Are sponges that bad?

[Frimley111R]

I know they get a lot of stick on forums but I was reading an article in a magazine where a valeter said it depends more on the quality of the sponge which makes sense. Also, the writer said it was easier to clean out the dirt each time the sponge was dunked into a bucket rather than a lambswool mitt, microfibre mitt etc. I could understand this as is full of holes that rinse out easily. Would you agree?

[Summit_Detailing]

Most sponges are 'closed cell' so if during the wash process you pick up some dirt it has nowhere to go so stays on the sponge surface so you drag it from point A to point B across the panel(s), leading to a fairly high chance that you'll inflict some damage, this maybe small in isolation but through repeated washing in this way you will in theory accrue defects quicker than the lambswool wash media.

A lambswool/microfibre mitt has a pile so if you pick up some dirt it disappears into the pile and isn't dragged across the surface of the panel(s)...that's the theory!.

Cheers

Chris

[belleair302]

Real, natural sponges are wonderful but hard to buy in the UK. I pick mine up when in Florida, dockside in Tarpon Springs and these are open cell, and just lift away dirt, not drag it over the clear coat. They are also vast so carry loads of soap suds and you need little actual movement. Mitts are all well and good but not my favourite.