Baby Diapers vs. Towels

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

Basically my dad alloted my a certain amount of money to get a car, I got it for about 2600 or 2700 less than that, so he said I could spend money for mods and improvements... but ONLY IF HE APPROVES....

He knows I research EVERYTHING before I buy it... so I figured it was a no-brainer that he would support me buying a huge 100% cotton bath towel to preserve the paint of my car. I went to Bed, Bath & Beyond and spent 21.86 on a massive over-sized 100% cotton luxury towel. I figure "Heck, after I get done cutting this thing up it's like 2 bucks a towel or something" I get home... he doesn't like it! He won't use "the car fund" to support me buying it and insists baby diapers are just as good.

I told him over and over about how a towel has a nap, and about how it cushions dirt.... My mom chimed in and was like "we have baby diapers that are threadbare and worn... they are so soft"... I tell them over and over I've researched it and that if baby diapers were so good, then zaino would probably mention them on their site... I told him it's the wax that like 70% of this board uses (basically car-obsessed people lol) I told him it's what professional detailers use... so he goes online and finds a page that talks about a wax where they recommend diapers... and it is a wax I'd never even heard of... I was like "Dad, I've never heard of it... the guys on the boards don't talk about it.... why should I take what they have to say over what the most popular vendor has to say?"

Basically... I don't wanna blow 20 bucks on a towel if I don't have to, but if my dad will not let me purchase the towel from the car money... and they are, in fact, better for the car.... I'm just going to eat my loss and keep the towel.

Can anyone tell me anything they know on the topic? I want THE BEST for my paint... not "okay to save money." I tried to tell him that but he's pretty much resolved... I was hoping you all could either give me the solice that baby diapers are fine, or back me up and maybe help me change his mind or at least make me feel good about keeping the towel.

[ August 20, 2004, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Deoxyribonucleicvitriol ]

[2BlackBirdz]

MOST diapers probably have polyester thread = BAD! (especially if they are threadbare and worn!) Just like terry towels, even if they say 100% cotton, the binding might be polyester or something else...

You can pull out some different strands from the diapers and do burn tests. If the strand burns clean with no black smoke, then it is probably cotton. If you get black smoke, and it kinda melts, then it is something else, and will likely cause micro-marring of your finish.

IF the diapers are 100% cotton, they -might- be OK to use for the FINAL wiping to shine up the car - after the car is completely clean, and you've applied a wax and removed it already.

Also, the problem with using cloth that doesn't have a nap, is that if the surface has any dirt, dried products, etc then it doesn't have anywhere to go, and will cause swirls or even scratches in the finish. If the cloth has a nap, then the particles get caught up in the nap and are less likely to cause scratches and swirls.

Some places do sell "diapers" specifically for detailing, however these are much different than your every day diapers.

Better safe than sorry...If I was you, I would hold out for the REAL BB&B 100% cottons, and maybe some quality microfibers for finishing.

Hope this helps...

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

Excellent post. Your feedback is greatly appreciated!

[hou-tex-six]

Originally posted by Deoxyribonucleicvitriol:


I've researched it and that if baby diapers were so good, then zaino would probably mention them on their site... I told him it's the wax that like 70% of this board uses (basically car-obsessed people lol) I told him it's what professional detailers use...

70%?? Thats news to me, last time I think it was closer to 15%. And I'm sure professional detailers use more than one product, though some might use Zaino.

Buy some microfiber towels, they sell them at WalMart, are fairly cheap, and will not scratch your paint. Cutting up a large towel into 20 peices will just leave you with a lot of threads and lint all over the finish.

Cp

[hawgs]

15% is generous considering there are almost 6000 members. Maybe 5 people use it.

[AlienInv8r]

Professional detailers mostly don't use Zaino. There's a lot of products out there that will give a deeper finish than zaino can, but most wont last as long. Hence why a lot of detailers use other products, they can get amazing results. and have you come back more than once a year. Zaino is generally thought to have a very reflective look, as opposed to the deep wet look that other high end waxes have.
Do some reading on autopia.org , also download their Detailing Guide. It's a free eBook with a boatload of info about detailing everything. That should give you some info about towels and stuff that is compiled by pros to help prove your point better.

[98goldbird]

I don't see why you're flipping out over spending 20 bucks on a towel. Just use it, and forget about their diapers thing.

[Deoxyribonucleicvitriol]

I'm not flipping out [img]tongue.gif[/img] The second poster got my drift and responded appropriately.

I guess the 70% was from another site. One of the sites I post on had a sticky where everyone voted on their wax/polish and zaino was on top by far.

Anyway... this topic was adequately answered on the 2nd post. Let it die please [img]smile.gif[/img] .

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

http://www.waynestowels.com/
is the only thing you can use with Zaino that is just as good a 100% $20 Cannon or Fieldcrest Towels.
i emailed Zaino and they said they do appove these but under testing the 100% was still better.....

[nikon]

goto costco....10$ for 20 microfibers....not some big bath towel

[MustangEater8251]

Check your mail, I get a 20% off coupon every week from Bed Bath and beyond...

I bought a few large "hand towels" and they have worked great.

[Ian]

microfiber pwns j00

[wreckedcamaro]

If professional detailers used zaino, they wouldn't be in the detailing business anymore, lol. Zaino is pretty expensive stuff to be using. I don't see whats so great about it anyway. Liquid Glass is much better.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by wreckedcamaro:
If professional detailers used zaino, they wouldn't be in the detailing business anymore, lol. Zaino is pretty expensive stuff to be using. I don't see whats so great about it anyway. Liquid Glass is much better.

you can't say that unless you have used it