When it comes to cleaning your vehicle, nothing beats a microfiber cleaning cloth. Washing a car demands extra precaution to ensure you don't scratch the surface or leave any annoying streaks. The best way to achieve that is by using the best microfiber towels.
This recent addition to the car care stable cleans the vehicle gently, but it's still very effective at removing every particle from the surface. Because of their soft, absorbent nature, the cloth will leave your car looking as pristine as the day you bought it without any water streaks or scratches. The best part is that you no longer have to use different car care fabrics for different parts of the car.
That said, not all microfiber fabrics are the same. Like everything else that man has made, the towels come in various quality grades depending on the materials used. The best microfiber towels have thicker/denser fabric, and they are made of 70-75% polyester to 30-15% polyamide or nylon for absorption and softness. To learn more about microfiber towels, read our comprehensive review below.
1. Chemical Guys MIC_507_06 Professional Grade Premium Microfiber Towel- Best Overall
Chemical Guys MIC_507_06 Professional Grade Premium Microfiber Towel, Gold (16 in. x 24 in.) (Pack...
- Scratch free, lint free and swirl free
- Long lasting microfiber
- Effective cleaning under wet and dry conditions
- Silk banded edges
- 100 percent machine washable
The mere fact that a reputable car company makes these microfiber towels says everything you need to know about them. Right off the bat, you'll notice they have the highest percentage of polyamide in the market at 30%, which means they are ultra-soft and very absorbent. They come in three sizes, and you can choose between pack choices of 1, 3, 6, and 12.
The second thing we noted was the dual pile weave. One side has long fibers, and the other one has short fibers. You can use the long side for detailing and waterless car wash applications where dirt needs to be lifted from the paint surface. The short fiber side is perfect for buffing away polish and wax as well as cleaning windows. It is abrasive enough to remove dirt and stains from the car surface without scrubbing too much, but they don't scratch the surface. Whichever side you use, they are both plush, lint-free, and streak-free.
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2. Adam’s Polishes Double Soft Microfiber Towel- Best for Detailing and Buffing
Adam's Double Soft Microfiber Towel - Premium Quality Microfiber Polishing Towel with Scratch-Free...
- ✅ THE SOFTEST TOWEL IN YOUR DETAILING ARSENAL - The Double Soft...
- ✅ BUFF AWAY POLISH & CAR WAX WITH EASE - Perfect for removing...
- ✅ SWIRL FREE RESULTS THAT YOU CAN EXPECT FROM ADAM’S - Made...
- ✅ 16”x16” @ 920 GSM - Infused with stands of highly refined...
- ✅ 110% SATISFACTION GUARANTEE - At Adam’s, we strive to bring...
When you need to buff off wax and other detailing products, it’s critical to avoid scratches and swirls to the paintwork. This Adam’s Polishes double soft microfiber towel is made of premium microfiber and boasts a 900 GSM mix of blush fibers. The microfiber cleaning cloth is double the thickness of many microfiber towels out there which gives it that plush feel and enables it to be more precise during use.
If you overlook the high price tag, this is really one of the best microfiber towels for auto detailing. They are made with a specific blend of premium fabric for exceptional softness, and they will not harm your paint or delicate surface. The towel is just the right weight, thickness, and plushness to take care of your wax, sealant, or paint.
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3. Simple Houseware Microfiber Cleaning Cloth- Best Value
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50 Pack - SimpleHouseware Microfiber Cleaning Cloth (12" x 16")
- Super soft & non-abrasive microfiber cloths prevent scratching...
- Holds 8 Times its weight in liquid. and dries fast
- Four Colors: Green x 12, Yellow x 12 Blue x 13, Orange x 13
- Size: 12" x 16", can be used for a variety of cleaning jobs.
- Material: Microfiber- 15% Nylon, 85% Polyester
For the same price, you got a pack of six from Chemical Guy, you will get a pack of 50 from Simple Houseware Store. These 12x16 inches super-soft microfiber towels are 85% polyester to 15% nylon, so they are less absorbent and soft, but they do just fine. The soft texture prevents them from scratching your car surface, and they can hold up to 8 times their weight in liquid.
The towels do a decent job scrubbing off dirt, but you have to put some weight on it if the car is filthy. As for absorbency, you can dry off about a quarter of the vehicle without needing to wring it out, which is not bad. They are suitable for a variety of cleaning jobs, and they are machine washable. The manufacturer recommends you wash in plain water first before use to ensure there is no lint when detailing your car.
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4. Meguiar's Supreme Microfibre Drying Towel Extra Large
Sometimes, you want efficiency because nobody wants to wash their car for hours. The Meguiar's Supreme Microfibre cleaning cloth is exactly what you need. It is an extra-large, highly absorbent towel that reduces drying time from 45 minutes to less than ten. For many customers, it's mind-blowing how much water this towel can handle at a go, and you only need to wring it out once when drying the car.
Besides making work easier, the Meguiar's Supreme towel features a waffle-weave pattern making it suitable for those delicate surfaces and glass. It is super soft and will give you a spot and streak-free finish without shedding any fibers on the car surface. With a fabric spec of 920 GSM and soft edging, you know you are getting the quality your car deserves.
