Review: Optimum Opti-Mitt

[CEE DOG]

Review: Optimum Opti-Mitt

Introduction:
I have been hearing about the release of this new wash mitt by Optimum for some time and have been looking forward to its release as I’ve been more then happy with all the products I’ve tried so far from Optimum. As this new product was being discussed on the forums I voiced a couple of my (and others) thoughts and asked a few questions of Optimum. As always, Dr. G and Chris were very responsive and detailed in their explanations. Those questions and answers along with some further info from Optimum have been added to the end of this review. On top of answering all my questions they offered to send me an Opti-Mitt to review. Thank you Chris and Dr. G! I received the mitt this Thanksgiving weekend and had an opportunity to try it this afternoon. Optimum describes the mitt as being “Especially designed and tested with rinseless washing in mind”. Therefore I decided I would test it with Optimum No Rinse. I would have liked to test it both ways for the review but I didn’t have time and that would have meant the review wouldn’t be up for another week.

Product Description (from AG website):
The Optimum Opti-Mitt 8 Inch Foam Wash Mitt is a soft, nonabrasive wash mitt designed to work with Optimum No Rinse Wash & Shine and Optimum Car Wash to remove grime without scratching. The porous foam "absorbs" dirt and oil to prevent paint marring. The coarse yellow foam is excellent at cleaning wheels. Use the Opti-Mitt every time you wash your vehicle for safe, swirl-free washing.

Initial Product Observations:
1.- Packaging: Sealed in plastic bag
2.- Consistency: Foam
3.- Color: Grey and Yellow
4.- Size: 8” Dia.
5.- Current Price: $13.99 to $15.99
6.- Manufacturer: Optimum Polymer Technologies, Inc.
7.- Made in: USA

Additional products used for prep, during application, or removal:
1.- (2) buckets with Grit Guards
2.- Optimum No Rinse
3.- Waffle Weave Towels


Condition of Vehicle:
I took some “before” pictures in the garage and although the car looks pretty clean it has been 2 weeks since I washed it and in that time it has been driven to work and back (20 miles each way) about 8 or 9 times along with a little weekend joy riding. You have to love this Florida weather right now! J At one point I dipped a towel in ONR solution and swiped the paint in order to show it was dirty for the pictures portion of this review. Of course the front bumper was clean as it gets a waterless wash after every drive but it got the ONR/Opti-Mitt treatment as well. The paint hasn’t been polished or had any paint cleaner used on it in about 8 months but it still looks pretty good.

Method of Preparation, Application, and noted Observations:
I started by filling one bucket with water for rinsing and another bucket with 2 gallons of water and ONR. I mixed the ONR with my hand and placed the Grit Guard back in its place. Next I took the Opti-Mitt and squeezed it a couple times in the solution to get it fully loaded. One section at a time I completed the hood. Then I threw a ww towel over the hood and dragged it back slowly until the hood was dry. Next I completed the rear lid in the same manner. The first major difference in function I noticed with the Opti-Mitt as compared with the Edge Mitt was that the Opti-Mitt releases a uniform stream of water out of the tips of the “mitt peaks” without squeezing the mitt. I found that on the horizontal surfaces this was very helpful and I actually started using this as a timer for when it was near time to rinse my mitt and reload. I really loved the texture of the foam against my paint and felt great about its ability to clean. The only thing I would say is that I felt like I needed to push on the mitt a little harder then I wanted to due to the peaks of the mitt. I would prefer the peaks and valleys were a little less pronounced. That’s just my opinion so I feel I should state it. I’m sure a whole lot of testing and research went into this design that would prove my opinion wrong.
When I moved onto the first vertical surface I ran into an interesting situation. When the mitt was turned sideways some of the solution was no longer released where I would have preferred. Instead I would lose a lot of solution down the side of the mitt. This would seem to be the case with any foam mitt used with a rinseless wash. One of the videos below will show me holding a mitt vertical so you can see what I mean. With a regular car wash I don’t believe this would be as much of an issue for me due to the suds etc. With a rinseless wash I decided I would rotate the mitt as I dragged it across the vertical surface so that I could get a higher percentage of the solution onto the paint.
There is an attached chord, which can be guided through the hole in the back of the mitt. Then you can slide this chord over your finger if you prefer to hold the Mitt this way.

