We often disagree, but I have to say I've never disagreed with you more. However, a lot of people seem to be having a hard time wrapping their brain around the difference between the ShMitt and a regular sponge or even the buffing process.

I absolutely 100% disagree with you that the wash tool needs to pick up and carry away any and all dirt from the car. Does a boar's hair brush do this? I don't think so. All a washing tool needs to do is knock the dirt off the car and into the wash solution left on the car's surface. So, when you rinse off the car the wash solution including the remaining dirt washes away from the car's surface. The ShMitt does pick up some dirt undoubtedly. The larger pieces do seem to stay in the valleys of the knap and the smaller particles go into the cells of the foam where they are held away from the paint.

I also stand by my statement that washing and polishing are two seperate and distinct processes and you can't compare how one material acts in the different process. I mean how can you really compare what happens when you spin a pad at 1000's of OPM or RPM to gently pushing it back and forth on the paint. You don't think there's a difference there? Also, you don't think there's a difference in consistency between polish & car wash solution or even a difference in the amount you'd be using of the two substances? The two processes are night and day different. If I spin a lambswool pad on a rotary buffer it's going to really cut down my paint, if I wash my car with a lambswool mitt am I removing paint?

 

I agree that dirt gets suspended in wash solution but again, take a dirty car, and wash it. Before you dunk it into the wash bucket, the mitt will be filthy dirty. You can't just say all the dirt will be knocked off the car into the solution. It would be great , but real world experience says that most of the dirt winds up on your mitt. With a mitt like that i think you are asking for more trouble than with other methods.

I also want to say that no system is perfect because you have to physically remove dirt . Whenever two things touch, they will scratch each other no matter how small or invisible they seem to the naked eye.

 

Awesome! This is more of the compromise I expect to reach with you when we disagree.

Yes, when washing some dirt is suspended in the mitt and some is left in the wash solution on the car's surface. It's a combination which is what I've been saying happens with the ShMItt.

Yes, no system is perfect and I don't think I've said the ShMitt is perfect. All we can hope for is an improvement and IMO the ShMitt is an improvement over the sheepskin mitt. As you've said anytime two surfaces meet there is some level of friction and all we can hope to do is to minimize it as much as possible to reduce any chance of marring.

I've now washed 4 black cars with this ShMItt and I can honestly say that it did not induce any marring in any of the cars. Two of the cars did have some marring in them already, but the two that were free of marring remained so after washing with the ShMitt. You can wash marring free with a sheepskin mitt as well but a sheepskin mitt requires more care, changes texture over time, and can leave hairs all over your paint. This is where the ShMitt is an improvement.

 

I gotta agree with Mike on this one...the ShMitt works better than I expected. I compared it along side of Sheepskin and Microfiber and it was the only one that did not create scratches on CD's or the Jeep. Now the Jeep has some tough paint and it's not easy to scratch but it can be done when you gather sand and grit on whatever you're using as a mitt. The shmitt rinse clean(er) than anything else I've used.

If you're picky about your finish then this one is a must have for sure.



Flish

 

IME it's hard for people to wrap their brain around the fact that the ShMitt would work as well if not better than a sheepskin mitt. I know I had a tough time with it mentally at first. Experience is the best teacher though. Glad to hear you enjoyed the ShMitt!

 

For me I figured if you're using foam to apply wax/sealant then it's gotta be safe to use to wash with....

In the long run it seems that using this will save you money by eliminating a part of the cleaning process that used caused swirls (other mitts). I suspect these things will hold up longer than my sheepskin so there's money right there as well. I picked up 2 set for the "S" and have retired the remaining mitts to the the Jeep and Explorer. I suspect they'll be replaced by summer so the purge is underway around here.

 

There's one guy on the detailing boards, Justin, who has used a single ShMitt for over 200 washes. He's a professional detailer. So, I would definitely say they last longer than sheepskin and other types of mitt.

 

I suppose we're looking at, IMO, the best new product to come along since Menzerna's 106 polish. Heck, I might be willing to go as far as microfiber for that matter.

200 = washes is pretty impressive. That a nice reduction in operating expense for his business.

 

Yup! I would imagine he was pretty happy about that. Just remember . . . the ShMitt is foam. So, just because it gets nicked, sliced, or chewed up a little that doesn't mean it won't work just as well as day 1.

 

Yep...Once I thought about where else I used foam on the car it was a no brainer from that point forward. I'm pretty sure mine will never see 200 washes however it's a good testiment to its duribility. It'll be interesting to see how long I can go before I replace it with a new one. I'm washing 3 cars every, each with its own mitt, so I'm guessing May or June. Who knows, maybe I can go a whole year....but I'm sure my "OCD" will never let me go that long!!!