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5. Norwex Basic Package- Best Window & Enviro Cloth
Norwex Basic Package - Window & Enviro Cloth
- Norwex EnviroCloth removes dust, dirt and grease from all...
- Window Cloth Our hard-working Window Cloth gets windows, mirrors,...
- Envirocloth measures 35 cm x 35 cm / 13.78" x 13.78" Window cloth...
One of the most challenging things to wash in a vehicle is windows and glass parts because most fabrics leave behind streaks and lint. The Norwex basic package is designed to take care of glass surfaces, and it is the best microfiber cleaning cloth for windows. It's a perfect replacement for chemical-laden cleaners and eliminates the need to waste all those paper towels trying to make the windows shine.
This super versatile cloth doesn’t stop at windows though. It is also perfect for cleaning the rest of the car, especially if you want to make the surface shine after cleaning. The fabric traps dust and grease and leaves the surface clean using only water. When dry, you can use it for dusting because it creates static electricity which lifts even the smallest particles of dirt and keeps them from resettling back into the car surface.
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How Do I Choose a Good Microfiber Cloth?
As we said in the beginning, even the best microfiber cloths are not made equal. The quality and capabilities differ from one brand to another and also from one product to the next. That said, if you want to buy only the best microfiber towels for your car cleaning and detailing, here are the features you should look for;
1. GSM
One of the essential features you need to check is the density or thickness of the microfiber cloth, measured in grams per square meter or GSM. The denser the towel is, the more it's able to absorb water. This means, therefore, that you want a towel with a higher GSM rating. The best water microfiber drying towel listed here have a gsm rating of more than 700 which means they are dense, thick, and absorbent. This of course translates to more money, but your car is worth it.
2. Blend Ratio
The best Microfiber towels are usually made with a blend of polyester and polyamide or nylon. The more polyamide it has, the more absorbent and soft it will be. Our best microfiber towel from Chemical Guys has a 70:30 ratio which is the highest we have seen so far, and that explains why the towel is so plush. A towel with more polyester is also bound to leave more lint on the surface and be less effective when a car is too dirty. For all intents and purposes, choose a fabric with more polyamide.
3. Value for money
Two things demonstrate value for money when buying things. One, the product is very durable, and you will use it for years without the need to replace it, and two, the pack has many items that will serve you a while. We have listed a value pack here from Simple Houseware that gives you 50 towels, and we have also done the Meguiar's Supreme Microfibre, which lasts as long as your car. The best microfiber towels are not cheap, so it makes sense to invest in something that will give you value for a long time.
4. Size
Last but not least is the size of the towel. One of our best picks is a favorite among many because it's large and covers a wider surface area when cleaning, making it more efficient. The standard size of magnet microfiber drying towel for car detailing is 16x16 inches, but you can do better with 16x27 inches. That said, you can get different sizes to clean different parts of the car. For example, the car's interior where you need to reach corners and crevices may require a smaller and thinner towel.
Types of Microfiber Towels
Even before you check the density, price, and size of a microfiber towel, it's important to know its type. The best microfiber towels for cars are classified into 5 categories: short pile, medium pile, long pile, waffle weave, and applicator pile.
- Short pile- these are all-purpose cleaning towels but not very suitable for delicate or sensitive surfaces. The microfiber towels are made of 80-20 blend ratio and 220-250 GSM, which means they are not so soft or absorbent.
- Medium pile- these are perfect for removing car wax, rinsing water off the car surface, and cleaning dirt from chrome finished trims, glass, and other delicate surfaces. They are not as soft as long pile towels, but they are okay.
- Long pile- long pile towels are super soft and suitable for buffing and wiping any delicate surface. These microfiber cleaning cloths have superior water absorption and can deliver excellent shine without any scratches.
- Waffle weave pile- with a blend of 80-20 and more than 35 GSM, you can expect superior softness and absorption. The quality microfiber cloths work best for mirrors, but they can clean any other part.
- Applicator pile- if you want to apply paint sealant or wax, these are the towels you need. They have a ratio of 70-30 and over 400 GSM, so they are as soft as clouds.
Do You Need a Microfiber Towel to Clean Your Vehicle?
Before the invention of these awesome towels, people used to wash and polish their cars with regular towels and clothes. However, while the vehicle will still be clean, the surface starts to show signs of wear and tear because the fabrics were too hard or abrasive on the paint. Microfiber cloths are designed to be soft and gentle on the car surface, so they don't scratch, fade or do any damage to your car.
Conclusion
Truth be told, microfiber towels are the best thing that ever happened to anybody who like to clean and polish their beautiful car. However, you need to take care of them so they can take care of you. Be sure to read the care instruction when you buy the cloth to ensure it remains soft, absorbent, and lint-free. One of the instructions that go across the board is that you should not use a fabric softener when cleaning a microfiber towel. This is because it will deactivate the static electricity that makes these towels so good at cleaning, and you will be left with just another regular towel.