In my defence I had no idea that doing so would be considered a 'faux pas' of Epic Proportions, when I should have been using a 'Wash Mitt' instead of a Sponge.

But since this has never been mentioned before I feel that I've been left to hang out to dry.

As such I can confirm this matter has now been resolved, with purchase of said equipments in a 'Black Friday Sale' together with a mountain of loads of other stuff, where my Pen was Clearly writing Cheques my Bank Balance can't keep.

Though having got the 'Wash Mitt' which I tried out Yesterday, I am now beginning to wonder if they really live up to the Hype, as unlike a Sponge this one seems to pick up dirt and grime, that seems very difficult to try and rinse out of it.

Or maybe it's just me that is doing it wrong.



My New Wash Mitt



Why can't I wash the dirt out as easily as a Sponge?

 

I use a sponge, on the rare occasions the car gets washed, what is meant to be the problem? I do use a mitt on the sill bottoms under the door and on the wheels, just to ensure the sponge does not get grit on it. If sponges were good enough for the Rolls Royce chauffeur school, they are good enough for me!
Greg

 

Hi Greg

Having now used both I feel a Sponge is best, as it doesn't hold grit like a 'Mitt' does but I was getting so much stick for not using a 'Mitt' that I thought I'd better go and buy one.

 

I have used sponges for as long as I can remember.

Never had a problem, nore has the car that I am aware of.

Some use 2 buckets, and even 3, lost me at 1. Meguiars Soft Wash in a bucket of COLD water, all good.

Rinse off is with rainwater, from a watering can, then a chamois dry, open the doors, do the innards that most forget, and call it DONE.

1 day later it rains, so I get to do it all again, would NOT be dead for quids.

 

OB,

Congrats on the spending spree! What else did you buy?!

As you know, I confess to being a wash mitt convert. As with everyone else in previous years, I was a 2-bucket sponge guy once upon a time. But then there was never really an alternative was there? But I do now believe that the closed-cell format of sponges means that if you do have any grit or contaminants on the car then the sponge will be dragging them, to some degree, over the surface as you wash. The principle (in theor) of the wash mitt is that it pulls the particles and then traps them below the surface edge of the mitt. They then remain there until the mitt is fully washed. I try and do that by running a tap inside the wash mitt to try and flush any loose bits out. I then put it in a washing machine. IMO the reason that your wash mitt looks dirty is that it HAS lifted those dirt bits rather than pushed them around on the car.

For me, it's one of those situations where technology moves on and permits a better alternative, whether it's polish, tyres, tools etc etc. My poor old Dad swore by a cap of paraffin in the final rinse water to "polish" the car. I think that perhaps some Meguiars polish is maybe a better option.....

I fear it could be another "leaper" discussion! But at least you've now got both alternatives and can play with both for a few weeks until you decide which way to go (the wash mitt!)

Cheers

Paul

 

Funny. I just bought a car wash mitt yesterday because my kid pointed it out. Until now I was a two bucket and a sponge guy. And today is car wash day since it is warm (above 32) in Minnesota.

I assume either method is more gentle than a violent rotating bristle attack at a carwash. Nobody ever lost a mirror, antenna or custom lettering when handwashing their car. :-)

Plus it is dirt-cheap until the city sends a complaint letter. Still waiting for one.

 

Finally, glad to hear this, now I can come out in the open and wash my cars. Never had one of those mitts, always used a sponge with 1 bucket. And my wife always thought it was because I was too cheap to buy one.

 

Hi Paul (PTJS)

OMG! This is turning into an Oil Thread!

I did enjoy using the Mitt for a Bit as I could see it picking up grit and felt so super sensual that I was almost getting off on it and actually thought it a nice piece of kit that unlike a sponge wasn't going to split after the first time of using it.

As well as being big enough to be able to find it, if after washing your XJS you decided to quit and sit down for a bit because you were feeling unfit and as they are not that expensive then it wouldn't take long to get over it and go and buy yourself another one.

Although it looks more likely that the grit in the Mitt could go and scratch your Car, so I'm still in the Bucket and Sponge Brigade until I've had more practice using it.

So what else did I Splash my Cash on, in the 'Black Friday Sales'

A Remote Control for my Canon for those all important Selfies as well as a Telephoto Lens, so I can get more Bokeh and a Fish Eye Lens that would have made a fairly good deposit on a House.

