Review: CarPro 2 Fingers Mini Wool Wash Mitt

[CEE DOG]

Review: CarPro 2 Fingers Mini Wool Wash Mitt



Introduction:

There was a time not long ago I used only Microfiber wash mitts. Eventually after much prodding from my friend Tad I gave a couple of the wool mitts a shot and unlike the RG wool mitt (which I did not enjoy) I fell in love with the Carpro Merino wool wash mitt. Well, what’s not to like! So I figured the finger mitt should be a natural. If you are unfamiliar with the full size mitt you can find that review here: http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/38573-review-carpro-wool-wash-mitt.html

Now, about this finger mitt! How was this furry little creature brought into our world? Well, if mum never explained this to you here's a graphic video that should help you understand this natural phenomenon. If children are in the room send them on their way.



[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seKXeAN6SUo]Finger Mitt Birth_0001.wmv - YouTube[/video]

Product claims:

The CarPro 2Fingers Mini Wool Wash Mitt gives you easy access to hard-to-reach areas. Wash grills, fog lights, wheels, exhaust tips, side mirrors, and any other area of your vehicle that is tough to clean with a large mitt. The CarPro 2Fingers Mini Wool Wash Mitt is also terrific for dusting.

Details:

01.- Packaging: Plastic Bag
02.- Directions: N/A
03.- Texture: Extremely soft
04.- Color: White with high quality stitched finger backing
05.- Cost - $7.99
06.- Manufacturer: CarPro
07.- Made in: Korea

Applications:

It was a typical summer day in Florida when I got my first chance to use my new finger mitt. In other words it was too hot and humid... and was still early in the am! I had just received my finger mitt days earlier and was looking forward to seeing where I might utilize it.

After mixing a bucket of wash water and setting up a separate rinse bucket I rinsed Sky down with my fireman nozzle. Now, personally my method of buckets, setup, rinsing, etc hinges on the mitt type in use. With Merino wool mitts the extra rinse bucket is how I roll. I started by washing the large areas with my full size mitt and the detailed areas with my finger mitt.

Shocker!

Lately I've trained my little angel (Bella) to stay close if she wants to stay outside with me. She is convinced she needs to be there to stand guard but has never understood why she can't help with the car wash as well. I tried to explain the whole opposable thumbs thing but oddly she just stares at me.

Anyway, I had left my finger mitt in the bucket and was washing the hood with the full size mitt. I turned to come back to my rinse bucket and you'll never believe what I saw!! There was Bella with her paw fully concealed by the finger mitt as she proudly exhibited her wash technique... No doubt finely tuned while watching her poppa from the window as a pup the last few years. I know you think I must be full of it. I wouldn't believe myself either. I'm told by some that if there are no pictures it didn't happen... Luckily I almost always have my camera at the ready.

CarPro Finger Mitt In Action

The CFM is the perfect density for an effective wash mitt while being so soft you can rest easy while washing the small hard to reach areas of many vehicles. Used on sensitive and/or precious chrome wheels of many different shapes it works a treat!

Video: CarPro Finger Mitt In Action

Pocket Design

Just like its mother the pocket design allows you to get in and out easily and does not allow the mitt to fall off. The stitching of this hand pocket once again appears to be quite durable. To this day I haven't seen any weakening of any stitch in either my full size or finger size mitt.

Texture

The CFM is made of Australian Merino wool, which happens to be the softest wool available on our little planet as far as I know. :clap: It feels very much like the full size mitt but seems a bit awkward as the fur is shorter. It almost appears as though they took the same wool and then cut it shorter for the finger mitts. If the alternative to that was using the same wool like the RG mitt uses then I much prefer the method used on the Carpro Finger Mitt. The RG wool just feels a lot rougher to me. Maybe I never gave it a fair shot... But I digress...

Here you can see the difference in a Race Glaze wool Mitt and the CarPro wool Mitt

Drying

After using and rinsing clean: Unlike other quality wool wash mitts that should be turned inside out to dry the hide (not always an easy process) I simply blow out my finger mitt or shake it out at times. Then it’s placed on a grit guard (fur face down) to dry. This is what the CarPro Merino wool mitts look like after drying on the Grit Guard but before brushing.

Brushing

Similar to the full size mitt a quick brushing after it's dry is good practice before storing.

Ease of Care and Durability - This is after months of use! Proper care was obviously taken bur it's much easier to care for CarPro's wash mitts than any other wool wash mitts. You see, other wool wash mitts have both sides made of wool material. That means one of two things...

A.- If not turned inside out to dry they will feel constantly slimy inside and will rot out fairly quickly.
B.- In order to avoid the rotting you will spend time trying to turn them inside out probably using something like a broomstick to be able to do it. This option means you will also place a lot of stress on the stitching and edges of the hide. You have to allow one side to fully dry and then turn it right side back out and allow that side to dry as well.

Inside of Regular Wool Mitt
(This gets slimy and rotten if not properly cared for)

Inside of CarPro Wool Mitt
(The perforated pocket allows it to easily dry without the issues other wool mitts face)

With the CarPro Wash mitts you never have to turn them inside out. You simply rinse, shake, and place on GG face down to dry. After dry and before storing, a 10 second gentle brushing is helpful.