Please see the visual media and rejoin me afterwards to see the Pros, Cons, and Summary.

My apologies on a couple of the videos... They may have you reaching for the ginger if you are prone to seasickness. It’s not easy to tape and throw a towel flat over the lid at the same time!


VIDEOS:


Video 1: Opti-Mitt Water release rate

Video 2: Opti-Mitt vs. Edge Water release

Video 3: Washing 1

Video 4: Washing 2

Video 5: Washing 3

Video 6: Drying

Video 7: Foam Mitt on Vertical Panel

Video 8: Clean Sky

PICTURES:

01.- Opti-Mitt and ONR

02.- Opti-Mitt Front Face

03.- Opti-Mitt another option

04.- Side by Side Close up

05.- Opti-Mitt Close up

06.- Edge Schmitt Close up

07.- Front Face Side by Side

08.- Rear Face Side by Side

09.-Dirty

10.- Dirty

11.- Dirty

12.- Dirty

13.- Dirty

14.- Dirty

15.- Opti-Mitt Floats

16.- Here I used a towel with ONR to take a swipe just to show the car is indeed dirty

17.- Clean

18.- Clean

19.- Clean

20.- Clean

21.- Clean

22.- Clean

23.- Clean

24.- Clean

25.- Clean

26.- Clean

27.- Clean

Pros:
1.- Excellent absorption and release properties
2.- Over 90 pores per inch
3.- Water release of Mitt is consistent over horizontal panels
4.- Very soft foam when wet
5.- Very durable
6.- Paint safe scrubber on the rear side of mitt


Cons:
1.- I don’t care for the way it functions on vertical panels
2.- For me I would prefer the mitt was white or other light color rather than gray

Summary:
This is a high quality foam mitt that feels safe. After examining my Sky in the sun I didn’t find any marring from its use and everything was clean and glossy! Initially it feels very strange using foam with a rinseless wash but after a little time with the Opti-Mitt I enjoyed using it on the horizontal surfaces. Personally I still prefer using mf towels for a rinseless wash on vertical surfaces. I look forward to any tips or tricks I will hear on how to better utilize the Opti-Mitt on vertical panels. With a conventional wash I am a big fan of mf wash mitts but I’m looking forward to using the Opti-Mitt next time around.

Previous information gathered from Optimum with regards to the Opti-Mitt:
This is what Dr. G said about the Opti-Mitt a few months ago (before it was released)
"Another great wash media is a soft sponge (minimum 80 PPI) that works great for washing with No Rinse. The advantages of sponge over Microfiber is that dirt particles can get adsorbed into the sponge and away from the surface. We are working with a foam manufacturer to develop a mitt that not only is safe and gentle for the automotive paint but also has good cleaning and dirt release properties. Once we complete all the testing and development, we will make this new foam mitt available to help make the wash process with Optimum No Rinse easier."

Here is some information posted on the Optimum website:
"Especially designed and tested with rinseless washing in mind, Opti-Mitt is your new choice for washing without marring. The porous foam along with the waffle texture ensure dirt is lifted away from your paint during the wash process. With more than 90 pores per inch you'll have plenty of lubrication for a safe wash. The backside of the Opti-Mitt doubles as a scrubber for stuck on debris while still remaining safe."

Here are some questions I previously asked:
1.-What are the differences between the Opti-Mitt and the Schmitt?
2.-Is there any possibility that there will be an Opti-Mitt released in a lighter color at some point in the future?

Response from Chris:
”The foam and color are different from the Schmitt and exclusive to Opti-Mitt. It is comparable to a finish pad with about 90-100 ppi. I believe the Schmitt is 70-80 ppi. The color was specifically chosen to conceal the staining that naturally occurs over time with any wash media. To my knowledge there are no plans for another version in another color, but nothing is written in stone. Thanks for your compliments on the forum. I've been working very hard to make it the best I can. I'm sure Dr. G will chime in too...he may have more technical specs for you."
Response from Dr. G:
Chris as always has provided great answers to the questions you brought up. I will also add some of the steps we took in designing Opti-Mitt. Our objective first and foremost was to find a foam that is absolutely safe for all the automotive surfaces and in particular softer automotive paints. Additionally, we wanted this foam to be very durable and last through many wash cycles. Furthermore, we wanted this foam to be very porous so that not only it would have great absorption properties, but also it would have excellent release properties for easy rinsing. The foam formulation that we found fulfills all these requirement and as Chris pointed out, it is exclusively used for making Opti-Mitt.

