First up is the Sponge...

First up is the Sponge Glove, which is essentially a household marigold with a soft sponge palm. The glove keeps your hand dry, thanks to the long cuff, but the sponge is thin and you have to repeatedly dunk it into your bucket of water before cleaning. Another gripe is that there’s no left-hand version, which may not be comfortable for all.

That aside, it proved effective at cleaning, although it took longer than with a regular sponge. Microfibre cloths have made car care less tiring, as they dig deep into the surface and buff quickly. CarPlan’s mitt uses the same material, but is softer than some cloths we have tried.

The mitt has an elastic wristband and slips over your hand easily, although as it’s one-size-fits-all, people with smaller hands may find it has a habit of sliding around.

Wiping panels down is easy, but what’s really impressive is how big an area the mitt covers in a single sweep. We tried it on paintwork, glass and wheels, and it left no marks behind. And once it gets dirty, it’s washable!