The cleaning sponge is the traditional tool for agitation during a car wash. Modern automotive sponges are vastly different from household sponges; they are often wrapped in microfiber chenille “noodles” or made of ultra-soft open-cell foam. These designs are intended to draw dirt into the center of the sponge and away from the paint surface. However, they must be rinsed frequently in a “rinse bucket” (the two-bucket method) to prevent trapped grit from acting like sandpaper on the car’s finish.