time to buy a new mitt?

[bullfrog]

Is it time for me to get a new wash mitt? I bought this one from the Autopia store only about 3 months ago and I`ve only used it on my own car. It looks pretty dirty and feels rougher than when I bought it. I`ve never washed my wash mitt though. Can I do that? What is the proper laundering technique if I can?



http://northsidedrive.com/images/forum/mitt.jpg

[qwik5o]

Doesn`t it kind of wash itself in the suds of your car wash?



You must have one dirty ride!:p



Looks icky.:eek:

[White95Max]

Do you use the same mitt for the paint and the wheels/tires?

My mitt usually rinses pretty clean in the wash bucket, and I also rinse it out after each wash.

I also wash it in the washer, but only once a month or so when I wash all of my cotton towels.

[a.k.a. Patrick]

Thats thing looks perfect compared to what I use !!!

[Black240SX]

You should have 3 mitts: a good one for the paint, an older but still ok one for the wheels, and a crappy old one for the wheel wells.



That mitt looks like its ready for wheel duty.

[Scottwax]

I toss out my chenille covered foam pads monthly. Cheap insurance.

[General Lee]

I Wash mine after a few uses. Comes out like new everytime. I just use regular detergent in cold water, nothing else added. I wash the one I use w/ QEW after each use because it never really rinses clean with just water.

[stevet]

Originally posted by General Lee

I Wash mine after a few uses. Comes out like new everytime. I just use regular detergent in cold water, nothing else added. I wash the one I use w/ QEW after each use because it never really rinses clean with just water.



Exactly what I do but I use Woolite. Using QEW seems to be hard on mitts no matter what type I use. They never rinse clean and need a machine wash. The machine wash does the trick and my sheepskin mitts come out soft and clean. Put them in the dryer on low and they come out fluffy and soft. They last much longer this way too.

[SK2003TypeS]

Looks like the dark spots are because it`s wet, not dirty. I`d probably still use it on my paint. If you feel uncomfortable with that, maybe it`s time to retire it to door jams and wheels.



After I wash my car, I simply slosh the mitt around in the soap bucket. Fill some fresh water in my rinse bucket and dunk and turn the mitt a few times. Shake it damp dry the way a dog would dry itself and hang it to air dry.

[DrSauekraut]

I machine-wash my mitts every other weekend. They`re strictly used only on glass and paint. Using a two-bucket wash method, they never become over soiled (like the above photo). For the wheels, I use cheap microfibers. Try tossing it in the wash on a regular basis and you`ll get a lot of miles out of it. Good luck :)

[Accumulator]

I wash my mitts whenever the`re not spotless at the end of the wash. I never (knowingly) use a dirty mitt for *anything*. If I see dirt that won`t rinse out I get out another, clean one.

[bullfrog]

I always use QEW, so I think that is the problem. I will throw it in the washer right now. Thanks!

[Bill D]

The More Mitts, the Merrier :)





Especially when using a wash like QEW. Consider using several per session. Think of it as investing in your paint ;) :up

[White95Max]

Originally posted by Black240SX

You should have 3 mitts: a good one for the paint, an older but still ok one for the wheels, and a crappy old one for the wheel wells.



That mitt looks like its ready for wheel duty.



I totally agree. I have 4 mitts and one chenille-covered sponge for different tasks...

1 for washing nearly-clean cars

1 for washing dirty cars

1 for nearly-clean wheels

1 for dirty wheels

1 for wheelwells/grunge work

[zainoshine]

After every wash I rinse my sheepskin mitts out in the bucket, then take it inside, rinse it out with warm water, squirt a few squirts of dawn and lather it into the mitt. Then, using warm water, rinse out the mitt and watch all of the dirty crud wash out.



The first time I did this, I washed the mitt I had used that day then got the mitts I used awhile ago without rinsing and washed them with dawn and those "clean" mitts I thought I had got a lot fluffier and the dirty water was running out.



After squeegying (sp?) them with my fingers after washing, I shake them in the sink and all of the little hairs "stand up" and it helps them dry easier. I just set them on towels to dry and turn them ever so often until dry.



Hope this helps.