Benefits of applicator pad vs regular microfiber cloth?

[ahains]

I will soon be washing, claying, and sealing (duragloss 105+601) my car. The car is my DD 2012 white Mazda 3, and the paint is in pretty good condition. My goal is really just to protect the paint in as lazy of a way as possible (I don't detail for enjoyment, and don't have aspirations of a great looking car).

I have a bunch of Costco microfiber cloths, and also some Meguiar's foam applicator pads. I see that folks usually use and recommend a foam or microfiber applicator pad to apply waxes and sealants, but I don't understand what the trade-offs are compared to just applying with a regular 'ol microfiber cloth. Is the applicator pad faster / safer / easier? Or does it perhaps help to avoid wasting product?


Thanks much!

[Mantilgh]

I use the foam UFO looking ones for trim, tire, and interior dressings/protectants. I’d use them for old school waxes but I don’t use them.

Use microfiber covered ones for cleaner products and all in one interior products. The microfiber provides some scrubbing action.

I apply them with a microfiber towel.

You want easy exterior protection, use spray sealants like Ultima Paint Gaurd Plus, Opti-Seal, or Blackfire Crystal Seal.

I haven’t tried the spray on rinse off sealants yet, but they are probably even easier.

[WillSports3]

Opti-Seal or Optimum Car Wax. Spray on after you wash the car, buff a little and you're done. The reason you don't want to use regular MF cloth is because you're only putting on a few dots of product so there's no need to dry buff your car when there's only a little bit of product on it. Second, MF towels will hold on to too much product since they absorb things. The last reason is because whatever you're using might not come off of the towel so you don't want to be re-using that towel again for anything else. And last but not least, MF towels are thin, so will apply more pressure than you honestly need to apply it. It's all a safety margin issue, a MF applicator or a foam applicator cuts down on needed pressure, and keeps your wax appliers for waxes.