Washmitt & Spunge

The wash mitt or sponge is perhaps the most important tool you use while washing your car. It determines to a very large extent whether you are going to scratch during the wash, or not. That is why a good wash glove or sponge is so important for a detailer. Whether you are a do it yourself detailer or a professional, you always need a good wash mitt during the wash.

The wash mitt is what is going to come in contact with the paint and with the dirt. It determines whether you can remove the dirt easily, whether you are simply going to push the dirt across the paint and start scratching and whether the dirt is going to be well absorbed into the wash mitt so you can safely remove it from the car without scratching. Indeed, you have several options in terms of wash gloves and sponges that all have certain properties.

The most commonly used is a microfiber wash mitt or sponge. These consist of small fibers sometimes made of different materials that allow you to absorb dirt into the microfibers during the wash and safely remove it from the car without scratching it. When you immerse the microfibers in a bucket of water and wring them out you can remove most of the dirt from the microfibers allowing you to safely wash again.

Some prefer a wash mitt or sponge made of wool. These work much the same as microfiber. Only wool is slightly coarser so it will remove dirt faster, but these are also generally more expensive than microfiber and also less durable.

Finally, there is the regular foam sponge made of various types of foam. These can absorb water and suds well which can be easy to provide enough water and lube when washing. Many people also still just like to use a simple sponge. However, these have the disadvantage that they are often much harder and coarser than a microfiber or wool sponge. As a result, you can potentially already make scratches. In addition, it can also absorb dirt worse. Often foam sponges simply push the dirt across the surface, causing you to scratch it. When the dirt does get into the sponge it also generally just stays on the surface causing you to keep rubbing the dirt over the paint and making more scratches. That's why you generally never see professional detailers using a real sponge.

As you note, a microfiber sponge or wash mitt sits nicely in between the two. They are durable, soft, hold dirt without scratching and sometimes have a foam inner layer or are so thick that it can hold enough water and soapy water to allow your microfiber wash mitt to glide across the surface without scratching and while also removing dirt quickly and safely.