David Fermani
Forza Auto Salon
As soon as I heard about the rumor of a ShMiTT being made with grout sponge material, I contacted Aaron @ EDGE and insisted on getting one. He mentioned that they weren’t yet available for sale, so I asked if he had any samples. He then mentioned that he didn’t, but then offered the very last one that had already been used and was sitting on his desk. I eagerly said “I’ll take it� and 2 days later it arrived at my house. The following weekend I had the opportunity to wash 4 of my client’s vehicles (2 getting full details that day(click & brags coming) & 2 that just had been completely detailed).
I’ve been using the infamous Home Depot grout sponge for probably over 10 years both personally and at my high volume shop on client vehicles. I initially start using them for exterior wash duty only, and then after they start to breakdown they get passed down to carpet shampooing and then finally they end their life doing wheels/wheel wells.
My initial response to this ShMitt was quite interesting. It appears to be of very similar construction to the HDGS in both looks and pore size. Once wet, the ShMiTT GS feels a *little bit* softer and tends to hold more water & suds; thus weighing more than the smaller HDGS. Each one glides similarly across a vehicle’s surface and doesn’t require any second guessing to insure that flat surfaces were cleaned, even though the ShMiTT GS is waffled (not flat).
One thing that I really like about the ShMiTT GS is its sharp outer edge. It allows you to “slice� into cracks and crevices better (window trim, moldings, and grills) insuring easier and more thorough cleaning than the HDGS. I’d be interested to know if this material could be molded into different sizes & shapes? Each tool rinses easy and does not support dirt buildup in their medium & small pores. By just stirring each one in a soapy bucket, dirt buildup sheds/shakes right off easily, without worry.
I did a few CD tests on each sponge with my go-to car wash soap (Auto Magic Wash & Wax). I wiped each dedicated CD both horizontally & vertically (not circular) 100 times in each direction (200 total strokes) with re-wetting the sponge every 20 strokes. I then rinsed each CD and allowed dried with a hair dryer to eliminate towel marring. After very close inspection, there are no (zero) signs of marring/scratching on either CD, thus indicating that each one is totally safe and does not damage a vehicle’s finish.
Bottom Line: I like both grout sponges, especially the ShMiTT! Cost can be a factor for some, especially after someone might be used to only paying $2 for the HDGS. Does this matter to everyone, maybe not? I believe this product will be priced in line with mainstream wash mitts and alike so price shouldn't be a factor in comparison. After washing 4 vehicles, there has not been any noticeable wear that would indicate that the life span has started to diminish. So, as times goes on, so will my test.
I’ve been using the infamous Home Depot grout sponge for probably over 10 years both personally and at my high volume shop on client vehicles. I initially start using them for exterior wash duty only, and then after they start to breakdown they get passed down to carpet shampooing and then finally they end their life doing wheels/wheel wells.
My initial response to this ShMitt was quite interesting. It appears to be of very similar construction to the HDGS in both looks and pore size. Once wet, the ShMiTT GS feels a *little bit* softer and tends to hold more water & suds; thus weighing more than the smaller HDGS. Each one glides similarly across a vehicle’s surface and doesn’t require any second guessing to insure that flat surfaces were cleaned, even though the ShMiTT GS is waffled (not flat).
One thing that I really like about the ShMiTT GS is its sharp outer edge. It allows you to “slice� into cracks and crevices better (window trim, moldings, and grills) insuring easier and more thorough cleaning than the HDGS. I’d be interested to know if this material could be molded into different sizes & shapes? Each tool rinses easy and does not support dirt buildup in their medium & small pores. By just stirring each one in a soapy bucket, dirt buildup sheds/shakes right off easily, without worry.
I did a few CD tests on each sponge with my go-to car wash soap (Auto Magic Wash & Wax). I wiped each dedicated CD both horizontally & vertically (not circular) 100 times in each direction (200 total strokes) with re-wetting the sponge every 20 strokes. I then rinsed each CD and allowed dried with a hair dryer to eliminate towel marring. After very close inspection, there are no (zero) signs of marring/scratching on either CD, thus indicating that each one is totally safe and does not damage a vehicle’s finish.
Bottom Line: I like both grout sponges, especially the ShMiTT! Cost can be a factor for some, especially after someone might be used to only paying $2 for the HDGS. Does this matter to everyone, maybe not? I believe this product will be priced in line with mainstream wash mitts and alike so price shouldn't be a factor in comparison. After washing 4 vehicles, there has not been any noticeable wear that would indicate that the life span has started to diminish. So, as times goes on, so will my test.
