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Definitely, you won’t like to be the one to cause scratches to appear on your car’s paint finish. But that’s inevitable if you use the wrong car wash materials. Washing your car regularly is also part of maintenance practices, and you should do that with the right materials.
Unfortunately, one of the neglected car wash materials is the “drying towel.” Some drivers tend to use any cloth or towel to wipe down their vehicles after a wash. Well, if the towel you used isn’t microfiber or chamois, scratches may start to appear on your car’s paint, over time.
Thus, it is important that you get a car drying towel for washing your car regularly. While there are pretty many car drying towels out there, to make things easy for you, this article talks about the best car drying towels to consider for a routine car wash.
Why Do You Need A Car Drying Towel?
There are many ways to dry your car after every wash; however, some of these drying methods are not entirely good as they could leave unsightly spots on your car paint. The many ways to dry your car after a wash include:
- Air drying
- Chamois
- Microfiber towels
- Regular towels
- Sun drying
Out of these various ways to dry your car, the best is using either a chamois or microfiber towel, and here are reasons for that.
Read Also: Can I Use a Regular Towel To Dry My Car?
1. To Avoid Water Spots
Using car drying towels helps you to properly dry your car after washes – ensuring that no water droplet is left on your car’s paint to avoid water spots. If water droplets still sit on your car’s paint after a wash, they could dry up and dent your car’s finish.
2. They Are Super Absorbent
Car drying towels can absorb so much water; so, it is apparent that they’d pick up every droplet on your car’s finish; thus, eliminating chances of water spot appearance after washing your car.
3. Mild On Paints
This is one of the best reasons to go with a good car drying towel (chamois or microfiber). Chamois (Shammys) and microfiber towels have very minimal chances of leaving your car with a scratch when you use them for drying after a wash.
They are made from soft, plushy materials that are mild on car paints. So to say, car drying towels prevent car paint from scratches, swirl marks, and water spot appearance.
Impressed?
Check out the best towels for cleaning your car below!
Best Car Drying Towels To Use For Routine Car Wash
1. Zwipes Auto 879
- Waffle weave pockets create superior absorbency of liquids
- No need for sprays or chemicals
- Extra large size perfectly fits SUVs, RVs, trucks, and boats and cuts regular drying time in half
- Super soft, but durable enough to machine wash and reuse hundreds of times
- Also great for around the house and large spills
To get started with this listicle, the Zwipes Auto 879 towels are a decent option for car owners. The towels are made with microfiber material and are referred to as waffle weave towels. A waffle weave towel is ultra-absorbent and dries quickly.
This means the towels would quickly absorb the remnant water drops that logged in different areas after a car wash. The towels are also large; thus, you can use them for any kind of vehicle, including vans, trucks, and SUVs.
Thanks to the large size, you’d get to dry up your car much faster than you’d do using another car drying towel. Furthermore, the price of this towel makes it an ideal option for every car owner.
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Main Features
- Very large and comfy
- Made with waffle weave material
- Comes in a pack with 2x microfiber towels (waffle weave) inside
- Machine washable
Pros
- Extremely lightweight
- Inexpensive pack of towels
- Good absorbency
- Usable on all kinds of vehicles
Cons:
- The edges and tag are a bit rough, and can scratch your paint
- It does leave some streaks
2. Griot Garage 55590 PFM Terry Weave Drying Towel
- Become a drying superhero with the most absorbent towel you'll ever use. It's so absorbent, it will pull rain from the clouds.
- Unique terry weave microfiber produces magnitudes more surface area for absorption
- Long, looped microfiber terry weave holds as much as 5 lbs. of water
- Double-lined adding even more area to trap water
- Radiuses, satin edges to prevent scratching
The car drying towel from Griot Garage performs very well in cleaning out water drops after a car wash. It is quite big, made from microfiber material, and can hold up to 5lbs of water in the weave loops; you’re surely going to finish drying your car much faster using this towel.
In addition to its crazy absorbency, this car drying towel is suitable for use in cleaning any type of car. Practically, just a wipe down with this towel is enough to dry out an entire part of your wet vehicle without leaving any streaks. This is a premium, functional car drying towel.
Main Features:
- Microfiber material
- Big size – covers large areas at once
- Double-lined towel design
Pros:
- This towel can hold large amount of water
- Works for drying all kinds of vehicles
- Functional, lightweight design
Cons:
- It is quite expensive
- The weaves tends to deteriorate quicker than expected
3. Chemical Guys MIC35103
- Ultimate high quality microfiber towel that is safe on all automotive surfaces
The Chemical Guys brand is remarkable for making top-quality auto care gears and formulas. Well, the brand’s car drying towel performs absolutely well. It is a lightweight, microfiber towel suitable for use in drying vans, SUVs, trucks, and other types of cars.
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One good thing about this towel is that it comes in a pack of 3 – meaning that you’re getting 3 towels at a decent price. This towel absorbs pretty well and it’s edgeless, which means you can use part of it to clean your car without fear of scratching your paint.
