Which Wash Mitt/Pad/Sponge/Brush?

[Boss_429]

OK, which one do your prefer for washing...

100% Cotton Mitt
Lambswool/Sheepskin Mitt
Synthetic Mitt
MF Mitt

100% Cotton Pad
Synthetic Pad

Sea Sponge
Synthetic Sponge

Boar`s Hair Brush
Synthetic Brush

Other (that I might have missed)

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Here`s the tough part... why do you prefer what you prefer?

I`ve been a long time fan of 100% Made in the USA Cotton mitts for the following reasons:

They are soft. (a least for a while)
The are white. (easy to see the dirt that needs rinsing)
The "mitt" can be rinsed from the inside out.
They rinse clean and easy. (less dirt - less chance for swirls)
They are/were relatively inexpensive.

Unfortunately, they are getting harder and harder to come by. I`m finding the high quality lambswool mitts have most of the same attributes and tend to stay softer longer. So, I`m slowly switching over.

[Bill D]

Sheepskin mitts.

I know with a lot more certainlty that I`m getting real sheepskin

An inspection , "the pick `em like fruit" technique at the shelf will reveal which are softest, if any qualify as soft enough to select.

A lot less pilling and linting, if any, as opposed to chenille that may more may not be 100% cotton.

Longevity: if washed either by hand or machine ( hand washable cycle) and very importantly, dried only in the drier inside out.

Ease of availablity: I pay not more than about $5 for them at Wal-Mart and picking the softest has never disappointed me.

[JaredPointer]

:yeah

What Bill said. I prefer the sheepskins for a lot of the same reasons. One more reason is that I feel that the nap pulls dirt in and away from the surface, while also rinsing pretty clean in a rinse bucket. I feel that the sheepskin mitts, if used correctly, produce no marring (within reason).

[mgm2003]

I use synthetic wash blocks & mits (gold). I buy them from Meguires and Finish Kare. If my car/truck is really dirty, I`ll use the hose to rinse off the mit frequently before dunking it back into the wash bucket. I use a seperate set of mits for the wheels, wells, lower trim, etc...

I`ve tried the sheepskin mits and IMO they don`t load up soap/suds as well. I`m sure a lot of it is in my head......

[dalmore]

i use sheepskin mitts too but like mgm2003 i`m disappointed with how long they hold soap suds. I started squirting a bit of car wash directly on the mitt - seems to help.

I`m considering trying a sea sponge so I`m anxious to hear opinions on that.

[klnyc]

I love my Mooseskin wash mitt Mmm mmm.
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.j/k. I use Eruow cheapo Wally World sheepskin wash mitt

[JeffM]

I use the sheepskin, but i dont like the wrist band. I am looking for just a sheepskin pad, that elastic stuff scratches....

[JaredPointer]

I use the sheepskin, but i dont like the wrist band. I am looking for just a sheepskin pad, that elastic stuff scratches....

Try folding the elastic band back into the mitt - that is if you don`t wear the mitt.

[JeffM]

I do fold it, but during the wash, it comes unfolded.

If anyone knows of a LW wash pad, let me know

[Mr. Clean]

I use: Sheepskin mitts, chenille (sponge covered) pads, and sponges both sea and synthetic. Of these I do prefer the sponges.

I don`t care for mitts of any constructin. I have some difficulty getting my hands in them for one and two, it is a pain to quickly turn them over to get to a clean side. So, you guessed it, I use my sheepskin mitts like a pad.

Back to the sponges:

A fully loaded sponge seems to "float" across the surface while the sheepskin and chenille seem to present more resistance.

A sponge always appears to rinse more quickly and thoroughly than either the sheepskin or chenille.

Sponges require less "maintenance" than either the sheepskin or cnenille.

Nothing (IMO, of course ) washes the window glass better than a grout sponge.

When washing a vehicle with particularly nasty lower body panels, you haven`t lost a huge investment (referring to a synthetic in this instance, not a sea sponge - I`ll cut a sponge in half when I see this and toss it at the end of the wash) if you get some greasy, grimey, mess on your sponge.

Need I continue :cool

[needyone]

looks like I`m gonna go and get some washmits!!Was going to ask the same ?...thanks Boss for asking ...been using some small mf towels

[wytstang]

I use Megs GC mitt it seems to work really well for me it glides over the surface of my car.

[matthiasj]

I use a MF Sponge i got from Autozone for a few bucks. It hold quite a bit of suds, and really glids over the paint. I can force it into tight places, and it really seems to clean good without much effort. I use a MF towel for the tough spots.

[Bill D]

No sponges for me. There`s not enough nap in them to catch and hold and potential contaminant particle. Just plenty, even more than really necessary, shepskin mitts, changing over to fresh ones plenty frequently.

[Mr. Clean]

No sponges for me. There`s not enough nap in them to catch and hold and potential contaminant particle.

Well Bill, I don`t want my wash tools to "hold" any contaminants. That`s why I rinse my sponges/mitts/pads. But that is what sheepskin and chenille often do. I spend far more time picking "things" out of the nap of sheepskin and chenille than any sponge. Sponges rinse much easier. As far as nap goes, that really doesn`t mean much if the offending contaminanet is caught in the lower part of the fiber, that`s where it stays. It doesn`t magically "walk" up the length of the fiber safely away from the paint surface.

The fact is, a sponge`s (or any other tool) potential for marring your paint`s surface is relative to the user at the end of that tool.