Microfibre, waffle weave, natural and synthetic chamois. These are all varieties of car drying towels designed to dry vehicles quickly and safely. Using this specialist type of towel will avoid water spots, streaking and smearing.
Drying your car is one of the times that swirls and scratches can be introduced. It is then vital to have a good quality drying towel or drying cloth to not scratch your car's paintwork. Ultimate Finish offer a variety of drying towels with soft high GSM microfibre, absorbent waffle weaves and even synthetic chamois.
Use your car drying towel to absorb the remaining water from the rinse phase on paintwork, wheels, glass and trim to leave you with a streak free finish. Many modern drying cloths also have advance construction within their materials to offer you both a softer and more absorbent cloth, but at the same time, being able to deal with many machine washes and uses.
Twist or knotted pile such as the UF Twisted Loop Double Sided are the most absorbent microfibre towels for their weight and giving the best swirl protection.
Bigger is not always better. We recommend having a couple of different size drying towels, those larger versions 60cm+ for tackling the large panels with a pat or drag drying method. A smaller drying towel to do lower seals and bumpers. Not only does this dedicate a drying towel to the potential dirtier areas, stopping the swirls over the rest of the car, but also you are less likely to drag the drying cloth across the floor by accident. Augtoglym InstaDry at around 40cm squared is a previous Auto Express winner, perfect for those more intricate areas and lower parts of your vehicle.
Large drying towels are generally too clumsy to dry off a motorbike, stick with a smaller drying towel such as the UF Ultra-Soft Microfibre Drying Towel Junior. Alternatively look for a hand held blow dryer to blast the water out from all the gaps.
Currently, a waffle weave, such as the Diamond Drying Towelor knotted pile such as the Hayabusa Drying Towel XXL are the most absorbent microfibre towels for their weight, with the knotted versions giving the best swirl protection.
A traditionally accepted method of drying a car after washing is to use a natural chamois leather. Whilst chamois leathers are effective, being a natural product, they are time-consuming to look after and if not properly cared for, have a tendency to rot. Above all, chamois leathers offer little to no protection against scratching and swirling. It would be our advice to ditch the older leather chamois in favour of a new synthetic version or even better, a microfiber towel.
Microfibres with modern manufacturing process offer you advantages in all aspects of drying your car, compared to a synthetic chamois. It is the material preferred amongst all detailers and valeters and the one most likely found in an enthusiast kit. Softer, longer lasting, more absorbent, why would you then choose a synthetic chamois. There is one advantage to a chamois, with no lint to leave behind, that can be especially good at drying glass without any risk of scratching.