Microfiber sponges & mitts grab a lot of dirt, yes. But, they do seem to rinse out pretty easily, too -- I give mine a squirt with the Mr. Clean "space pistol" and the dust comes back off.JaCkaL829 said:
Additionally, t-shirts have seams & elastic that can scratch things up if you're not careful. Genuine leather chamois ("shammys") were my standby for years, but I've begun using microfiber towels for drying. If you can find edgeless MF towels, that's a bonus -- most others have stitching on the edges that's just plain polyester, and that's not good for the paint. Griot's Garage and, believe it or not, AutoZone carry edgeless MF towels (although I'm pretty sure that Griot's is better stuff).
3. Eh, does it really matter? I've been using plain carnauba wax about every couple months. Buff it on with a Black & Decker orbital (maybe I'll get a Porter Cable model one of these days), buff it off with the orbital and a couple sheepskin pads, and finish with a MF towel.
Towel fabrics are important, waxes & finishes sometimes are, and soaps/detergents can make a difference (use dish soap to strip wax, and car-specific stuff to wash without stripping). Above all, though, make sure the stuff you're using is clean. It's the dirt that will scratch up the car even if you've made good choices in materials.