Main Features
- Edgeless design to eliminate chances of scratches
- Made from microfiber material
- Big size to cover large areas
Pros:
- Good price
- Soft and highly absorbent
- Lightweight and works fine on various cars
Cons:
- The adhesive tags would give you tough times
4. Kirkland Signature Premium Microfiber Towels
- Thick and absorbent, use dry or wet - large 16" X 16" size
- 80% polyester - 20% polyamide for better absorbency
- For a streak-free, lint-free, scratch-free finish and polish
- Cleans without chemicals
- Absorbs higher amounts of water than other cloths and towels - Removes wax dust
Here’s a pack of 36 microfiber towels offered at a very good price. The Kirkland Signature towels are pretty soft, easy to use, and work very great for the purpose. Yes, they’d clean out the droplets left on your car after every wash without leaving a streak or scratch.
The towels are machine washable, but you could still wash them manually. Furthermore, even when used to clean the car windows after a wash, these towels leave no lint on the glasses. You could also use this towel for detailing and be sure to get a good result.
Main Features:
- Lightweight, functional design
- Ultra-high-pile microfiber towels
- The material is 80% Polyester and 20% Polymide
- 16-inch square
Pros:
- Cleans perfectly without chemicals
- Plushy, comfortable to use
- Suitable for washing, waxing and detailing
- Up to 36 towels in the pack
Cons:
- The edges curl after washing the towels
- It’s more expensive on Amazon than other stores
5. Meguiar’s X2000 Drying Towel
- REDUCED DRYING TIME: This means less wring-outs and better absorbency
- BEST IN CLASS: Absorbs up to two times the water of traditional terry towels
- NO STREAKS: Leaves a spot-free finish without streaking
- REUSABLE: High-quality means you can use again and again (machine washable)
- LARGE SIZE: 22” X 30” waffle weave texture microfiber towel
Meguiar’s is a notable auto care brand with many products to its name. This microfiber car drying towel from the brand meets up the demands. It doesn’t leave streaks or spots after being used to clean a wet car. The towel is light, soft, and the size is quite okay for a drying towel.
Interestingly, this towel seems to outperform terry towels in terms of absorbency, and you can use it on any car, regardless of the finish. It’s also good on glasses and every surface of a car.
Main Features
- 22-inch x 30-inch waffle texture
- Microfiber material
- Plushy design
Pros:
- Very soft and comfortable to use
- The size is big enough to cover a large area
- Good price
Cons:
- It is quite too thin and doesn’t really absorb much water
6. S&T INC. 923801 Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
- One 100 pack of S&T INC. Microfiber towels cleaning measuring 11.5 inches by 11.5 inches
- Ultra-soft, lint free microfiber cleaning cloths are ideal for cleaning any surface from wood, to mirror and other glass surfaces, to tile and more
- Add these microfiber towels to your household cleaning supplies for use as reusable kitchen towels, TV screen cloths, and more; try in place of wipes or a disposable dusting cloth on your mops for floor cleaning
- Small microfiber cleaning cloths are machine washable and durable making them a great paper towel alternative
- Super absorbent cleaning towel can be used dry or with your favorite cleaner or dusting spray to clean, soak up spills and messes; also great for a dog paw cleaner
S&T INC. microfiber cleaning cloths are available in packs; you could purchase the 12 pack option, 25 pack option, or 100 pack option. The towels are not so big; however, due to the small size, they can easily get into corners and dry your car properly after a wash.
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Interestingly, each of the packs includes microfiber towels of different colors (blue, red, orange, green, and yellow). The different colors can help you assign the towels for different jobs; one for cleaner, another for waxing, and so on.
Main Features
- The towels are 88% polyester and 12% polyamide fiber
- 200 GSM weave
- Up to five beautiful colors
Pros:
- Due to the small size, these towels can easily get into corner
- The colors makes function the assignment easier
- The various packs are available at a good price
Cos:
- The towels are thin, and as such, they wear easily
7. Viking Waffle Weave Drying Towel
- Absorbs 3 times its weight in water
- Softer and more absorbent than cotton
- Micro-bead action leaves no streaks or water spots
- Lint-free & Clear-coat safe
- Washable & reusable
Here’s a reusable car drying towel from the notable Viking brand. This towel is practically one of the best to use, and it’s inexpensive too. The towel is best for drying your car after a wash; notwithstanding, it’s also a good cloth to use for waxing and detailing.
The Viking waffle weave drying towel is just one piece – doesn’t come in packs – and it absorbs pretty well. You should be careful of the edges because they are a bit roughly designed.
Main Features:
- Micro-bead action for streak-less drying
- Lint-free and clear-coat safe
- Microfiber material
Pros:
- This towel is hand and machine washable
- It absorbs pretty well
- Good for the price
- Sizeable
Cons:
- Snags on everything
- Only one color available
8. Amazon Basics Drying Chamois
- Fast and easy absorption for any liquid
- Chemical resistant - Leaves lint and streak free results
- Machine washable - Reuse 100's of times
- Dimensions: 26" x 17"
- Synthetic
The Amazon Basics drying chamois is a great buy for the price. It is a pack of 2 drying chamois that performs absolutely great when waxing and cleaning the car. You can use this chamois on any vehicle; thanks to the big size, you’d get to dry off your vehicle much faster.
