mitt vs brush

So, what do you use to wash the car with? I used to be of the opinion that a mitt was the only way and brushes scratch. Lately though I have changed this outlook and currently use a big soft brush. Well?

In my years in the car wash business we have determined that surface scratching is caused more from the dirt on the vehicle rather than the device that is used to wash the vehicle.

If you can power wash off the surface dirt before using mitt; sponge, rag or brush you will reduce the frequency of scratching.

Also, as reported in the study done by the Technological University of Munich for Mercedes Benz the key to preventing scratching from hand washing is to keep as much water and shampoo on the surface of the vehicle between the paint and the washing device.

Most detailers will dip in the wash bucket once and then wash the entire car or at least 1/2 the car with one dip of the mitt, thinking that all that foam is doing something. It is critical that you continually dip, dip, dip to keep water and shampoo on the vehicle surface everytime you cover an area.

Same with brush washing. Blast off all the surface dirt with a high pressure washer and then dip the brush and get lots of water on the area you are brushing, and continue to dip as you wash.

If you do not first get the surface soil off the car and then continually dip whether you use a mitt, sponge or brush it does not matter you will scratch the paint.

Just some well intentioned thoughts.

Bud A

In my years in the car wash business we have determined that surface scratching is caused more from the dirt on the vehicle rather than the device that is used to wash the vehicle.

If you can power wash off the surface dirt before using mitt; sponge, rag or brush you will reduce the frequency of scratching.

Also, as reported in the study done by the Technological University of Munich for Mercedes Benz the key to preventing scratching from hand washing is to keep as much water and shampoo on the surface of the vehicle between the paint and the washing device.

Most detailers will dip in the wash bucket once and then wash the entire car or at least 1/2 the car with one dip of the mitt, thinking that all that foam is doing something. It is critical that you continually dip, dip, dip to keep water and shampoo on the vehicle surface everytime you cover an area.

Same with brush washing. Blast off all the surface dirt with a high pressure washer and then dip the brush and get lots of water on the area you are brushing, and continue to dip as you wash.

If you do not first get the surface soil off the car and then continually dip whether you use a mitt, sponge or brush it does not matter you will scratch the paint.

Just some well intentioned thoughts.

Bud A

my thoughts exactly

At our shop we use flag-tipped brushes for the bottom portion of the car (getting all large debris off) and then follow through with thick mitts over the entire car. On exotics, such as vintage Shelby's or Ferrari's we tend to nix the brushes because they don't need the extra force, as most exotics are garage kept and waxed often.

Dr. Beasley's Car Care Products
[www.drbeasleys.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2011 04:38PM by Dr. Beasley's.

But the brushes and the mitts capture the small grit particles and that is like rubbing a piece of fine sandpaper on the finish.

You have to get the dirt off the car with chemical and high pressure and then, like an automatic car wash, flood the surface of the car with shampoo and water to serve as a protective barrier between the brush or mitt and the paint surface.

The Technological University of Munich did a test for Mercedes a few years ago where they hand washed cars 26 times and machine washed cars 26 times and then took microscopic photos of the paint and it was revealed that the hand washed cars had more damage to the paint than the machine washed cars.

Conclusion was as I described, the mitt, sponge or brush when first coming in contact with the car's surface picked up the grit and contained it and as it was used again and again during the wash processed acted like sandpaper.

Solution, flood the car with shampoo and water during the wash process.

The foam suds most detailers think is helping the car are just cosmetic, it is the water that is critical. The University said if you must "handwash" then have a mitt/sponge in one hand and a water hose in the other flooding the area with water.

Just some well intentioned thoughts on the subject.

Regards
Bud Abraham
DETAIL PLUS SYSTEMS