While car vacuums have come a long way in keeping interior upholstery clean, the use of microfiber cloth for car cleaning and detailing has been tremendous. Compared to materials like cotton or paper, microfiber is much softer, more absorbent, less abrasive and leaves less lint.
These properties make them particularly useful for towel drying a wet coat of paint after washing. To do this, the cloths can be gently rubbed over the paint surface and excess water can be absorbed without leaving any traces. Rigid types of microfibers can also be used for applying polish, washing glass, and dusting interior surfaces.
We’ve rounded up some of the best microfiber car towels on the market, so read on for our top picks and a rundown of what to consider before you buy.
Best Microfiber Car Towels
What to consider
There are three main factors to consider when purchasing a microfiber towel: pile height, texture and material composition. The pile height measures the softness of the fabric. The softest possible cloth should be used to dry the car, but rougher cloths can be used for buffing paintwork or cleaning hard plastics.
Texture variants include Waffle and Suede. The waffle type offers higher absorbency, while suede provides an even softness across the entire cloth. When it comes to composition, microfiber is usually around 80% polyester fabric and 20% polyamide. The polyester gives the material its characteristic softness and the polyamide gives it absorbency. We find that premium towels tend to contain a slightly higher concentration of polyamide compared to budget brands. The towels also come in a variety of sizes, ranging from just a few inches wide to several feet. Most products can also be machine washed and reused dozens of times under normal conditions.
As we have chosen
Our selection includes products based on a combination of car care and cleaning knowledge, along with review data from sites like The ride and engine1. Factors such as product size and price are also considered to provide a variety of purchasing options. Every microfiber car towel we write about has an average customer rating of at least 4 stars.
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1
Overall best
Ultra plush drying towel
Maximum absorbency
Good coverage
This towel offers good coverage at 29″ x 36″ and gets top marks for both softness and absorption. It sucks up water droplets with very little user effort and can dry an entire mid-size car in one go.
Adam even claims, “You’ve never seen a towel soak up so much water.” One side of the product is made from soft, long-pile microfiber, while the other is made from a more absorbent polyamide material. It is best to ensure that the soft side always comes into contact with paint.
2
budget purchase
water magnet
Good coverage
High absorbency
Payable
As the name suggests, this cloth is made to dry and covers a large area of 22″ x 30″ to get the job done quickly. It also comes with a waffle pattern for maximum absorbency. Composition is the standard 80 percent polyester with 20 percent polyamide.
While it offers good coverage at a low price, some reviewers have noted that it’s not particularly soft compared to more expensive options.
3
Preferably two-sided
Yellow Rimless (5-pack)
Very soft, with scouring side
Lint free
Comes in a pack of five
Less coverage than other options
This five-pack of 16″ x 24″ towels promises “super soft microfiber” thanks to its thick suede texture. Each panel is actually two-sided, with a soft, long-pile side and a rougher, short-pile side. They are good for washing, waxing and drying without leaving a lot of lint.
During the wash process, the deep fibers help grab dirt and safely remove it from the paint, and the material is 80 percent polyester. The relatively small size of the cloth can also mean that you have to wring it out several times when drying it and it can take longer. Overall, though, this is a solid, multipurpose kit.
4
For Windows
glass polisher
Scrub texture
Three year guarantee
Unlike most microfiber towels, this set of four has a rough and rigid finish with an extremely short pile, perfect for applying elbow grease and scrubbing dirt off windshields, mirrors and chrome surfaces.
You should only keep these away from paint as they can leave small scratches in a delicate clear coat. The towels are each 20 inches by 16 inches and are made of 80 percent polyester. The manufacturer also guarantees that the product will last at least three years, or about 300 washes.
5
extra plush
Woolly mammoth
Tons of coverage
plush and soft
Heavy when full
May leave lint
Cutely named, this drying towel looks more like a throw than a simple hand towel. The Mammoth features a massive 25 x 36 inch coverage and nearly half an inch thick.
The fibers come in a long-pile suede with 30 percent polyamide content for added absorption. However, the large size can become a disadvantage when the cloth fills with water, which becomes uncomfortably heavy for some users. You should also run it through the laundry before use to rid it of any potential lint.
6
Best 12 pack
Microfiber Car Towels
Good for bulk orders
satin border
Less coverage
Short pile height
This kit gives you a dozen medium coverage light blue wipes at 16″ x 24″. The suede pile height is relatively short, making them more suitable for scrubbing than for fine detail work.
The microfiber composition is also 80 percent polyester and leaves minimal lint with use. Black satin stitching around the edge ensures the fabric will hold its shape through many uses and washes.
7
For interiors
Six pack of microfiber
Compact size
Wipe and scrub inside
Not too absorbent
Too rough for paint
This cloth’s small size at 14″ x 16″ makes it perfect for stashing a few in the car for regular dusting or to wipe up spills. You could even take multiple spills at once considering there are twelve of them in the box. However, it is best kept for interior use, as the coarse, short-pile pattern is not good for the paintwork.
More of a washcloth than a drying towel, the make-up has a very high polyester content – 87 percent versus just 13 percent polyamide, making it less absorbent than its competitors.
8th
Best Bulk Buy
Ultra High Pile Premium Microfiber Hand Towels (2 Pack)
Incredible value
Solid cloth all around
For the person who is constantly washing cars or just likes to have a towel handy at all times, this Kirkland 36 Hand Towel Twin Pack is for you.
Each towel is 16 inches square and is made of high-pile suede that’s 80 percent polyester. Thick for their relative size and weighing around 60 grams each, these towels offer a good balance of scrubbing, dusting and drying while leaving clear coats scratch- and lint-free.
Claw Homer Talon Homer is a South Carolina writer and photographer who was born with a love of cars, games and advanced technology.
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