Yes im a newb, so dont laugh at this question.


I keep seeing people go back and forth regarding what is the best product for use as an applicator and washing mitt.

for the applicator i see some people who say a foam applicator is what they use. others wont use anything but a microfiber towel or MF applicator . I saw this Kit http://www.pinnaclewax.com/mistkit.html it has small mf applicators. Is this something worth investing in or is it a ripoff ? Are those small mf applicators good for waxing products like Zaino and Hydro ?

Also for washing, i see that alot of people say sheepskin is the best and then again i see others go back and say MF Wash Cloths ?

When i buy a Waffle Weave Towel should i make sure its Micro Fiber ? What is the best product to use for the initial soap application for washing the car ? brand ? material ? name ?


My last stupid question is. I see lots and lots of talk about waxing and the products being used. Hydro , Epic , Zaino , ICE . When does polishing come into play ? what is a good polishing product. I am aware that you should polish before waxing but can it be done by hand with out leaving any swirls / streaks ? is polishing only done with a rotating power tool and special pad ?

Thanks in Advance

 

i change applicators by application...

Nero i use DP's MF ulitity cloth.
LeatherCare i use Griot's blue foam pad
LeatherCare spray i use DP's MF utility cloth.
ScratchX i use generic cotton foam pad
InsaneShine i use those generic foam pads
BlackWow i use those Kiwi shoe polish foam pad (highly recommended)

so on and so forth.

wash mitt... preference imho. i use griot's MF wash mitt. works great.
next time im getting their WashPad which is same as the mitt without
the glove design. just a big wash pad.

waffle weaves are great for drying, so i hear so will be getting those
next. im currently using Griot's THICK MF drying towel which does quite
well.

so on and so forth.

check out www.detailersparadise.com for their starter bundles.

 

I think after one good polishing round by hand you will be looking for a PC 7336 DA! You can do polishing by hand but it is very difficult and time consuming if you have general swirling that you wish to remove. So process wise most will agree to:
1. Clean/degrease wash with Dawn or a paint cleanser like P21S Paintworks Cleaner.
2. Clay using either soapy water or QD as the lubricant.
3. Polish - (I use Prima Swirl followed by Prima Amigo)
4. Trim - Nero, Wizard Black Renew or Black Wow - (doing trim at this point will help keep unwanted wax off - some will tape instead ).
5. Wax - Prima Epic, Zaino Z-2 etc.
6. Maintain - wash with Mystique, spray wax with Hydro and QD with Slick.

As for applicators/mitts I use a sheepskin wash mitt for the paint and a MF mitt for my wheels. I have found that the MF mitt will not release grit as easily as the sheepskin so I prefer to only use them only on my wheels.
For polish by hand Sonus has a applicator that has a firm yellow side and a softer black side. Even though I use a PCDA I will occasionally do some hand polishing on spots and this Sonus pad works well.
When waxing I use DP's thin blue MF pad which doesn't soak up much product so there is little waste.

Check out the other threads on the Detailing Forum - they are filled with tons of good info. Don't be afraid to ask, even kenchan was a newbie at one point.

 

For applying (liquid) wax, I really like the Sonus Der Wunder Applicator and have also just started using the Paradise Skinny which absorbs less product (less waste), but is a bit harder to get a grip on.

For drying, I highly recommend the The Sonus Der Wunder Drying Towel. Apparently all waffle weaves are NOT the same, as I recently tried a few times the Meguiar’s Water Magnet...it gets fully soaked in seconds and you must wring it out obscenely often, and even then doesn't do a good job of leaving a thin film behind. The Sonus towel barely needs a wring or two for the whole car and always leaves behind a nice thin film. For all I know the Paradise Waffle Weave Drying Towel may be as good as the sonus but I have yet to try it. They all look very much the same and there's always a good chance they are made by the same manufacturer..which is why I was so surprised to see the night and day difference with the meguiar's towel!

I use microfiber for every step except for abrasive polishing (which can also be done with a short-pile microfiber). In that case I agree the Sonus pad is great. No polish requires a machine, it just makes your work much, much easier.

 

Excellent discussion! I also have a question, right in line with this thread.... What exactly is the Monster Fluffy towel for? I'm under the impression that it's for "buffing" like with Slick or when it's time to remove and buff the wax.

 

I just use one foam applicator style pad--the little round ones from Meguiar's and other companies. I use it for applying a wax, for working in a polish like Scratch X and for applying dressings on tires, as well as for applying Black Wow on trim. I find the pad pretty universal, and no need to be searching for the "perfect pad" for an application---I just grab a new round pad for whatever I'm doing.

As for Monster Fluffy, I use this for any application that could benefit from a very soft microfiber towel. For soft paints that scratch easily, my Monster Fluffy is mandatory. Otherwise, I use them for quick detailing with Slick, and Epic wax removal and final wipe downs.

I don't like them for wiping off polishes which tend to be "sticky" and require some effort to remove---for that, a lower pile microfiber is preferred IMO.

Richard

 

I kinda wanna try a Shmitt for washing. I have no idea why. Anyone tried it?

 

are foam pads a good idea? the primary reason i stopped using
foam wash sponges is because the grime stays at the top of the surface
which can scrape the finish, and also as with the magic sponge, foam is
somewhat prone to hazing all by itself.

another reason why i decided against the boar's hair wash brush. those
brushes are soft but they still haze the finish. i took a 500w next to the
bumper and gently brushed my boar's hair on it (this was just a test since
i was polishing the car anyway) and i can see hazing from one stroke.

 

Sorry my bad. I meant foam pad for applicators. I use the Lambswool wash mitt for for washing. I havent' tried the SHMITT and not sure if I like the idea--I certainly wouldn't try it on MY MINI . But then again, I'm testing out a new clay bar that is a sponge, so who knows! LOL

Richard