But being so obsessive, then sometimes you've got to go and buy those things, especially when the price is as right as it was.

Plus a couple of Car Stereos for 'Cherry Blossom' and 'The Silver Bullet' reduced from £40 a piece down to £15 with all the Bells and Whistles you could wish for.

Bluetooth/Hands Free/Mp3 and all that sort of stuff.

So If you wouldn't mind, could you give me a link to that installation guide you did, so that I can hit the ground running when it arrives.

 

Hi JL

I'm not too sure about the Mitt, as I found grit clinging to it, which might scratch my Car.

 

Using the Mitt was a bit of a come down for me, as normally I have her washed by 15 Vestal Virgins using Asses Milk, which can be quite hard to find these days.

 

Well, car wash days have grown to be far and few between. Severe drought issue.


I have an ancient mitt that has served me well. But, it doesn't look like the one depicted that drained the bank account!!! More like my antique floor mops. It doesn't retain grit.


One or two buckets, just not enough for my way of thinking. I use
one big bucket, about 3 gallons. Liberaly laced with soap/wax mix.
And the garden hose with a shut off nozzle.


Rinse the car well with the "power" stream. Start at the top, Wash a section and rinse. Keep the car wet. Keep going til it is done. Then dry with a chamois or towel. Now, I use my leaf blower as a blow dry.


Way back when I worked in a full service gas station. Hand washed cars. Just plain water, hose and and the oldest chamois. Finished with the better ones. A client asked me to hand rinse the car from a bucket. A quart of Kerosene to about 5 gallons. Indeed, the well worn black paint on his old Ford looked a lot better.


A buck for a car wash then. About 25 around here, now!!!


Carl

 

Hi Grant

I've just gone and bought myself a 500 Litre IBC Container which comes in a Galvanized Steel Cage and has only ever been used once for carrying plastic pellets for Injection Moulding and is now full of Rainwater, which I will connect to my power washer £25

 

I tried a wool mitt, an expensive one from Surluster. After a single wash, it was pretty dirty, and I washed it (by hand) and half the wool came off. Very unimpressed. Now I use a "gorilla mitt" thing, similar to this: Turtle Wax Gorilla Glove - Dual Action, Microfibre - Supercheap Auto
I like the way the fingers let you really caress the car as you wash her. It's very good for modulating pressure (which I try to keep as light as possible of course).

 

OB,

Here's the link to my audio grade thread. I appreciate there'll be some differences on your pre-facelift cars as perhaps regards the A/C controld and possible the headunit mount brackets.

http://www.jec.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=8653

Cheers

Paul

PS persevere with the mitt! Those "bits" will be trapped "in" the mitt not at the surface fibres which touch the car. I'm sure you'll get converted! Perhaps try ringing all the detailers and valeters in your area (or google the detailing forums) and ask them if they use sponges or mitts.

I also discovered Snow Foam & Snow Foam Lances a few years ago. Again it changed my car-washing life! But that's a topic for another thread!

 

So of course I forgot the brand-new oven mitt in the bag and washed the whole car with a sponge again. Then two layers of wax, first Turtle and then Nu Finish. Now she shines like a monkey butt.

 

Hi Paul

I can't wait to get those Stereos, which all things being equal should arrive by Dec 5th which come with a push in plug in the back and a number of loose wires.

So whatever happens it won't be plug and play, so will have to cut one of the plugs off that wiring harness I bought some time ago and then join the wires together.

Maybe that is why it had such a big reduction as it didn't come with the latest 'Din' connector.

But it doesn't really look too complicated, as all of the wire colours are probably pretty much Standard. (but we'll have to see) probably some fettling to do.

As for the 'Controversial Mitt' I'll bung it in the Washing Machine and give it another go.

Thanks for the Link

AL

 

Cheers Andreas

But I love using 'Mer'

 

Hi Some Day

Your Mitt looks a lot better but what I am not getting with the one I've got, is why anyone would wash their Car with grit trapped in the wool, which has to come to the Surface sooner or later.

So like you I will take some convincing that the wool mitt that I have is better than using a Sponge.

Although it could be just the thing for Polishing your Car.