay though. The Waffle Weave is the bomb when it comes to drying. I think everybody who has used one will tell you that it is the winner hands down for drying. It even edges out the Absorber and the Absorber is an awesome drying tool.



To wash I use a sheepskin mit. Its turning out to be a good one. It was only like 3 bucks at AutoZone or someplace like that. It is holding up much better than I thought it would.



For soap I generally use Armor All soap because the bubbles last longer. I'm testing this pink Eagle One stuff and I'm not too impressed. I really liked Pinnacle car shampoo. That was nice stuff. Platinum's is nice to but a little harsh. My favorite is Gold Class wash. That has pleased me the best overall I think. I know you didn't ask about the soaps but I figured that people will give you info whether you asked for it or not so I might as well lead the herd. ;) lol
 
Yep, I also use a sheepskin mitt. Actually, I use two. One for each hand (seems to go much faster). It takes using the mitts a few times to kind of break them in. Make sure you use the two bucket wash method. I am now spoiled with my waffle weave mico fiber towels from Pakshak for drying. Use a patting motion rather than wiping to prevent scratching.

Welcome to the forum.

;) Also, utilize the search option. It is your friend.

Scott
 
Time for my usual Griot's plug on this topic :D



On MOST of my vehicles, I wash with Griot's Boar's Hair Brushes. I don't get swirls/scratches with them, but others claim they do. Griot's smaller boar's hair brushes are perfect for nooks and crannies. You won't go wrong with a sheepskin mitt, either, but you gotta keep it rinsed clean and watch for contaminants getting stuck in it.



I like Griot's Car Wash. Very high lubricity, good cleaning, easy on wax.



What the others have said for drying :xyxthumbs
 
100% cotton Chenille mitts. Always use two. One dedicated to the lower panels only. Never use this on the upper panels as it is more likely to hold debris that could scratch. The more shampoo they hold the better lubrication you get.



Waffleweave drying towels augmented by synthetic chamois. On the synthetic, never drag it. Just lay and lift.



I love Zaino sealant and their shampoo is fantastic. (Now can be purchased online!)
 
Sheepskin mitt. I love how it glides so easily. I'm kicking myself for not testing that MF mitt I bought though....



I'm beginning to rethink this Boar's Hair brush thing now, because guess what sheep wool really is?...... ;)



I use the Calif. Water Blade too and recently switched to a large waffleweave as well - I'm wondering what took me so long to jump on the WW bandwagon! I blade off most of the water quickly then get the rest with the WW.



My favourite shampoos right now are still Zymol (blue) Auto Wash and Mothers Trigger Wash. Both smell yummy! I use QEW too but I consider that a separate animal. :D
 
I happen to use EF PowerWash+ from CMA and love it. It's strong enough to really get the yucky stuff off, yet gentle and sudsy.



As for what I use to was with, I prefer the Microfiber Wash Mitt (mine happens to be white, but the color is unimportant) which is a good scrubber when needed, yet typically doesn't trap dirt on the surface of the mitt. It also washes really clean afterwards.



To dry, I have 2 of the Big Blue Drying Towels that I love to death...I have never needed to wring them out when drying my car. They absorb everything. My technique with these is to use one to help get most of the water up and then use the driest one to do a final buff. Wonderful product.
 
To wash the SC430, one of those cotton mop-type wash blocks(has sponge inside). During wash, use ONLY free-flowing water to avoid beading and to show where there is friction (lack of polish/wax) by watching it roll off. If it stops in one area, chances are the polish/wax may be needed, or it has some debris on the finish.



Dry: Calif water blade for all the big stuff, followed by the "BIG BLUE WAFFLE WEAVE TOWEL! Great towel, don't know how I lived without one. The blade works VERY quickly, and can be a savior if the sun rolls around and the spots are about to be formed.



Final dry: PAKSHAK MF. and it's dry as it can be!



That's my two cents.



Regards,

Deanski
 
Sheepskin wash mitt or 100% Chenille Mitt for me. I got my sheepskin at Walmart for $6 and like Jngr said mine has been holding up surprisingly well also.



As for soaps, I have been using Megs Gold Class for awhile now and I love it. Great suds that last.



For drying. I use the "Perfect Drying Technique followed by Pakshak Waffle Weave Towels. These towels are great and they soak up more water than the Absorber.
 
A little late to jump on this thread but here goes...

I had been washing with a 100% cotton mitt but recently switched to the CMA Microfiber mitt. It works fine except it has picked up some debris (tree sap?) on the fibers that I cannot wash off. I tried picking it off by hand without success. I bought a sheepskin mitt at Wal-Mart and will be giving that a try next time I wash. I was looking at Griots catalog and saw something that interested me...it is a sheepskin mitt that also includes a lined latex glove to keep your hand dry. Has anybody tried it?
 
SpeedSolutions said:
What do all of you Autopians use to wash and dry your car with? I'm speaking of different towels and mitts/sponges and soaps. :) Also, it would be nice if you added why you used the products you use.



Brandon
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For washing, I use only Sheepskin mitts. Either EUROW from Walmart or Turtle Wax from Autozone. I feel sheepskin is the softest and also holds the most soap. On a clayed, polished and waxed car, washing with sheepskin feels like your gliding the mitt over glass.



For drying, I use the CWB to get the bulk of the water off. This thing is amazing and has saved me so much time. I'll then hit the car with the leafblower, which gets mirrors, wheels, etc pretty dry. I'll finish in the garage with a 100% bath towel.



For soap, I use Meguiar's Deep Crystal. Its readily available in stores, and creates alot of suds.
 
I love the microfiber mitts for washing, have three of them for various parts of the car. They aren't terribly durable though. I use the Pinnacle shampoo, which has lots of lubricants to help protect from scratching, but be sure to give a GREAT rinse. Watch our for the California water blade. Good on windows, but some have scratched their paint with it (yes, me...)
 
Boongie said:
It works fine except it has picked up some debris (tree sap?) on the fibers that I cannot wash off. I tried picking it off by hand without success.
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If it's really sap or tar or oil or something like that, maybe try some Goo Gone on that spot. Hey, it works on carpets. :)
 
For all of you using cotton mitts, make sure they are real! I bought the cotton mitts that are from Baja, Viking (before recall w/o cotton label), Turtle Wax etc... from all the places we go (Target, KMart, Pep Boys)



EVERY SINGLE ONE FAILED THE BURN TEST! I use them on wheels, bumpers, mud guards etc...



I stick with sheepskin. I love it.



As far as car wash, I use Sonax or GC and on my freshly detailed car, I use Pinnacle or P21s.



To dry, I use two waffle weaves and a PakShak or two for nooks and crannies and door jambs.
 
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