Lambs Wool Wash Mit

[imported_Intel486]

Has anyone tried Lambs wool for a wash mit?



What is your opinion on it?



I just saw these wash mits over at autosport http://www.autosportcatalog.com/index.cfm?fa=p&pid=1009



The neat thing is they have a built in glove to keep your hand warm. I`ve just never used Lambs Wool for a wash mit before.

[shaf]

I have one and love using it. It`s quite soft and smooth to use once wet. One thing I don`t like is how you lose the soft fur-like quality after a couple washes and the wool gets matted and twisted together. I comb mine out once in a while to reduce this (:D) and it seems to help a bit. Using the 2 bucket method I can usually "fluff" out debris pretty well with my fingers. I prefer it to a chenille mitt I tried once because I don`t like how the chenille strands tend to hold and trap dirt.



On a side note, I know you`re a QEW user too, and I found the mitt to get slightly fluffier and less matted after using it with QEW. It`s pretty weird and I have no idea why this happened. :nixweiss



I know some people (Steve?) aren`t too big on wool mitts because of quality consistency or something, and I can kinda see what they mean now. Some sheepskin mitts I had seen varied from super soft to being on the stiff side. Still, I can`t imagine that it`d be harmful to a paint finish, and I still prefer it because I`m sick of trying to find "100% cotton" chenille. :p



BTW, that mitt is really neat and putting a glove into it is an original idea.

[Mindflux]

Sick of trying to find 100% cotton chenille?.. yet you can still buy some lambs wool mits that are artificial... righto!

[HonestIan]

Since I started watching this site I decided to go with the Lambs Wool Wash Mitt. They are very soft but like 4DSC says the pile seems to fall out and they do get matted. I too found the quality differs and I have had to throw one out after 2 months of washing because it went stiff as a board. I tried machine washing one and I will never do that again. Threw that one out also. Here in Canada the price differs on this product but for the most part they are produced by Superex (I think) and are around 6 bucks at Walmart. Same mitt goes for up to 10 bucks in other places.

Another time for me to add my 2 cents worth. This is a great site and I have gotten way more knowledge than I will ever be able to share. Keep up the good work on the site guys.

Ian

[imported_Intel486]

Originally posted by Mindflux

Sick of trying to find 100% cotton chenille?.. yet you can still buy some lambs wool mits that are artificial... righto!



The thing is a lot of chenille mits that say they are cotton actually contain polyester. It makes it difficult to find one that is truly 100% cotton.



I think the ones you posted from tacscar in my thread about my sponge wash mit would be a good choice. 2 for only $9. Might have to get a pair.



You can test to see if the cotton mits have polyester in them by pulling off a strand and burning it. If it has small, hard lumps in it, then it has polyester in it. If it all turns to ash, then it`s all cotton.

[shaf]

Originally posted by Mindflux

Sick of trying to find 100% cotton chenille?.. yet you can still buy some lambs wool mits that are artificial... righto! I like sheepskin mitts because it`s a no-brainer to see if it`s real: you just look inside and if you see leather, it`s real. If not, then it`s fake. :nixweiss It`s pretty easy to tell sheepskin mitts and simulated wool mitts apart.





HonestIan, you threw a mitt out just because it was getting stiff? :( That`s just because the natural oils in the leather backing have been washed out. As soon as the leather gets wet again, it`s perfectly fine.



For the record, the mitt I`m currently using belongs (belonged :D) to my father, and is probably several years old! I have no plans to retire it as long as it stays clean and the seams hold up.



If you really have to wash a washmitt separately for some reason, I imagine Woolite might be the way to go for that. I`ve never had to though, and for the really dirty areas I usually use brushes.

[chevyguy28]

I am one of the people who chooses to stick with lambswool. I`m with Brian on this one. They work well, do not scratch, and are easy to maintain. I simply take it aside and do some washing and rinsing in my bucket after use and then let air dry. The leather does get hard once dry, but that is besides the point. The softness of the fur does diminish. With lots of soap and water, the mitt simply glides over the surface without much resistance. It`s a pleasure.



I don`t care for MF wash mitts, not enough pile. I took a pole on this subject a while ago (what kind of wash mitt do you use). Cotton chenille won out.

[TurboCat]

I use the lambswool mitts too - and when they need a good washing I throw them into the washing machine (warm water) with some of my other detailing mfs, etc. I also put them in the dyer on a low temp for like 30 min, then take them out. The wool is dry but the inside mitt is damp. I let them air dry the rest of the way. But the strange thing is, they become soft and supple again (not stiff) after I do this, and the pile returns to normal. If I just lay them in the garage to air dry after washing they get stiff until I soak them in water again.



The only problems I have had with the mitts are:



1) The stitching on the elastic cuff can come undone after awhile



2) If they are laying around the house to air dry, my cats like to kidnap them and play with them! So I have to put them on a high bookshelf! :nono



I have been wanting to try a sea sponge, but am wondering if anyone has had problems with sand trapped in the sponge scratching their car?

[ashsarna]

I have always used them until recently. I like using them and they are relatively easy to maintain. I chose to try the chenille mitts for now and am qite pleased. I am not sure how long my chenille will last, but the sheepskin mitts usually lasted several months.

[Iconoclast]

I also use the lambskin wash mitt. I think someone around here suggested leaving it in water so it doesn`t get hard. That`s what I do now and it works great. After I am done washing the car, I wash the mitt and place it in clean water in the bucket.

It`s too hard to find a natural sea sponge (for a cheap price) and a 100% cotton chenille mitt.

[DBrown_SD]

Yep, a Sea Sponge is the best. But I like the Viking mits. Safe on paint and effective.



DMB



* What`s up Intel!



FTW

[Taxlady]

I think lambskin mitts are great. If you feel the surface while you are washing the car, you don`t feel any grit. All the grit seems to go in between the hairs. Run your fingers through the fur when you rinse the mitts and the grit comes out.



Yes, the leather part does dry stiff, but as others have mentioned, it gets soft again as soon as the mitt is wet.



One of these days I will try the natural sea sponge, but the lambskin mitts are only Cdn $10 for two (plus a bug scrubber mitt) at Costco.



I`ve used natural sea sponges for personal hygiene for years. Wet the sponge and feel for sand, bits of seashells, coral, etc. There usually isn`t any. But, of course I buy mine at the pharmacy or health food store. Try the bath section. I`ve never seen one that cost more than Cdn $10. Make sure it`s a natural sea sponge, not cellulose or plastic. Once you`ve seen the natural ones, it`s pretty easy to tell. And they are pretty stiff when they are dry, but very soft when wet.

[mrdetailer]

For painted surfaces wool has been my mit of choice for a while now for all of the reasons 4DC mentions. I`ve never seen a mit clean up like a wool mit. When dirty it is very obvious, and a dunk in the pail, a quick rub and all of the visible dirt is gone. Wool washmits definitely repel dirt better than anything I`ve seen.



Very soft too.



Mine goes in the washer after 2-3 uses.