What type of cloth to use to wash your car?

Zero dark

Should I use microfiber towels or the cotton towels? I always have been using microfiber but sometimes I feel like they are too thin for the job

brancky3

I use a grout sponge to wash with and dry with a microfiber waffle weave towel.

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Amj2020

If you are seriously talking about washing your car, AKA using it to remove dirt from the surface with soap, you are using the wrong tools. Microfiber and cotton towels are for removing polish/wax residue from those actions (on a clean surface), or to dry an already cleaned car with water droplets on it. That being said, in order to wash the car properly you need to employ the Two bucket method, grit guard, and a soft lambswool mitt, or similar product. If you are wasting money on microfiber and cotton towels to WASH your car, go get a lambswool mitt for around the same price, and buy high quality microfiber towels to dry the car once clean.

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Zero dark

Thanks I will look into this mitten

SouthArk370Z

Junkman2008 is the site's paint maintenance/repair guru. Check out some of his videos.

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JARblue

And I don't dry my car with towels anymore either (per Junkman). I just use a $39 Black & Decker leaf blower. Someday I will be able to afford the $400 MB

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JARblue

First, you should never touch a dirty car with a towel, be it clean or dirty. Only touch a clean car with a clean towel. And even then you need to be careful.

To determine whether a towel is safe for use on your clean paint, use the open palm method. Drag the towel across your open palm. If you feel it catch on your skin, do not use it on your paint. It should be relegated to cleaning plastic/vinyl trim or other surfaces that are not as delicate as your paint. FWIW, pretty much every towel you buy from auto parts stores or other retail store is not going to pass this test. The Rag Company's Eagle Blue or Orange is a good example of an acceptable towel.

I would never touch my Z with a grout sponge. Scratch city

I used to use very high quality (and very expensive) waffle weave towels to dry my Z. The leaf blower I purchased a few weeks ago cost less than two of those towels.

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kenchan

to wash your car you should be using a wash mitt.

and no way do you want to be using a sponge

RonRizz

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brancky3

Nothing wrong with a grout sponge, a ton of detailing folks swear by it. Obviously they are single use, but like $1.50/ea so no big deal

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JARblue

They can swear all they want. They're still scratching the hell out of their paint. A sponge will retain dirt particles after one wipe and rinse in your rinse bucket. These remaining particles will scratch your paint on the next wipe. This is why you need a proper wash mitt that will actually release all dirt particles into the rinse bucket. And you need a grit guard at the bottom of said bucket to keep the dirt at the bottom and the rinse water clean.

And $1.50 for single use is pretty outrageous for something that is going to damage your paint. I paid $15 for a nice lambswool wash mitt that'll I'll get far more than 10 uses out of (with proper cleaning after each use).

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brancky3

I would be more worried that you're only using one bucket.
Edit: noticed you said rinse bucket implying there is also a wash bucket. Hope you're using two!

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JARblue

I have a foam gun and the Mr. Clean wash system (almost out of filters ), either of which can act as my wash bucket. They can both spray water or soap with the flick of a switch. I even rinse my wash mitt before I stick it in the rinse bucket to keep the dirt in the bucket down. It's a bit more wasteful on water but I go months without washing at times, so I'd rather use the extra water and be easier on my paint.

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Zero dark

Appreciate all the input

Zipper 104

I bought one of these puppies from Stay Fresh and use the two bucket method with grit guards in both. I stopped drying with towels and use a leaf blower now, even though my Z is Xpelled.


Stay Fresh Car Care

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