And the Product Link:
http://www.autogeek.net/opti-mitt-wash-mitt.html

 

[Shane731]

Thanks for the review, Corey! rops:


BTW, Skybaby is looking very nice! :dblthumb2:

 

[HighEndDetail]

Thanks for taking the time for the review. :xyxthumbs:

P.s. I love my shmitts

 

[toxygene]

Yet another excellent review! Thanks for taking the time to post this. :dblthumb2:

I am wondering about why you wish it was white or another light color. Is it so you can see how dirty it is as you wash or is it just a personal preference thing?

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

You need to get paid for these reviews, Corey. I have the white schmitt and don't like how it holds the water until you squeeze it. Optim-mitt seems to have much better release properties. That's very important when it comes to a rinseless wash, IMO.

 

[CEE DOG]

Thanks for the review, Corey! rops:


BTW, Skybaby is looking very nice! :dblthumb2:

My pleasure Shane! Oh, Skybaby says thank you! She loves compliments!

Thanks for taking the time for the review. :xyxthumbs:

P.s. I love my shmitts

My pleasure Ed

Yet another excellent review! Thanks for taking the time to post this. :dblthumb2:

I am wondering about why you wish it was white or another light color. Is it so you can see how dirty it is as you wash or is it just a personal preference thing?

Thank you very much for your compliment! It was my pleasure.

You are right on... I prefer to be able to see the dirt.

You need to get paid for these reviews, Corey. I have the white schmitt and don't like how it holds the water until you squeeze it. Optim-mitt seems to have much better release properties. That's very important when it comes to a rinseless wash, IMO.

Thank you Mark!! Im the MAN My wife says I should start a website where I do reviews.
I agree with you. The video really shows a huge difference on that front!

 

[Kurt_s]

Corey, another great review. I was thinking that the foam mitt would be easier to clean than a MF towel.

Did you use the same foam mitt on your wheels?

Take care!

 

[CEE DOG]

Corey, another great review. I was thinking that the foam mitt would be easier to clean than a MF towel.

Did you use the same foam mitt on your wheels?

Take care!

Thank you Kurt.

Good point that I should have made a bigger deal about in the review! Thanks for bringing it up. It is very easy to clean.

No, I did not use it on my wheels. I used a dedicated mf towel and waterless wash. I personally won't use the same mitt on my paint as I do on my wheels.

 

[Da Fats]

My pleasure Shane! Oh, Skybaby says thank you! She loves compliments!



My pleasure Ed



Thank you very much for your compliment! It was my pleasure.

You are right on... I prefer to be able to see the dirt.





Thank you Mark!! Im the MAN My wife says I should start a website where I do reviews.
I agree with you. The video really shows a huge difference on that front!

You need to move into your own forum or find one willing to provide you reimbursement of some kind for the draw your reviews provide. I read everyone and use the information wisely when picking products. I value your opinion in them but even more i value the unbiased (as unbiased as anyone human can be) way you provide the information

 

[CEE DOG]

You need to move into your own forum or find one willing to provide you reimbursement of some kind for the draw your reviews provide. I read everyone and use the information wisely when picking products. I value your opinion in them but even more i value the unbiased (as unbiased as anyone human can be) way you provide the information

Those are some very powerful compliments and they are certainly appreciated. That really means a lot to me!

 

[WRAPT C5Z06]

You need to move into your own forum or find one willing to provide you reimbursement of some kind for the draw your reviews provide. I read everyone and use the information wisely when picking products. I value your opinion in them but even more i value the unbiased (as unbiased as anyone human can be) way you provide the information

I agree 100%.

 

[dougaross]

You are right on... I prefer to be able to see the dirt.

