You may have heard about microfiber towels from commercials or in the cleaning sections of retail stores. “Are these cloths really any better than my cotton towels?” you may have wondered. The answer is yes!
There are several advantages microfiber has over traditional cotton towels, but I will discuss the three main advantages in this article.
The first advantage to microfiber is its absorbency. Many quality microfiber towels can absorb up to seven times their weight. This makes microfiber great for drying a vehicle or cleaning interior spills.
The second advantage is its cleaning ability. The many “micro” fibers that are within the towel make for very effective mechanical cleaning. The fibers grip everything very well by acting like microscopic fingers to pick up debris and moisture.
Lastly, high-quality microfiber is more gentle for your vehicle’s paintwork than a cotton towel. Cotton is a much more aggressive fiber and has more tendency to scratch paintwork.
Now, the reason I stress a high-quality towel is because there are many cheaper, low-quality towels at big-box and automotive stores. These can be okay for some interior use or dirty cleaning jobs such as wheels and engine bays, but you want a high-quality towel for your paintwork to prevent scratches.
Microfiber towels are made of two fibers: polyamide and polyester. The ratio of these two fibers will typically determine a quality towel. Polyester is what gives the towel its grip and cleaning ability, while polyamide is what gives the towel its absorption and gentleness.
A high-quality towel will typically be either 80/20 or 70/30. That is 80% or 70% polyester to 20% or 30% polyamide. Many cheaper towels are 90/10 at best and sometimes less. This is why they are also so cheap to purchase; polyamide costs more to manufacture. You can check this percentage simply by checking the tags on any microfiber towels.
My suggestions for quality microfiber towels are from The Rag Company.
Microfiber towels also come in many styles of thickness, plushness, and weave to ensure safety while cleaning your vehicle. Some popular types are waffle weave, twisted loop, terry, and no pile weaves.
My personal favorites are the terry and twisted-loop towels. The terry weave towels can be used for just about anything around a vehicle from inside to outside. Typically, I use them the most while working on interiors. The twisted-loop towels are the best for drying a vehicle. They are super absorbent because of their twisted-loop weave similar to how a standard mop is because of its twisted-loop cotton.
When it comes to leaving a streak-free finish on glass, I like to use the no-pile towels. The tight weave ensures for a streak-free finish and will not leave any lint behind because there are no long fibers.
Feel free to experiment with different styles of microfiber for different tasks and be sure to clean and take proper care of your towels to get the most life out of them.
To maintain your microfiber towels, wash them in cold water with a free-and-clear liquid detergent and tumble dry them on a low heat setting or no heat. This is done to ensure the fibers do not melt; microfiber melts at 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The specific detergent also ensures there is no residue left behind in the towels that can either scratch your paint or prevent absorption.