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Furthermore, this chamois can absorb any kind of liquid, literally, and it doesn’t leave a single lint on your car. You should really check this out if you want a car drying towel that performs pretty well and lasts longer.
Main Features:
- Made from 100% synthetic fabric
- 26-inch x 17-inch, 2 pack chamois
- Material is machine washable
Pros:
- You’re getting 2 chamois for the price of one
- Absorbs pretty well
- Soft, plushy, and lightweight
- Doesn’t leave lints and streaks
Cons:
- It’s a bit difficult drying off a wet car with chamois (compared with microfiber)
9. Mothers Professional-Grade Microfiber Towels
- Each microfiber towel is 16"x16", 400 gsm (grams per square meter) / 80% Polyester, 20% Polyamide
- Use long-nap side for buffing, trapping and holding dirt away from your paint
- Use short-nap side for removing waxes and polishes from paint surfaces
- Lint-free and clear coat-safe - will not harm surfaces
- Tear-away tags and edgeless corners
Going on with our listicle, here’s another impressive drying towel to check out. It’s from the Mothers’ brand and has gained so many positive reviews on Amazon. This microfiber towel is quite big, yet lightweight, and easy to use in drying off wet car surfaces (including the glasses).
Interestingly, this particular package reviewed here is a pack of 12 microfiber towels; so, you’d be assigning different towels to different car detailing tasks.
But since they’re all the same color, that could give you a tough time to decipher which towel is for car detailing, and which is for washing.
Main Features:
- Squared 16-inch towels, 400 gsm (grams per square meter)
- Made from 80% Polyester and 20% Polyamide
- Removable tags and edgeless corners
Pros:
- There are up to 12 towels in the pack
- The towels has long-nap and short-nap sides, which can serve different purposes.
- Nice plush and thick
Cons:
- Some Amazon users alleged it left swirls on their car paint
- Available in only one color
10. Best Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
- BUY IN BULK & SAVE - 50 INDVIDUAL UNITS IN 5 DIFFERENT COLORS - 10 of Each: Green, Yellow, Blue, White, and Orange. Twice as many as the leading competitor Zwipes
- SCRATCH RESISTANT TECHNOLOGY - Will not scratch Paints, Coats, Glass, or any surface! Gentle enough to be used as a washcloth for your hands and face.
- HIGHLY ABSORBANT - QUICK-DRY DESIGN - No Streaks and Lint Free! Clean Dirt & Debris without any harmful chemicals. Absorbs up to 8 it's own weight!
- Washing Machine Friendly - Can be reused Hundreds of times! Rinse and Reuse - Saving You Even More Money!
For a price below 20 bucks, you’d get this pack of 50 microfiber car drying cloths. Asides from the number, Best’s microfiber towels are really good and they perform a good job in drying off water droplets after a car wash. They can also be used for other special purposes.
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This pack of 50 towels comprises microfiber cloths of different colors (white, blue, green, yellow, and orange), and that’s pretty impressive. More, the towels – though not too big – are sizable and get easily get into corners for a perfect drying session.
Main Features
- 13 x 7 x 9 inches towels
- Made from microfiber materials
- Machine washable
Pros:
- You’re getting up to 50 towels at a very cheap price
- The towels can be used for other functions
- Differently colored towels
Cons:
- They’re thin and tend to shrink after several washes
How to Choose a Car Drying Towel
So, what are the things you should look out for when buying a car drying towel for your vehicle? Below are the factors we considered to create this list of the best car drying towels in the market right now.
1. Material
It is very important that you consider the material of the towel you’re buying. Apparently, for drying your car after washes – or detailing – you need a chamois or microfiber towel.
Any other type of cloth (material) outside these two would most definitely leave streaks, and over time, cause swirl marks to appear on your car paint.
2. Brand/Manufacturer
Of course, the brand/manufacturer should be considered when going for the “best” quality in the market. There are brands notable for producing only quality auto care gears, check them out first.
3. How Are The Towels Made
Another thing to look out for is how the drying towel is made; mostly, they are a blend of synthetic, polyester, and polyamide. If the towel is fully cotton, you should look for another one because cotton materials typically leave lint.
You may also want to consider the thickness of the towels; thicker towels would typically hold more water than lighter ones. The thickness is measured in GSM.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. What’s the Best car Drying Towel?
There are many good microfiber towels you could use to dry your vehicle after washes. However, while all we’ve listed here are really good, the Chemical Guys MIC35103 towels are our selected best from this article.
2. Can You Use Regular Towels To Dry Your Car?
It’s not advisable, but you can use regular towels to dry your car. However, it is important to note that using regular towels may scratch your paint, or leave visible swirl marks after drying.
3. Which Is Best: Microfiber or Chamois?
Both are good, but microfiber cleans much faster than chamois. In contrast, chamois is typically cheaper in price.