What are the benefits of microfiber towels? I had been using 100% cotton towels to wash my car but I am having a hard time finding quality cotton towels around my area, so I am thinking about switching to microfibers. What are your opinions?

 

Regardless of material type or quality, a dirty micro fibre, or a 100% Cotton towel will scratch, Micro fibre has attractant properties, that is dirt, dust, and various other substances cling to it, which is one of the reasons that it works so well, but it is also a reason why you need to be extra careful when using towels on your paint

To ensure your towels and buffing clothes provide long-term use, wash them frequently in a liquid soap (Micro Restore) in hot (120oF<) water, add a teaspoon per towel distilled white vinegar, the vinegar doesn't coat the fibres but instead works to eliminate detergent residue and finally a thorough cold rinse. Always wash micro fibre separately and only with other micro fibre fabrics

The most important criteria for any fabric used on a vehicle surface is its quality and scratch resistance.
A couple of ‘non-scientific tests’ you could use to assimilate wither or not a towel will cause scratches, they are not at all scientific nor 100% accurate, they are only indicative of what the towel may do to your paint surface, but then which is preferable to scratch a CD or your paint surface? Ensure the towels have been washed before carrying out these ‘tests’. If the towel does scratch the CD’s surface that doesn’t necessarily mean that it will scratch the vehicles paint, a CD has a much softer surface than automobile paint so use caution, initially trying an inconspicuous area

1) CD Scratch Test- with a micro fibre cloth, using medium to heavy pressure rub the data surface of a CD. If no scratching is evident then it probably won’t scratch the vehicles paint surface, be aware that the bindings can also cause scratching. On first use of a towel use it on an inconspicuous area first.

2) Burn Test- to test a material for polyester content, light a thread, if it emits a black wisp of smoke and then shrivels up into a black hard ball, its polyester and will probably scratch your paint.

Information resource- DF Alpine™ - http://www.dftowel.com Autogeek - http://www.autogeek.net/leabmi.html

 

Having good microfiber towels is very essential to me because, inferior towels can add fine scratches and make a simple task last much longer. The quality of microfiber towels can vary tremendously but in general high quality microfiber towels will have some of the following advantages:

Microfiber towels have extremely thin fibers woven together in a manner that creates micro-sized pockets to help lift and trap contaminates. Therefore when you are cleaning the fibers will grab and hold contaminates. This means that you clean an area once and don’t have to repeatedly go over an area. Additionally you’re not pushing contaminates around and into the air so they settle back down on the same surface you just cleaned. These fibers have a unique capillary action that allows them to rapidly absorb moisture. These towels are so absorbent they can often hold 4 – 8 times their weight in water. Additionally since the fibers of microfiber towels are so fine that they generally dry much faster then ordinary towels. Most importantly these towels are extremely soft and non-abrasive. So when you’re removing polish or wax from your clear coat you’re not adding fine scratches.

We have some extra soft and plush microfiber towels at www.DetailedImage.com. I especially like our general purpose microfiber towels for removing product on the clear coat, interior cleanings and more. If you want one of the absolute best microfiber towels out there I highly recommend you try our Ultra Plush Microfiber Towels. These towels are extremely plush and soft. Using one of these towels is perfect for removing your favorite sealant or wax or cleaning sensitive surfaces like navigation screens, etc. If you want a good drying towel that is paint safe try our Waffle Weave Drying Towel. We also have microfiber kits to get you a variety of products at reduced costs. Don't forget we offer 10% off to all MBWorld forum members with coupon code "10offMBW". Let me know if you have any other questions or if you'd like a recommendation.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

storm, get yourself a sampler pk of waffle weave drying towels. You'll never look back

 

Thanks guys, great information.

Greg, which microfiber would you recommand for washing and which ones for wiping down the car with detail spray after the car is dry?

 

Good question. Washing and Drying is where most scratches are added to the clear coat, so I really focus on using good products and proper washing technique. When I wash the vehicle I sometimes use a microfiber wash mitt, which works great. The safest washing tool I've found on the the market is the Sheepskin Wash Mitt. Therefore lately I've been doing most of my washing of my upper panels with this mitt, and lower panels with my microfiber mitt. The Sheepskin Wash Mitt is made of natural fibers and is extremely plush and soft. It's not as durable as microfiber but it does an excellent job of safely breaking up contaminates and releasing them when rinsing in a bucket. This helps minimize the possibility of adding fine scratches.

After the vehicle is dry and you want to give it a quick spray down with a quick detailer, and wipe it down with a microfiber towel, I would recommend the Ultra Plush Microfiber Towel. This is my favorite microfiber towel, I have seen on the market, because of how plush it is. In my opinion the quality of microfiber can largely be defined by its ability to minimize the risk of adding fine scratches. This towel is fantastic in this regard and it is why I had to carry it on my site, once I tried it. Another good alternative that is a little more affordable is the general purpose microfiber towel, which is also a great towel. I tend to use these towels when removing polishes, which need a little more elbow grease. However they work great for removing any product on the exterior (polish, wax, glaze, quick detailer) and interior detailing.

Let me know if you have any questions about these microfiber products or any other detailing questions, I'd be happy to help when I can.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

Thanks Greg, nice information on the links too.

Just ordered 10 pack ultra plush microfibers along with some accessories, I will try it out once I get them.

 

Thank you for your support of Detailed Image, I really appreciate it. The ultra plush microfiber towels are fantastic for detailing. Let me know if you have any questions about the products or anything related to detailing.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

In my point of view I think that washing the car from a cotton towel or soft towel will be the best.The benefits of cotton towel is:-

-Cotton is long lasting if well looked after.
-Cotton can be easily blended with other fibers such as synthetics like polyester or lycra.
-Cotton can be given a coating or a finish; so it can be used in products like heat-resistant fire fighting uniforms.
-Cotton is a renewable resource, and it's also biodegradable.
-Cotton is smooth and soft, but durable and strong.

 

I am an ardent supporter of using 100% cotton micro fibre towels for the removal of wax and polymers.

However when drying a paint surface use a waffle (Piqué) weave towel. These towels use a synthetic micro fibre woven with a dimpled pattern, which much like an open-cell sponge provides thousands of small pockets to trap dirt or grit.

The absorbency of these towels is quite remarkable; they are able to hold seven or eight times their weight in water. Instead of wiping with your waffle weave towel drying towel, blot the paint to minimize adding imperfections