vtec_1994

trying to figure out what type of brush is good for minimizing fine line scratches from washing. Is it reasonable to spend $40 for a brush made of hogs hair which is supposed to very delicate on paint finishes. I was hoping to use this with the mr.clean system. Mits are easier to use but are more likiely to leave behind scratches. any thoughts? thanks in advance

JoganJani

use only 100% cotton towel or 100% cotton micro fiber cloth. No brush. No matter how fine it is, it will put scratches on the clear coat.

GaleForce

OMG I heart scratches it makes the car faster +10 hp.

:P

caball88

i use a microfiber wash mitt.

TLme

That Mr. Clean De-ionizing filter works great! Never have to dry by hand and never leaves any spots! Less chance of scatching.

savageTL

Boars hair is actually much safer for washing than cotton or micro fiber. Quite a few detailers that contract at Concours events (such as Pebble Beach) use boars hair exclusively on the exterior for washing. Boars hair has naturally split ends and quality wash brushes will be made of very young hair, they are normally physically "split" again to improve softness. The key is getting a quality brush, the price range for high quality seems to be somewhere in the $65 range for a wash brush.

Most of the negative boars hair issues are from fake boars hair which is usually stiffened horse hair, often containing polyester or other plastics.

Also micro-fiber by definition is NOT cotton, it is a type of polyester!

Vandy

automophile

I appreciate Savage TL's comments, but brushes make me VERY nervous around my paint. I have used a special car washing brush with finely split ends (not boars hair however) and it caused scratches. It wasn't the brush, I believe it is the dirt being dragged around by the brush.

I use only a natural lamb's wool glove for washing, rinsed frequently, and a separate sponge for wheels, tires and dirty lower parts of the car.

mastertl

Its the notion of the traditional brush that scares you. When you first hear brush, you think bristles or those brillo pads. But the brushes that vtec 1994 is talking about is the boar brush that does not scratch the coat but actually washes the car better than most other things out there. Check it out, it feels so soft.

hbreiden

I have used a boars hair brush on my car for a few years and swear by it. Ifyou wash your car alot it works great. It is not very good at removing heavy grime. I purchased mine from Griot's Garage.

MikeyK

I never knew about microfiber before this car and now thats all I use. Who uses Mr. Clean? Is it worth it? Or is there no substitue for a hand wash and dry?

caball88

if you use any type of synthetic wax,(zaino, nxt) i would not go with it. there has been threads in other forums stating that they don't mix well together. both meguiars and zaino have made statements that the mr. clean system will not work with their products. the filtered water for the mr clean system is a good idea but that's about all i would use out of that product.

mattlana

Micro-fiber wild Boars brush imported from Tasmania works best. If that is unavailable try using 100% genuine goose down. It works great once the water gets absorbed. When all else fails, use the packing that comes with the Zaino kit.

DavePA

I recently tried the Mr. Clean system.

-Voracious water-user and middling spray on unfiltered.
-"Suds" is water with a few bubbles. Not-very-dirty car used half a fill-up.
-Using as directed is cumbersome, and one still needs a bucket to rinse out the wash mitt/cloth.

Best use is to wash car using bucket, etc. and then re-rinse using filtered water. I have very hard water and the filtered setting left NO spots, though I did chamois-dry (damp weather). Worth $20 for that alone.

varanelli

I use a microfiber coated sponge on both cars and have had very good luck with it. They are only $4 at Target, and I actually use a new one every time to minimize the possibility of dirt particles becoming stuck in it (maybe a little excessive, but it makes me feel better).

Incidentally, swirl marks/scratches probably have something to do with the applicator (sponge, mitt, cotton, boar's hair, etc.) but are at least partially related to overzealous scrubbing--in effect working tiny dirt paticles into the clear coat/paint. Lots of soapy water should be applied VERY lightly by the brush, sponge, etc. that you prefer. Except for stubborn sap, bugs, or tar, there is usually no need to scrub very hard.

JoganJani

I agree. However, this is only if you keep it clean. Cotton towel is more easy to keep clean than the brush. Once it gets dirts in to hairs, it will scratch the surface. Each their own.

NsX Pilot

I dont care what you use sooner or later you will start to get those fine lines on the car. Darker color cars are more vulnerable then lighter colors.

vtec_1994

Excellent info. where can i safely buy the real thing on the internet or in person?

KilroyR1

try http://www.griotsgarage.com/catalog.jsp?&SKU=66073

Don