Microfiber detailing towels

[Cliffy]

Are the microfiber detailing rags they sell in Walmart as good as the ones they sell online?

[_Nick_]

I know some Megs uses a different design with horizontal fibers, but other than that I think most are pretty close. Some have sew'd edges to prevent scratches. I wash them with a bit of vinegar to keep then soft.

[Evan.J]

Are the microfiber detailing rags they sell in Walmart as good as the ones they sell online?

What do you plan on using them for? Interior and cleaning? If you plain on using them for paint then I would recommend something that is thick soft plush and has good weight.


Learn About Microfiber. Microfiber towels & tools are the future of car care detailing! (http://www.autogeek.net/leabmi.html)

There is a link and it explains all about mf towels

[dooyaunastan]

http://www.chemicalguys.com/v/vspfiles/assets/images/mic19011banner1.jpg
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/autogeek_2263_3285144
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-19076222300531_2264_608169
http://ep.yimg.com/ca/I/yhst-19076222300531_2264_4209893

versus...

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/75/11/66/22/0075116622615_500X500.jpg
http://i55.tinypic.com/2qumde0.jpg
http://i886.photobucket.com/albums/ac65/biggestmexi2/51477e7d.jpg




Not quite. The Walmart/Target/over-the-counter microfiber towels are great for the nasty jobs, but I would never ever use them on paint.

[SYMAWD]

No. Something like Arctic Whites from AutoGeek is what you want for paint.

[cleanmycorolla]

Please don't call them rags! ;).

Seriously though OP yes ones online are preferred over OTC.

[BradsDetailing]

The ones they sell at walmart and other stores that are really thin are good for interiors and other hard plastic surfaces.

I would use more plush towels for the paint.

[FLZapped]

Walmart also carries a line that is blue on one side and a tannish/gray on the other. They are really heavy, buff OK, but don't absorb water worth a darn. I use one as a pad under my arm on the center console. It's great for that.

[wanabe detailer]

Rags! :nomore:

[cardaddy]

versus...


Not quite. The Walmart/Target/over-the-counter microfiber towels are great for the nasty jobs, but I would never ever use them on paint.

EXACTLY!!!



Are the microfiber detailing rags they sell in Walmart as good as the ones they sell online?

Well the ones in Walmart I'd say are "rags" compared to everything else. That being said, I think they have a couple now in the $8 range that are decent enough. (I've not seen or used them in person though.)

Funny story;
You will not FREAKING BELIEVE what I had a "well respected" detailer tell me today. Not just well respected, but a guy that does $495 minimum (exterior only) to $2000~$3000, $4000 and up paint correction(s) tell me he never uses anything in the "correction jobs" but bulk pack WalMart rags. (I call them rags, because they sure as hell are not 'towels.)

Says he always uses "virgin towels" from WalMart... Keeps extra bundles around and just throws them away after using. I mentioned that the Eurow 350's are not even 45¢ (which is cheaper than the WalMart crap) but they are much better towels. Then there are the other Costco towels that are dual-nap and actually decent light weight towels (after they are washed).

NOT TO MENTION the conversation was about how impressive some of the new 360's and 400's are that I have for the money. Would make really nice ONR towels, and on some paint they work for light compounding, all sealants, and even some easy to remove liquid waxes. Plus the 400's can even do QD, and some light wipe on walk away LSP's/spray waxes. But you MUST NOT have soft paint with even the very nice 400's unless they are very clean AND you change them often.

I'd rather have the heavyweight 530's I've gotten lately or the extra fluffy 600's or 700's. :dblthumb2:

Anyhow... even with *virgin* cheap towels I just don't see that stuff working.
That honestly has got to be the biggest load of crap I've ever heard! I mean REALLY! http://mail.yimg.com/nq/mc/1_0_0/mesg/tsmileys2/22.gif
I'd swear it was April Fools Day all day long, the way he was going on! http://mail.yimg.com/nq/mc/1_0_0/mesg/tsmileys2/30.gif
He sells himself as a true detailing connoisseur, and as much doesn't even want to work on most daily drivers. (Which I also have no problem with as once you start dealing with people that HAVE the money to spend, they tend to not mind spending it once they understand what they are getting for their money. In other words, if they'll buy a 20 hour detail, it's something that's a lot more fun than 10, 2 hour details.)

