Sponges are soft and porous, so many people mistakenly believe they couldn't cause harm to their car. The problem is that sponges have holes that absorb dirt and grime. When you wash your car with a sponge, all the trapped dirt and grime gets passed over your paintwork leading to hundreds of tiny scratches.

You use a plain ol' sponge or washcloth to wash and dry your car. WRONG! Sponges won't sufficiently grip dirt and grime, and both sponges and plain washcloths can scratch your paint job. Opt for microfiber washcloths and microfiber towels instead.

Forget the sponge your dad used when washing his Cortina or Cavalier – if you want to minimise scratches and paint swirls, a mitt is the way to go. Unlike a sponge with its flat, hard surfaces, a soaked microfibre can lift grit off bodywork and hold it in its strands away from paint until it's rinsed.