Lexucan

I just had my ES professionally detailed yesterday and was told that using a wool wash mitt is bad for producing new swirl marks. He recommended using only a MF mitt.

What do our CL detailing pros think of this advice?

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

I agree with it. If you look at detailing pads, by far the most aggressive are the wool pads. MF is much softer than wool, and will rinse cleaner, too, based on what I've seen and used. Remember to always use two buckets, too - one to rinse, one for suds. Keeps the contaminants you've taken off the car from being mixed in and put elsewhere.

Big Mack

Lexucan

Thanks, BM.
You make a very good point about aggressive pads being made of wool. Actually, this was something the detailer also mentioned yesterday but I had forgotten it until now.

And yes, the two bucket method is a must!

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Hold on, just because wool is made for heavy compounding doesn't mean that it isn't safe. Don't forget that the wool for polishing uses a lot of speed to do what it does, unless you can revolve your hand at 600rpm and above I don't think it will be an issue as long as you get the right mitt.

If you are looking for the absolute softest mitt out there that has a super super low chance of marring, check out the mitts from RubbishBoy (CLICK ME). These are great and my Jet Black BMW friend swears by it (JB paint is super super soft). While you are at it, you should pick up some RubbishBoys OE

Lexucan

Maybe a distinction needs to be made between "wool" mitts and "lamb's wool" mitts

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

I never said it wasn't safe, but I think that a MF mitt is much better than a wool mitt, even lambs wool. As I said, it's going to rinse easier and be less abrasive based on my experience. If you've gotta scrub the bejeezus out of some wheels to get layers of caked on goo off, wool mitts are awesome. For paint, however, I'd never use a wool mitt because they simply don't rinse as easily as the MF's I have.

Big Mack

jfelbab

I prefer a genuine lambswool wash mitt. They are very soft, plush and more importantly release dirt very well when rinsed. MF wash mitts tend to not release dirt very well and are nowhere near as plush, IMO. I've used wool mitts for over 20 years and have never seen any swirling caused by them.

Don't be misled by what a wool polishing pad with an abrasive polish coating the wool fibers can do and attempt to transfer that experience to a wash mitt. Just isn't the same.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I too prefer wool over microfiber.

I like my MFs for drying, but not for washing.

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Who said anything about it having an abrasive polish coating the wool fibers? I know that I didn't. I simply said that I have found MF to be better than wool/lambswool mitts when I've used them, and rinsed out easier, much like you said about the lambswool mitts. We're on different sides of this, but I don't think it's fair to insinuate that the comparison had an added ingredient that wasn't ever introduced simply because you disagree with my point. No harm, no foul, just saying I'm comparing apples to apples, not apples and cinammon to bananas with peanut butter. Hmm...I guess I was hungrier than I thought.

Big Mack

Chris@GlimmerGlass

iTrader: (3)

^^Agreed! I've felt some scratchy "wool" mitts that were totally different than a good lamb or sheepskin mitt.

And I too do not like microfiber for washing. It does not seem to release the debris nearly as well as a quality lambs wool or sheepskin mitt. Drying is a different story though... mf waffle weave ftw.

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

Yes the word 'wool' is too vague. God forbid someone uses steel 'wool'

Big Mack

iTrader: (1)

Okay, and not solely based on Chris' post, perhaps since it has been a while since I've given lambswool mitts a chance I should. Maybe they've gotten better.

You know what? If you're dumb enough to use steel wool to wash your car, perhaps you should tell the person who ties your shoes and hands you the sippy cup and fork with a cork on the end that you need something else to play with. Sheesh...

Big Mack

vwynn

iTrader: (4)

imma go buy a real sheep and use it as a mit =] 100% natural.

hermm i should look into wool mits.. im using a MF sponge n its OK for cleaning.. and a absorber for drying.

jfelbab

Be aware that there are natural wool sheepskin mitts and then there are synthetic sheepskin mitts. The synthetics are what gives them a bad rep. The natural mitts are the real deal.

eyezack87

iTrader: (4)

Lol, we were all thinking of different things weren't we?