[BimmerSD]

My detailer recommended i use wild boar hair brush to wash my car instead of the regular microfiber washmitt i use to avoid wash swirls.

Does anyone have experience with one? I'd be interested in some opinions, particularly those comparing the brush vs the microfiber wash mitts.

thx in advance.

My car is jet black btw

[picus]

I'm super open-minded about detailing products, I've been doing this a long time and realize everyone has items they use and like, and in general they work. I even know guys who love California dusters; that said I don't let any brush, even boar hair, touch a cars paint. The only thing *I* have ever personally come across that consistently gives good results with little to no marring are sheepskin mitts. Microfiber are ok, but mf is designed to trap particulate matter, which means stuff gets in it and it doesn't come out, which isn't great for washing. Sheepskin sort of coughs up anything caught in it when you rinse and it's soft enough that it generally will not marr. I work on some cars that have painfully soft paint, and they're the only things I find don't cause more harm than good.

The downside to sheepskin is it's expensive, and good mitts WILL fall apart after 5-10 washes (it's a natural skin afterall).

If your car has hard paint I am sure a boars hair brush is ok, I just wouldn't use one personally. Maybe try one lightly on a horizontal surface that is easy to polish to see how you like it?

FWIW, I am not criticizing your detailer at all. I am sure he knows what he is doing, as I mentioned everyone has different favorite products/processes they use. Just my 0.02c on it.

[espo]

I'll agree with picus on this one (and just about everything else he says). Just a point of clarification, things that may work on light colored cars do not always work on dark cars (esp black). This also goes for the same "color" of paint on different types of cars. Some just seem to hid maring better than others.

My father uses a boars hair brush to wash his silver Lincoln and it looks great, but if I took that brush to my BMW, swirl city.

[BimmerSD]

Actually, i brought up the same concerns with my detailer. he says it depends on how the brush is used...

if one uses it very gently, sweeping say areas of 2x2 with heavy dipping into the soap bucket, that method outperforms washmitts in terms of avoiding swirls. comments?

[picus]

Originally Posted by BimmerSD

Actually, i brought up the same concerns with my detailer. he says it depends on how the brush is used...

if one uses it very gently, sweeping say areas of 2x2 with heavy dipping into the soap bucket, that method outperforms washmitts in terms of avoiding swirls. comments?

My comments are: use what works for you. If a boars hair brush works for you, awesome. For me, sheepskin works. Maybe ask this question on Autopia and you'll get a more varied set of responses, although if I had to guess the overwhelming majority are going to mirror what I said above.

Edit; funny story. I get a PM over at Autopia, its from a detailer in San Diego who I have a ton of respect for, does excellent work. He says to me that he uses boars hair brushes and loves it; just goes to show if you have the technique down that it will far outweigh the tools you use as long as the tools are high quality. I personally like mitts, but definitely admit they break down very quickly (as few as 10 washes in some cases), so if a boars hair brush works for you, as I mentioned, by all means use one.

[RAG]

Thanks for the mutual respect Picus...I decided to jump over here and check it out.

Regarding the Boars Hair brush, they are not all equal. And regarding scratching...the most important thing is your technique...when I use my BHB I probably flush it in the bucket 3 or 4 times per panel to ensure it's clean at all times; and I don't claim to get no marring, just no more that I would if I used the same technique with a sheepskin mitt. The key is to not use too much pressure...I suggested the BHB because it is easier to use less pressure whereas people tend to push too hard with a heavy/wet wash mitt.

Happy Washing.

Originally Posted by picus

My comments are: use what works for you. If a boars hair brush works for you, awesome. For me, sheepskin works. Maybe ask this question on Autopia and you'll get a more varied set of responses, although if I had to guess the overwhelming majority are going to mirror what I said above.

Edit; funny story. I get a PM over at Autopia, its from a detailer in San Diego who I have a ton of respect for, does excellent work. He says to me that he uses boars hair brushes and loves it; just goes to show if you have the technique down that it will far outweigh the tools you use as long as the tools are high quality. I personally like mitts, but definitely admit they break down very quickly (as few as 10 washes in some cases), so if a boars hair brush works for you, as I mentioned, by all means use one.