Are you using the right tools to clean your car? Do you really know which tools may harm your car in the long run? If you own or drive a car, then definitely these questions knock your head. You may have serious concerns about the car cleaning process; but it’s not an easy job! Rather, car cleaning requires some specific tools and techniques.
Most of the time, people are not sure which tool is the best for washing a car- a mop or a brush? This article is definitely going to clear your confusion. Here, you will get a detailed idea about car washing brushes and mops. Furthermore, you will also know the pros and cons and which one to choose for washing your car perfectly.
What Is A Car Wash Mop?
A car wash mop is one of the basic tools to clean a car. It can be of several types. Generally, a car wash mop has an extendable handle with absorbent microfiber on one side. Along with that, a mop can have a drying squeeze too. There is another kind that can be considered as a mop without a handle. That is called a wash mitt.
Description and Types of a Wash Mitt
Wash mitts are like gloves with high-density mitts on them. It is capable of holding water and liquid soap. So, you can put on a wash mitt and clean a larger area of your car with several swipes.
The wash mitts are made of two types of materials. One is microfibre, and another one is lambswool. Microfiber is better for cleaning, and it is cheaper too. Whereas lambswool is eco-friendly yet costly.
Description of a Car Wash Mop
A car wash mop with an extendable handle has two heads. In one head, there are microfibers that are known for their capability of scrubbing and cleaning the dirt perfectly. Microfibers are very absorbent too. So that it can be used again to dry up the car after washing by using the drying squeeze. However, the handle can be expanded to 40-50 inches.
Sometimes, the other head of a mop can be opened and connected to a water supply. Water can be discharged through the microfiber part of the mop. In the majority types of mops, you can control the water pressure according to your wish. In general, a mop is a very useful tool to wash the inside and outside of the car.
Car Wash Mop vs Wash Mitts
If you look for a handy option to wash a car, definitely you should put a wash mitt over the wash mop. Because, you can control the wash mitt more than you can control the mop. Due to its lesser weight and length, you can easily swipe it faster while cleaning.
But, if you plan to wash your entire car with a mitt, that will be a bad decision. It will take more time and consume more energy from you. However, using both of them by shuffling can be a convenient option to wash your car.
Wash Mitts Are The Best Option To Protect Paint
Wash mitts are designed to protect your paintwork from scratches, swirls and other damage. The softness of the mitt allows it to conform to your car’s curves and contours, which means fewer scratches on your paint. Using a wash mitt also reduces swirl marks and holograms, as it gently massages the surface rather than rubbing it.
What Is A Car Wash Brush?
A car wash brush is also a tool for cleaning a car in detail. Even it helps to remove the dirt from the inaccessible parts of your vehicle. Car detailing, truck detailing or other vehicle detailing brushes are very useful to clean the vehicle without putting any scratch.
However, a single type of car detailing brush can not clean the entire car inside and outside. There are different kinds of brushes for cleaning the different areas of the car. Each brush has a separate role. Basically, the types of brushes can be divided into two types.
- Car wash brush for interior cleaning
- Cash wash brush for exterior cleaning
Below are their details-
Car Interior Brush
Car interior brushes are mainly used to clean the inner parts of a car. They have soft bristles so that there will be no damage or scratch in the interior. However, there are several kinds of car wash brushes. For example: interior soft car wash brush, mat, inner fender brush, AC vent brush, toothbrush style nylon brush, step panel, mat and carpet brush, etc.
There is another type- a car wash brush with handles. This kind of brush is lightweight and equipped with a longer handle. It can be used to clean the roof or fender of a car. You do not need to outstretch your body while cleaning those areas.
However, you may think that the nylon brush sounds harsh for a car’s interior. NO! Nylon bristle brushes are very handy (it has a handle like a toothbrush). It can reach the places where the other brushes can’t!