Duel Use

The Finger mitt also works as a great interior duster for your vehicle. It easily snares any dust particles from your dash, console, and display.


Pros:

1.- Easy on/off
2.- Thick pile
3.- Paint Safe – Very soft
4.- Easily Rinses
5.- Excellent Interior Duster
6.- Durability - Backing pocket means long life


???

1.- Hmmm, What kind of Mitt could I make with Bella hair?


Cons:

1.- Backing pocket on finger mitt discourages sliding it into places that will rub against backing.

Final Observations and Summary:

After all this time I’m still enamored with my full size Carpro mitt. The finger mitt I don't feel quite as strongly about personally but it is an excellent and high quality product. Both are sporting Australian Merino Wool and nothing is gentler for a well cared for vehicle.

With a tiny mitt like this I want to be able to get into tight spaces. However in some places the backing doesn't suit this application as the backing is on one side. Ironically the backing pocket that makes the full size CarPro wash mitt head and shoulders above it's competitors doesn't do the same for the finger size mitt as far as during use. On the plus side the finger pocket design means long life and ease of use since you don't have to turn it inside out like most wool mitts.

It works great around tight areas, in doorjambs as well as other areas on super curvy cars. One thing to note is the very areas where this mitt fits are the areas most difficult to polish so using a mitt of this quality is a good idea to save you trouble in the long run.

When (IF) I ever get my new chrome wheels I plan to switch to this mitt for them and dedicate it to their maintenance! It’s going to be my saving grace on keeping the face of my chrome wheels in top-notch condition and swirl free!!

Special thanks to my buddy Bill for the tips on how to create video out of pictures.

Thanks for viewing! Comments & questions are welcome of course.


After Bella has a hard days work she always enjoys a nap

 

[Bunky]

Thanks for the review. Interesting little wash mitt and not that expensive. Carpro does seem to think a little bit differently.

The first video has some youtube message about duplicate review.

 

[lokerola]

I think Bella washing the car should be your new Avatar. Nice review too.

 

[CEE DOG]

Thanks for the review. Interesting little wash mitt and not that expensive. Carpro does seem to think a little bit differently.

The first video has some youtube message about duplicate review.

Thanks Al! They definitely make some original products.

I'll have a mod replace the link! That's an awesome video missing there. In the meantime here is what you should have seen.
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=seKXeAN6SUo]Finger Mitt Birth_0001.wmv - YouTube[/video]

I think Bella washing the car should be your new Avatar. Nice review too.

Excellent idea! Thanks

 

[rwright]

I liked the birth video Corey, pretty funny! I have some small micro fiber mitts similar in size that I use for door jambs and such, but it looks like the CarPro may serve me better.

 

[LegacyGT]

Awesome Corey!

 

[Flannigan]

Great review dog! I've never been a huge fan of wool mits, but this one does look very well made!

 

[CEE DOG]

I liked the birth video Corey, pretty funny! I have some small micro fiber mitts similar in size that I use for door jambs and such, but it looks like the CarPro may serve me better.

LOL, Thanks Richard! Yes, it's excellent for smaller areas where a large mitt can't fit!

Awesome Corey!

Thanks buddy!

Great review dog! I've never been a huge fan of wool mits, but this one does look very well made!

Thanks Davey!! You must buy the full size CP mitt immediately!

 

[CEE DOG]

I liked the birth video Corey, pretty funny! I have some small micro fiber mitts similar in size that I use for door jambs and such, but it looks like the CarPro may serve me better.

Richard, are you coming to DF?

 

[rwright]

Richard, are you coming to DF?

I highly doubt it

 

[Hoytman]

I'd say Corey hit the nail on the head with his comments in his final thoughts. That is, "nothing is gentler for a well cared for vehicle" than the CarPro mitt. I don't own one yet, but I agree with Corey's comments.

I think people should understand that it's for "well cared for vehicles" though, and that the long fibers that lie flat could present problems for anything but well cared for auto's.

Dedicating a wheel mitt is a great idea to keep brand new wheels looking just like brand new wheels. Great write-up Corey, as usual.

 

[Bunky]

That is, "nothing is gentler for a well cared for vehicle" than the CarPro mitt. I don't own one yet, but I agree with Corey's comments.

I think people should understand that it's for "well cared for vehicles" though, and that the long fibers that lie flat could present problems for anything but well cared for auto's.

Interesting comments.

 

[CEE DOG]

Thanks Bill!

It rinses well for me so I'm not sure if that would be an issue but I prefer mf chenille for nasty cars since it has more of a scrubbing affect.

 

[Monster Shine]

Great review, I may pick up the two finger mitt. I will pick up the full size mitt for sure. :cheers:

 

[Hoytman]

Thanks Bill!

It rinses well for me so I'm not sure if that would be an issue but I prefer mf chenille for nasty cars since it has more of a scrubbing affect.

