Differences Between Microfiber cloths and towels

[lovenhim]

Good morning everyone. I have been working on learning more about detailing as a hobby. I did not realize the there was such a vast choice of items for detailing a vehicle, even on a hobby or do it yourself level. I thought that I was using microfiber towels and drying clothes that were just fine or "good enough. You know the type, those general purpose bags of say 36 microfiber cloths and $5 or less microfiber drying towels you get from Wally's World? That is what I have and have been using on our car. Family knew I enjoyed washing our car so that stuff was part of Christmas and birthday gifts.
I am learning that there are better cloths out there and the choices are vast. Different cloths for different jobs and such. What are the differences between the general purpose 80% polyester/20% nylon bag of microfiber cloths that I have and a quality cloth? How do you know which cloths to use for what purpose?

[Coopers ST]

The towels you have are still a needed part of detailing. I use them for interior work. When they get really dirty even after washing they go down a level to door jambs and wheels, then down another level to engine bay and tires, then trash.
Paint safe towels are different, most of my paint safe towels are more plush. How do I know they are better? I don't really. I just think it I guess.

something else to know, especially when you get some nice towels. Washing them. Do you wash your microfiber towels with just microfiber? They shouldn't be washed with regular laundry, or cotton. Also no fabric softener or dryer sheets.

[lovenhim]

You do have some great advice here. To make it easier on me I could have ziplock bags for the various cloths and label the bag. Interior, tires and trim, etc. I do wash all the car stuff together. This might not be the right way but drying towel, my cheap microfiber cloths, wash mitt, any foam wax applicator, etc. It goes in the washer on warm or hot with cold rinse. I use whatever laundry soap we have on hand and whatever was bought by the family. Could be a bag of powder or a liquid. I do not use bleach, no fabric softener, and no dryer sheet. The stuff I have is Wally's World grade. You know those blue $3-$5 microfiber-ish wash mitts. I want to make sure I do this right so in the future I can do a better job to help any cloths last longer and help avoid the swirls that our car has now.

[FUNX650]

As to towel vs. cloth; IMO:
-Unless you’re talking about doing
the dishes; taking a shower; or, per-
haps, their overall size/measurement...
then, IMO, the difference between saying
MF-towels/cloths just boils down to the
triviality of semantics.

{Just don’t call them microfiber rags!!! :rant: }




...a quality cloth?

As to what constitutes quality MF-towels...
the ones I use must meet, at least, the
following criteria:
•Korean sourced split-microfiber
•Greater than 250 GSM
•Edgeless
•Touch Test:
-do they “Grab and Hold” (the hand’s
blemishes/imperfections)?
•Water Test:
-do they suck water up like a vacuum;
or, do they push the water away?
•Stretch Test:
-can you see daylight through them
when you try to pull them apart?

*It’s a glorious day (for both the Vendors and,
myself) whenever I come upon such MF-towels.


Bob

[andy0902]

I don't know much as I am a total amateur, but I do know that whatever touches my paint must be of high quality. I have learned the hard way that cheap microfiber towels induce swirls and scratches that I must then polish out. When washing, there is the lubrication from the soap, there isn't any when drying. I use these:

Cobra Guzzler HD Waffle Weave Drying Towel,Guzzler HD,Cobra Drying Towel,Microfiber towel,Microfiber Drying towel,car drying towel (https://www.autogeek.net/cobra-guzzler-hd-towel.html)

And these:

Big Blue Microfiber Drying Towel, 26 x 18 inches (https://www.autogeek.net/large-microfiber-drying-towel.html)

I am careful about my drying technique and I think this has helped a lot.

[PaulMys]

As to towel vs. cloth; IMO:
-Unless you’re talking about doing
the dishes; taking a shower; or, per-
haps, their overall size/measurement...
then, IMO, the difference between saying
MF-towels/cloths just boils down to the
triviality of semantics.

{Just don’t call them microfiber rags!!! :rant: }



As to what constitutes quality MF-towels...
the ones I use must meet, at least, the
following criteria:
•Korean sourced split-microfiber
•Greater than 250 GSM
•Edgeless
•Touch Test:
-do they “Grab and Hold” (the hand’s
blemishes/imperfections)?
•Water Test:
-do they suck water up like a vacuum;
or, do they push the water away?
•Stretch Test:
-can you see daylight through them
when you try to pull them apart?

*It’s a glorious day (for both the Vendors and,
myself) whenever I come upon such MF-towels.


Bob

Translation for us laymen:

Bob loves quality MF towels, and just may have problems with his hands..............

[Route246]

translation for us laymen:

Bob loves quality mf towels, and just may have problems with his hands..............

lol

[Eldorado2k]

To make it easier on me I could have ziplock bags for the various cloths and label the bag. Interior, tires and trim, etc.

That’s what I do, except I don’t have to label them, I can tell which ones they are just by looking at them.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180811/add107301714eb75c07cb7a59a4ec9d7.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180811/8f209986f27e6b09d14e2d3c6b289e89.jpg

[Finick]

Translation for us laymen:

Bob loves quality MF towels, and just may have problems with his hands..............

I’ll tell you.. my skin crawls when I rub my hand across a closed loop towel.

My hands are so calloused from training it almost feels like it would just stick to my hand.

I should sit on the boardwalk in OC and do that for people. I could be the next David Blaine or something [emoji57].

To the OP: My definition of a quality towel is just one that doesn’t scratch my paint (I’ve never had a towel do this, fwiw.)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rmd]

The semantics of Cloths vs Towels might depend on which side of the pond you are on. In the UK they are cloths. On this forum they are usually towels.