Topic: Are there really microfiber towels which can absorb water?

[DaleReid]

What's the day without another odd question in Chit-Chat from Dale, dedicated to finding answers to odd questions?

Today, I'm picking up where I left off last summer with trying to clean and keep spiffy looking an old 1990 C4, red, single paint (I think).

After spending a lot of time this winter looking at YouTube videos from all sorts of experts, some whom I've concluded aren't, I was struck by the detailing guys pushing one product or the other.

Almost universal in their recommendations is the use Microfiber cloths for glass, final polish and wax removal and quick detailing.  I'm not looking for a show class car, but as I decline in age and getting in and out of these things is harder to do, I want to have some fun with it and still have time to do weather projects.  I've used thin little microfiber cloths to clean camera lenses since those miraculous little things came out.  But the detailing and car cleaning cloths are vastly different in look and feel from those small swatches of the original micro cloths, at least in my opinion.

I ordered a couple from Mcguires, 3M and others to try.  One guy on Youtube kept hawking about how wonderful micros were to dry windshields after you washed them and to throw all your terry cloth towels away.  I guess there were lint concerns, or something.  On and on he and another person went about how absorbent these were.

Well with wet windshields after washing or after using Invisible Glass or whatever, I found using their microfiber recommendations to be frustrating beyond belief.  I thought I knew how to dry some smooth surface, and with terry cloth I can and do.  But if microfiber is made mainly from polyester, it lives up to what I know about materials in shunning water like crazy.  I wipe.  I fold, I use another micro towel.  Still smearing the liquid all over the glass, I finally grab my terrycloth and have it absorb the liquid, and if there is a little haze left, then go back at it with the microfiber to remove that. 

I'm baffled at how some of the professional detailers can use a product and praise it and I try to use the same brand only to find that the water is repelled and not sucked up.

There have to be some car or paint and finish hobbyists out there who have their way of doing a good cleaning and can suggest what I'm doing wrong, or can confirm it is best to use terrycloth to do the initial wipe down and fluid absorption and then switch to a micro to get rid of the haze?

Thoughts or comments on my findings?
Dale

[SnowHiker]

But the detailing and car cleaning cloths are vastly different in look and feel from those small swatches of the original micro cloths, at least in my opinion.

I don't know what brand I got, I got them at a local store (Bomgaars) a couple or so years ago, I think they were specifically for cars and I got them in that section.

I didn't use them for drying, just washing and polishing, as I recall.

My understanding is that they're not supposed to be as likely to abrade the paint as even soft cotton terry cloth is.  My problem was that small pieces of debris, such as grass, pieces of twigs, or whatever seemed to stick the microfiber like velcro and is difficult or impossible to remove, which made it more likely to scratch the paint.

So I went back to terry cloth, old socks, or whatever to wash my trucks.

I've always used old newspaper to wash and dry the glass after rinsing.  It gives a clear streak-free window for me.  I can't guarantee newspaper is as gentle on the glass as microfiber or other cloth but I haven't noticed any problems no more than I wash them.

So that doesn't answer your question, but I haven't been a big fan of microfiber for cars either.

[mcrossley]

I use microfibres for the actual washing, useless for drying off, though they do improve a bit when well worn. I use a large "drying towel" that is made for automotive use, so no loose fibres. It leaves a dry finish and wrings out pretty well too.

[ConligWX]

I use microfibre towels to dry my car.  these should not be confused with microfibre cloths.

Towels are much larger and have a deeper pile, unless you are using a cotton based weave towel which has no pile, but very absorbent.

The main sticking point with all of these boils down to how you wash and dry the towel after use.

when washing the towels use a non bio detergent and NO fabric softner/conditioner. make sure you only wash the towels in the machine on thier own.  no other cloths etc.

Fabric conditioners are fine for clothes to make then feel soft to touch on a human skin but for towels to dry items it makes it less absorbent, and sometimes a nightmare to soak up anything.

you can however dry the towels in a tumble dryer. this helps fluff the pile up and make it better at absorbing water.

The ones I use are brilliant at absorbing water. PB's Luxury drying towel, McGuigers waffle weave towels and a few I have used.

Any towels from these two sites, though I'm based in the UK, are good.  read the reviews!!!!

but find a local detailing shop if your can.

https://www.cleanyourcar.co.uk/exterior/washing-and-drying/drying-towels

https://www.polishedbliss.co.uk/wash/drying-towels-equipment

also many detailers now use a blower first of all to remove the excess water in a few minutes without even touching the paintwork with a microfibre cloth.