Rinsing isn't what I was thinking of, and I agree with using chenille for the nasty ones.

I'll save my comments for concern for another thread. However, just so there's no confusion, I agree with your comments in your final thoughts and thought they were well stated. I thought by you saying that the mitt is good for "well cared for vehicles" that you put the proper use of this mitt into perspective nicely at the end. Besides, why trash a good mitt on its first use with a nasty car. From a money standpoint it wouldn't make sense.

 

[Hoytman]

Interesting comments.

What to you seems so interesting about what I said?

 

[CEE DOG]

Great review, I may pick up the two finger mitt. I will pick up the full size mitt for sure. :cheers:

Thank you sir!! :buffing:

Rinsing isn't what I was thinking of, and I agree with using chenille for the nasty ones.

I'll save my comments for concern for another thread. However, just so there's no confusion, I agree with your comments in your final thoughts and thought they were well stated. I thought by you saying that the mitt is good for "well cared for vehicles" that you put the proper use of this mitt into perspective nicely at the end. Besides, why trash a good mitt on its first use with a nasty car. From a money standpoint it wouldn't make sense.

Thanks again Bill! And I completely agree about using such a great mitt on a crappy car. It just doesn't make sense. The car is already scratched up anyway why would you be using your most gentle and nicest mitt on it?

I'm going to post my response to your other thread here as well if you'd don't mind. thanks again!

Hi Bill, thanks for your well thought theoretical article. I very much enjoyed it.

I tend to disagree a bit. In fact my reasoning is almost opposite. I believe the Carpro mitt releases the dirt much better than mf chenille. The reason I prefer mf chenille on dirtier cars is because I feel it has more of a scrubbing or dirt grabbing action. On the other hnd that mf chenille holds into the dirt as well. Rather than it coming right off it drags against the paint until sprayed out with a hose.

These mitts don't hold the dirt and drag it in my experience. They dislodge it and then all that foamy lubricious water that is being released simply slides it off the paint. If any dirt doesn't slide off but is now loose and just setting on the paint comes off during rinse.

The pile is so deep and thick that the dirt doesn't stick to those fibers. It either becomes dislodged or gets between them.

As far as using foam goes I sometimes do and have a few different foam mitts but it doesn't feel right to me. It's good for scrubbing the worst of the worst but I don't believe all the dirt particles go up into the foam. Well they do but when press down they will still contact paint. They only go so far before the cavity changes direction.

In summary I don't believe people will cause damage with the Merino mitt no matter how dirty the car is as long as they rinse first and rinse the mitt properly at proper intervals.

It sounds like some detailed video is in order using it on a filthy car!

Let me supply another video that I think shows how it dislodged and releases water that flows the dirt away. Please look at the video in this review linked below. Its a closeup MUST SEE of how the mitt works when used properly. This is the full size mitt. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/product-reviews/38573-review-carpro-wool-wash-mitt.html


CARPRO WASH MITT.wmv - YouTube

 

[CEE DOG]

CarPro Merino Wool Mitt(s) on bonded contaminants

(Finger Mitt shown here)

So, as discussed with my friend Bill (Hoytman) I put together a quick video and a few pics from last weeks car wash. This vehicle had not been washed in over a month and I believe it had been about 2 months. The dirt you see there has been wetted each morning by dew and baked by sun between 30-60 times. It has also been driven on the highway in the rain and received thousands of miles since its last wash.

To make a long story short I just used my small mitt to do a quick test section for the topic that Bill and I were discussing. I used the small mitt because it is a shorter pile than the full size wash mitt meaning if it works than obviously the full size mitt has no issues. In fact I did not even rinse first! I tried using it not too hard in one section to see if it would remove the dirt and then harder in another to see if that would make any swirl. I found no micro scratches afterwards... Not that I would ever repeat the skipping of the rinse lol.

Before:

During (Fresh From Bucket)

Video:

After:

 

[Hoytman]

Thanks Corey for taking the time and making the effort to produce another video.

Here folks can find the seperate thread I started that served as the purpose for Corey making another video. I'll post it so folks don't have to search for it. http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...wash-mitts-my-thoughts-warning-long-post.html

As I said in the above link ^ there are lots of variables to be considered for a given car, at a given time, in a given condition.

One thing for sure that Corey's latest video shows is that even with a car that hasn't been washed in several weeks (I think he said 2 months) there's no real need to push down hard on the mitt. Certainly this can only be a good thing, and I expected that not to be the case. It appears the mitt had no issue cleaning with ease (light pressure) some real dirt from a daily driver.

As I stated in my thread, I didn't see rinsing to be a real big problem with the dirt, but I did expect to see Corey having to push a bit harder and now I'm wondering how one of those mitts would work around here during the fall harvest when dirt and dust are at there highest. Looks like I'll be getting a mitt to try.

I do still have some other concerns which are addressed in my opening post and other comments from my thread. One of those concerns is particles remaining lodged within the mitt. Provided those particles find there way deep into the mitt and not close to the paint surface then it seems not that big of a deal.

Nice work Corey.