I'm not really sure what the difference is. do you use one over the other? or both for different jobs?

 

microfiber microfiber microfiber

 

Terry cloth can often be coarse and can add micro-marring or swirls to your paint. Microfiber is pretty much the standard in the auto detailing industry. Keep in mind, just because a towel is microfiber, doesn't mean its good. There is various quality differences say between microfiber found at Walmart and microfiber we carry at Detailed Image. Different types of microfiber towels are better at different tasks. If you need a hand selecting any towels, please do not hesitate to ask.

George

 

Aside from quality and brand are there different types of MF towels? For instance is an MF towel used for cleaning different from one used for drying, or one for polishing or one for cleaning off clay residue? I've been reading a lot of good things about the MF towels people here have bought from costco/sams; but is it true that some car product companies (cobra, maguirs, etc) make lower quality products to be sold in bulk by places like costco/sams?

 

Different towels are meant for different things, for example, a waffle weave microfiber towel is super absorbent and is perfect for drying. A plusher towel is safer than a low nap towel when quick detailing to remove a light dusting so you can pull dust and debris away from the surface minimizing scratching. When giving your glass a final wipe down, I prefer a very thin nap towel to ensure no streaking is left behind. For product removal or applying interior dressings, I prefer a medium nap microfiber towel.

I'm 99% sure that none of the companies you mentioned make any microfiber towels. They buy from microfiber distributors primarily from Korea, China, etc. I'm sure there is overlap in the manufacturers and various detailing companies.

The biggest problem I've seen with the real cheap towels is the bindings can often be nylon, or some other coarse material, which can lead to swirls and scratches in your paint. Also the durability and number of times you can wash certain towels varies greatly. Lots of things to consider when picking out microfiber for your needs.

George

 

I've read some people prefer 100% cotton to the 80/20 and 70/30 combinations. (i think they were referring to any and all jobs.. washing, drying, waxing, polishing, etc.)
Is it a matter of preference or is one more prone to scratching? I've been looking at some car shops and other places lately and ive found pretty much exclusively 70/30 microfibers and the occasional 100% cotton towel. I dont really know how to distinguish a "cheap" towel from a "high quality" towel aside from how much they actually cost.

For example, today at one of the stores i went to i saw a waffle weave drying towel that i think was 30"/25" that cost about $10.. but all the ones i see online (detailedimage and autogeek) are $20+. Does price necessarily indicate quality?

I know someone will probably post something like "well, you spend $45k on your car but cant spend the extra $10 on a towel?"

If the more expensive towels are of decidedly better quality and will more than likely reduce the chances of scratching than a cheaper counterpart then I will be more than willing to pay the extra amount but if i can get the same outcome with a cheaper product, why not?

 

I was never impressed with 100% cotton towels compared to a quality microfiber towel. The blend of the towel isn't a deciding factor for me either, some of our towels are 80/20 some are 70/30.

Price doesn't necessarily indicate quality every time. I've been sent some samples of expensive towels that I wasn't too impressed with. For a drying towel, I look for quality bindings, ours are silk edges. Cheap bindings (edges) can easily add scratches and swirls to your paint. The biggest difference between waffle weave towels is how absorbent they are and how durable they are. This you cannot usually determine just by looking at or feeling the towel. Our towels are very absorbent and stay fresh wash after wash. If a towel that costs $10 lasts for 30 washes and the $20 towel lasts for 100 washes, it's worth it to get the better towel. With any product, when used correctly, you'll probably be pleased with the results. Even a cheaper towel with crappy bindings and tags, you can remove the tags and fold the towel so that you only have the waffle weave part showing, then gently blot dry with the towel. You probably won't add a scratch, but you have to be a lot more careful on how you use the towel. The other test is going to be durability. I can assure you that our towels outlast other towels I've tested in terms of freshness and how absorbent they remain.

Good questions!

George