In addition, the bristles are very soft too. Another kind of nylon bristle brush is there. It is like a paint brush. It is way too good for removing old wax and compound from the carpet or mat. Therefore, each of the brush has a different role in cleaning different parts of a car.
Car Exterior Brush
Like interior brushes, there are car exterior brushes too to clean the outer area of a car. Wheel and tire brushes, microfiber car wash brush, and brush with hose attachment are a few of the exterior car wash brushes.
It is known to all that, some damaging particles like stones, sand, sharp objects, etc. can be attached to a car’s wheel and tires while driving. To remove those, the wheel cleaning car wash brush with a handle and gentle bristles is necessary. The handle is typically long and non-slippery. Brushes with stiff bristles are important to clean the tire grooves.
Moreover, it is tough to remove the soap properly after washing a car. A perfect brush with a hose attached can help you in that case. You just need to attach the hose to the water supply and then brush it. It will immediately rinse off the soap. Also, it is appropriate to use on a glass surface.
To ensure a scratch-free outlook, a microfiber car wash brush is the best option. Attaching microfiber on a brush is a very powerful tool to clean your car’s roof or front part. With the use of the right kind of scratch free car wash brush, your car will look fabulous even after years!
Difference Between Mop Vs Brush: Which One Is Better?
If we analyze the importance of a mop and a brush separately to clean a car, we can see that both of them have some pros and cons. The main difference between a mop and a brush is, a mop with microfibers on its head can hold water. But a brush and its bristles cannot do so.
Hence, while using a mop, you don’t need to dip it into water or soap solution frequently. On the other hand, you need to do the opposite while using a brush. Another difference is, a mop can have a drying squeeze, whereas a brush doesn’t have any.
However, in a car wash brush vs car wash mop situation, you can not really pick only one. It is very tough to determine which one is better than the other. Both of them are useful in different aspects. Each of them has a separate role in washing cars properly.
Why You Should Use A Mop?
Mops are generally made with microfibers. So, it is better to use them to wash the car’s exterior part ( e.g: front part /roof). Because, they won’t draw any scratch on the car’s body. Also, you can clean a large area of your car just with a mop’s one swipe. So, it is a time saver too.
Hence, if you have a short time to wash your car and if you want your car’s scratch-free look – just go for a mop or a wash mitt.
When Should You Go For A Car Wash Brush?
There are various types of brushes in the market. You can easily clean your entire car by using those properly. But keep in mind that it will take a longer time to wash your car with brushes. To wash the detailing and the interior part, a perfect brush is mandatory because a brush can reach the inaccessible areas of a car.
Also, to serve the purpose of cleaning the wheels or tire grooves of a car, a brush with stiff bristles is a must. In addition, an AC vent brush and toothbrush-style nylon brush are the only options to clean the sensitive and tiny parts of a car’s interior.
What Areas Of A Car Are Suitable To Clean With A Brush
Some areas of a car are suitable to clean with a brush, such as wheels, exhaust pipes, tires, plastic panels and the dashboard. Other areas like paint works should be cleaned with a cleaning mitts or cloth.
Wheels
The best way to clean wheel is to use a brush with long bristles and wash them off with water. A mixture of soap and water can also be used for this purpose.
Tires
Tires are usually made up of rubber so it is very easy to clean them with the help of a brush.
Dashboard
Use a soft bristle brush with long bristles to gently clean the dashboard without scratching it.
Exhaust Pipes
Exhaust pipes often get covered with soot after driving on city roads or highways. The soot can be easily removed with a brush and some soap water or vinegar solution.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be said that both the mops and brushes are necessary to wash a car perfectly. It is your choice what to use and in which you feel more comfortable.
However, a mop is considered to be a better one to clean the car’s exterior with no scratch. In contrast, a brush is a good choice for a detailed car wash as it can remove dirt from the tiniest places of the car’s inside.
Therefore, don’t stay in confusion! If your car needs a wash- do it by this week. Mops and car wash brushes are there to help you to the fullest!
