Some of you may be aware that I test prototype products for WoWo detailing. A couple of weeks ago I tested a new prototype clay mitt for WoWo, and as Neil mentioned on the other thread, here's my review of the mitt. The clay mitt will be added to the WoWo range shortly and Neil will post up the price in due course.
I tested it on our VW Amarok, which has clearly had never been clayed in it’s year old life. The sandwich bag test (place hand inside a sandwich bag and run it over the panel to emphasise the surface contaminants) revealed it had its fair share of embedded contaminants to remove, so the clay mitt had its work cut out!
First Impressions - on receiving the mitt were very good. The mitt is a blunt spearhead shape. The lovely red /black WoWo colour instantly makes it look like a quality item. It’s a microfibre/towelling material on the mitt side and clay material on the other side. It took a bit of wrestling out of the plastic packaging as the clay side sticks to the plastic, but it just needs peeling off carefully, and then you are good to go! I would say the clay is a medium grade. The plastic container will be useful for keeping it in after use to keep it protected from debris.
The test – Firstly the Amarok was well washed (snow foam, 2BW) to ensure the cleanest of surfaces on which to clay. The clay mitt is designed to be used with either a clay lubricant or just plain water, so I decided to test it with both to compare. I tested the clay mitt on the rear and side panels of the Amarok, these are big, slab sided panels. I tested half the rear and passenger side with the mitt using a clay lube (DoDo Juice Born Slippy) and the remaining rear and driver’s side with the mitt using just plain water. In place of dedicated lube, a shampoo solution would work equally well.
With the lube side, I sprayed the mitt and the panel thoroughly to give a liberal coating of lube then gently slipped my hand into the mitt and let it glide side to side over the panel, using very light pressure and rinsing at regular intervals in a bucket of plain water to rid it of any contaminants. Whenever I felt resistance I stopped, rinsed the mitt thoroughly in the water to release any particles and applied more lube before continuing. Whilst I couldn’t see much stuff embedded on the clay side of the mitt during the claying, at the end of the session there was a fair bit in the bottom of the bucket. The mitt was so easy to control over the panels and it covers a larger area than a traditional clay bar. The tapered shape makes it especially good over contoured areas.
Once this side was complete, I thoroughly rinsed the mitt and moved onto the other side of the truck. This time I substituted the lubricant for plain water. Starting with a fresh bucket of water, I soaked the mitt and ensured the panel was wet before starting to clay again as before. I found it glided a little less freely using just plain water. The mitt was rinsed regularly as before in the bucket of water to free it of debris before continuing and so on, until the panels were done.
Ease of use - The mitt is a really good size. It’s just right for slipping the hand into without it swamping the hand. It is a mitt as opposed to a glove, which means it is designed so that it’s the fingers which apply the pressure as opposed to the whole hand. This allows and encourages lighter pressure to be applied during the claying process. If it was more of a glove it would lead to a loss of control and ‘feel’ through the mitt and there may be a tendency to apply too much pressure, but this is not the case with the mitt design. The shape is also great; it tapers towards the top, which gives great flexibility and control in contoured, tight areas and nooks, which will be of great benefit on the contours of the R. There is also much less chance of dropping a mitt on the floor, as can happen with clay bars.
Aftercare – after claying, again I thoroughly rinsed the mitt in clean water, and left it to air dry, clay side up. This is where it has another big advantage (in addition to it’s usability) over a clay cloth. It dried in a fraction of the time the clay cloth does.
Lifespan - Clay cloths, mitts and sponges won't be as robust as a traditional clay bar as the clay layer is much thinner, but you have to weigh that up against the ease of use, convenience and usability of the mitt. If you exercise a good, careful technique, look after the mitt - don't abuse it, and your car is reasonably well looked after on a regular basis, you should get AT LEAST 10 passes from the WoWo clay mitt. It may be stating the obvious but claying should follow on from the de-tar and de-iron decontamination stages which will remove a lot of contaminants leaving less for the clay mitt to remove. So a minimum of 10 passes on a cared for car. Some of the claims of other clay cloth/mitt lifespan manufacturers are very optimistic indeed ;-)
Results – after finishing claying, I did the sandwich bag test again on both sides of the vehicle. I would say it performed marginally more effectively with the lube and the panel was absolutely glass smooth and clear of contaminants. On the water side it was smooth, perhaps a fraction less so than the side but barely anything in it. I was very pleased to see there was no marring at all on any of the panels, but that could be down to careful technique, maintaining a light pressure and regular rinsing practice.
Conclusion - I would say for those new to claying the mitt is the perfect introduction. Much easier than a traditional clay bar, easier to control and easier to rinse, less chance of dropping on the floor. And equally perfect for experienced clayers too. It is a breeze to use. As with any type of claying, be it clay bar, pad, cloth or mitt, it is still very important to nurture and hone a good technique to minimise marring of the paintwork, but the ease of use of this mitt goes a long way in helping to achieve that. It’s a superb size and the shape makes getting into curved areas much easier. I love the mitt concept and think it revolutionises claying. I will not be going back to the traditional clay bar.
Another fantastic offering from WoWo, and much easier to use than the clay cloth and clay bar I previously tested for them. If you want fuss free claying, this clay mitt is a winner.
Here's a few pics – apologies no pics of it in actual action but this review was originally for WoWo purposes only, plus I was busy concentrating on the claying, lol!