:iagree:
I use my lighter colored mf for waterless or rinseless washes. I have some very soft dark color ones but I can't tell how much dirt I'm picking up and which mf panels have been used

 

[silverfox]

No thanks....the dirtiest part of the car is on the sides and particularly the lower side panels. I think if you are going to use a foam Mitt with a rinseless wash on a "dirty" car (sorry, we in the North East have a different view of what a dirty car is)....it better hold water way better than what we saw in that demo on the side panes....just about anything will work on flat surfaces.

Thanks for allowing me to save the money.

 

[Slava]

Thank You for the great review. Sky looks great and you just sold me on the Opti-Mitt.

 

[akimel]

Corey, you just need to drop your day job and devote yourself exclusively to detailing reviews! Good job. I'm not really tempted to try out the new mitt, but I sure do appreciate the review.

 

[Spin Cykle]

I'll echo what everyone else has said, "great job" with the review. I've been searching for a mitt to use with ONR on my garage queen that dosen't see snow or much driving when its raining. This appears to be the solution. Like others have said, the water doesn't retain in the mitt all that great for vertical panels, however the MF path can be difficult at times. I have a mitt enroute and will post my findings at a later date.

Being fairly new to ONR and the techniques, I do have a few quick questions. Should I ring the mitt out into a separate bucket (3rd bucket) to release the solution and trapped dirt after each panel is complete, then take the mitt and agitate the wash surface over the grit guard in my rinse bucket? Would this be considered clean? Then would I take the mitt and re-apply ONR on the mitt in my solution bucket?

 

[Dubbin1]

Great review as always Corey!!! I ordered mine on Friday, can't wait to give it a try.

 

[detaildave]

Corey, My Man...you take reviews to a another LEVEL!!!:urtheman:

 

[CEE DOG]

Thank You for the great review. Sky looks great and you just sold me on the Opti-Mitt.

Thank you!

Corey, you just need to drop your day job and devote yourself exclusively to detailing reviews! Good job. I'm not really tempted to try out the new mitt, but I sure do appreciate the review.

Thank you for your kind words! I certainly won't quit my day job but I'm considering trying to make a site. ("There is no try, only do") Seriously though, I'm not sure if it would really be a money making model. I have to learn about how to get advertising on it to pay for the time invested.
Thanks again,
Corey

I'll echo what everyone else has said, "great job" with the review. I've been searching for a mitt to use with ONR on my garage queen that dosen't see snow or much driving when its raining. This appears to be the solution. Like others have said, the water doesn't retain in the mitt all that great for vertical panels, however the MF path can be difficult at times. I have a mitt enroute and will post my findings at a later date.

Being fairly new to ONR and the techniques, I do have a few quick questions. Should I ring the mitt out into a separate bucket (3rd bucket) to release the solution and trapped dirt after each panel is complete, then take the mitt and agitate the wash surface over the grit guard in my rinse bucket? Would this be considered clean? Then would I take the mitt and re-apply ONR on the mitt in my solution bucket?

Thank you for your comments. I look forward to your findings.
Assuming the car is ONR worthy (not caked on dirty) you could do what I do. I use 2 buckets with grit guards. One is full of rinse water and after tainting the Mitt I just dunk it in the rinse bucket and drag it around on the guard. Then I bring it a little closer to the surface and squeeze it a few times. Then after I remove it from the rinse bucket I squeeze it out over the bucket... but if you wanted to actually ring it you could do that to. Then like you said dip it back into the ONR bucket that has a couple gallons and soak up some more juice. If you wanted to you could add a third bucket (second rinse bucket) if you don't mind adding the complexity.

Great review as always Corey!!! I ordered mine on Friday, can't wait to give it a try.

Thank you Dwayne! I look forward to your thoughts as well.

Corey, My Man...you take reviews to a another LEVEL!!

Dave, Its always great to hear from you! Thank you for the compliments my friend!

 

[Dubbin1]

Hey Dog the test I wanted to do that we talked about on the phone didn't happen. UPS didn't get here until 5:30 and I had to be at a school play for my niece at 6:15. I was able to do the spray down with Ultima WW and then hit it with the DP Rinseless and a MF mitt. No marring to speak of. I really feel that the Ultima is the reason for it not marring the paint as I was REALLY pushing it doing a rinseless wash with all the salt and road grime.

I guess I'll have to wait for more bad weather to give me another chance for the test.