Comments on: Waste Not, Want Not – Trash into Treasure http://www.farmersalmanac.com/blog/2008/05/12/waste-not-want-not-trash-into-treasure/ Weather, Gardening, Full Moons, Best Days and more. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:53:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Sunrun176 http://www.farmersalmanac.com/blog/2008/05/12/waste-not-want-not-trash-into-treasure/comment-page-1/#comment-2742 Sunrun176 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 14:04:13 +0000 http://www.farmersalmanac.com/green/?p=23#comment-2742 I disagree with the suggestion that "Old, well-used oven mitts are great for washing and waxing your car." On the contrary, applying an old oven mitt to your car's paint is likely to leave scratches and so-called swirl marks if used for washing or waxing. A better item to reuse for waxing auto paint or applying windshield sealant is an old, plain-white, 100% cotton T-shirt; they're generally lint-free and have a tight weave that resists leaving swirls. (Just remember to cut off the collar, sleeve cuffs and bottom hem.) For washing -- since one is removing surface dirt -- there's really no substitute for a good quality sheepskin or microfiber wash mitt applied gently to a car's painted surface. They will gently lift the dirt away without grinding it into the paint. Old, well-used oven mitts, on the other hand, would be fantastic for cleaning one's gas or charcoal grill, an application where scratching of the surface isn't as much of a concern (or indeed even possible, depending upon the finish). I disagree with the suggestion that “Old, well-used oven mitts are great for washing and waxing your car.” On the contrary, applying an old oven mitt to your car’s paint is likely to leave scratches and so-called swirl marks if used for washing or waxing.

A better item to reuse for waxing auto paint or applying windshield sealant is an old, plain-white, 100% cotton T-shirt; they’re generally lint-free and have a tight weave that resists leaving swirls. (Just remember to cut off the collar, sleeve cuffs and bottom hem.) For washing — since one is removing surface dirt — there’s really no substitute for a good quality sheepskin or microfiber wash mitt applied gently to a car’s painted surface. They will gently lift the dirt away without grinding it into the paint.

Old, well-used oven mitts, on the other hand, would be fantastic for cleaning one’s gas or charcoal grill, an application where scratching of the surface isn’t as much of a concern (or indeed even possible, depending upon the finish).

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