I'll need to go spend half a day with the guy and watch what happens... hopefully to see if he is ACTUALLY working himself to death (because he doesn't have the right towel for the job) which would likely be most of the time! (If indeed this travesty is true.)

[Setec Astronomy]

You can find some decent towels at Wal-Mart. They used to have the Micro-Tex Detailing towels that came in a 2-pack for $3 or $4, they aren't too bad but the edges weren't the greatest. I notice both Target and Wal-Mart are selling towels that are something like this Carrand Microfiber MAX Soft Touch Detailing Towel, buffing towel, microfiber towel, micro fiber, detail towels (http://www.autogeek.net/detailing-towel.html) but I haven't tried any of them.

Someone pictured those orange Vrooms, they are ok, and you can use them on paint, I'm not sure I'd use them on soft black paint, but they are a decent towel (or used to be), but again the edge treatment leaves something to be desired (not bad, just not good).

[WRXINXS]

You can find some decent towels at Wal-Mart. They used to have the Micro-Tex Detailing towels that came in a 2-pack for $3 or $4, they aren't too bad but the edges weren't the greatest. I notice both Target and Wal-Mart are selling towels that are something like this Carrand Microfiber MAX Soft Touch Detailing Towel, buffing towel, microfiber towel, micro fiber, detail towels (http://www.autogeek.net/detailing-towel.html) but I haven't tried any of them.

Someone pictured those orange Vrooms, they are ok, and you can use them on paint, I'm not sure I'd use them on soft black paint, but they are a decent towel (or used to be), but again the edge treatment leaves something to be desired (not bad, just not good).

I bought quite a few packs of the detailing 2 packs last week (The yellow ones right?). They actually have open ended microfiber on one side which is a nice change from the all looped that Wal-Mart usually sells.

You are right, the edges are not good and tend to curl up in the dryer ever on low heat (Even more so than the super cheap bulk Wal-Mart microfibers).

I still don't use them on exterior paint, but I use them for door jambs that are already cleaned and polished and underhood paint that is clean and in excellent shape that I don't want to mar.

The bulk ones I use for dirty Jambs/underhood paint etc.


"Says he always uses "virgin towels" from WalMart... Keeps extra bundles around and just throws them away after using. I mentioned that the Eurow 350's are not even 45¢ (which is cheaper than the WalMart crap) but they are much better towels. Then there are the other Costco towels that are dual-nap and actually decent light weight towels (after they are washed)."

Cardaddy, are the Eurow 350 yellows dual nap as well? I was also not aware Costco had another towel better than the Eurows?

[Setec Astronomy]

I bought quite a few packs of the detailing 2 packs last week (The yellow ones right?). They actually have open ended microfiber on one side which is a nice change from the all looped that Wal-Mart usually sells.

They might be yellow this year. I don't remember them curling more than the junk ones, but frequently this stuff changes from year to year (whether it be at Wal-Mart or here at AG). Target used to have some gray Vrooms that were heavier and nicer (and more expensive) than the orange ones but IIRC they blew them all out at the end of the season a few years ago (which is when I got them). Anyway, you can find some decent MF's OTC but most of the time you have to worry about the edging.

[inDetail]

I have used cheaper MF towels from Walmart before just for dirty jobs and interiors. I was surprised at how soft they got when I washed them in MF cleaner and conditioner. Make sure you wash them when you first get them brand new to remove and production residue. With engines tires, and wheel wells I just use good old cotton bath towels my wife kicked down to me. I use a labeling system to make sure my polish, sealant, interior, glass towels stay seperate.

[RMM]

When I read "microfiber detailing rags" I immediately thought of this thread:
http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/auto-detailing-101/50726-how-not-detail-car-especially-bentley.html
:dblthumb2: