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Best Microfiber Towels for Cars

Updated June 2022
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Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
CarCarez Premium Microfiber Towels
CarCarez
Premium Microfiber Towels
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Most Comprehensive
Bottom Line

A large, plush microfiber towel that will buff your car in no time.

Pros

Thick towel measures 16x16 inches and highlights dirt so you know when to flip it. Professional-grade material made with 450 gsm microfiber for maximum softness. Towel has no seams, tags, or edges to prevent streaking and scratching.

Cons

Some users commented that the towels were too large to handle fine details properly.

Best Bang for the Buck
Chemical Guys Workhorse Professional Grade Microfibre Towel
Chemical Guys
Workhorse Professional Grade Microfibre Towel
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Bargain Buy
Bottom Line

A stellar value for such a quality microfiber towel.

Pros

This versatile towel is perfect for drying, cleaning, wiping, and buffing exterior paint. The lint-free fabric is industrial grade and 100-percent machine washable. Different towels are color-coded for various parts of your car.

Cons

The seams at the corner of each towel may fray over time.

Adam's Polishes Adam's Single Soft Microfiber Towel
Adam's Polishes
Adam's Single Soft Microfiber Towel
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Light-Duty
Bottom Line

A super soft towel for detailing delicate surfaces.

Pros

High-grade premium fabric is designed to buff away polishes, clear car wax, and remove swirls with ease. Very soft and comfortable to use. Measures 8x10 inches for easy use in heavily-contoured areas like mirrors, bumpers, and side skirts.

Cons

Somewhat expensive for a single towel.

S & T Bulk Microfiber Kitchen
S & T
Bulk Microfiber Kitchen
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Long-Lasting Set
Bottom Line

A huge pack of high-end towels at a great price.

Pros

50 pack includes five colors with 10 towels each, with each measuring 11.5x11.5 inches. Towels are made from 88 percent polyester and 12 percent polyamide and are 100 percent machine washable. Designed to be lint and streak free.

Cons

Absorbent material is thin, can wear down over time.

Sinland 720gsm Ultra Thick Plush Microfiber Car Cleaning Towels
Sinland
720gsm Ultra Thick Plush Microfiber Car Cleaning Towels
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Heavy-Duty
Bottom Line

These towels are extremely thick and luxurious, making them perfect for buffing.

Pros

Sinland’s microfiber towels are made with 720gsm material, making them heavier, thicker, and more plush. This design is optimized for buffing, polishing, and removing wax. The amount of material also increases their absorbency, which is fantastic for drying wet surfaces.

Cons

These towels can produce lint and streaks in some cases.

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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Buying guide for best microfiber towels for cars

If you own a vehicle, part of protecting your investment is maintaining its exterior. Making the finish, wheels, and trim gleam requires regular washing, drying, waxing, and polishing. But you can't use just any old rag without risking minor surface damage. That's why you need microfiber towels to make your prized possession look its best.

These special cloths are made from minute strands of synthetic materials that are extremely soft, making them suitable for countless automotive cleaning purposes. They’re also designed to keep dirt contained deep in the fibers, which protects against minute scratches while you work. In fact, many automotive professionals and car enthusiasts agree that no other type of cloth should be used for cleaning a vehicle’s exterior.

There's no doubt that microfiber towels for cars are a must-have, but how do you know which ones to choose? The best towels will be soft and supple, yet durable enough to last for multiple tasks. We've found some options that fit that criteria for you to consider, and compiled the detailed guide below to help you decide which microfiber towels are best for your car-cleaning needs.

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Microfiber towels for cars can hold several times their weight in water, yet they are easy to wring out when wet.

Considerations

What is microfiber?

Microfiber is a small, thin synthetic fiber that can be made from different materials including polyamide, nylon, and polyester. A material that can be classified as microfiber is constructed of thousands of these tiny fibers. Because they are so small, it takes many of them to make a single cloth.

Although not all microfiber has the same texture, those that are made for cleaning and polishing scratch-prone surfaces are made to be extremely soft and gentle. It’s the combination of the small-size fibers and their density that gives microfiber towels for cars their plush velvet-like texture.

Why should I use microfiber towels on my car?

If you’ve ever washed and waxed a car, you know that it can be challenging to find the perfect items to accomplish these tasks and protect your vehicle’s finish at the same time. Rags made of cotton tend to push water around, plus they can feel somewhat stiff or harsh, especially after repeated use. Sponges are absorbent but aren’t very useful for drying or polishing purposes. Once you use microfiber towels on your car, chances are they will become essential for all your automobile beautifying purposes. Here are some of the benefits they offer:

  • Softness: When you open a pack of microfiber towels for cars, the first thing you’ll notice is how soft they are. This plushy texture protects against surface scratches.

  • Versatile: Not just great for your car’s exterior, microfiber towels are just as handy when it comes to cleaning and wiping down interior components like dashboards, steering wheels, and seats.

  • Absorbent: The countless fibers in each towel quickly soak up water, making cleaning and drying tasks more efficient.

  • Protective: Basic rags and standard towels aren’t very thick, and particles have the tendency to remain on the surface. This can lead to small scratches that dull a vehicle’s finish. Because microfiber is soft and dense, it acts as a trap for small dirt and debris, which in turn can minimize the likelihood that these particles will cause hairline scratches. In addition, the soft material prevents swirls and streaks when washing and waxing your car.

  • Affordable: Microfiber towels for cars aren’t an expensive investment. You can even find them in bulk or multipacks for added value.

  • Reusable: Quality microfiber towels for cars are made to last for several uses. They can be washed by hand or in the washing machine to keep them fresh time after time.

Uses of microfiber towels for cars

The soft, absorbent quality of microfiber towels makes them perfect for washing a vehicle’s painted surfaces. But they come in handy for many more car-care tasks:

  • Applying and removing car wax, cleaners, polishes, and protective solutions

  • Whisking away dust

  • Polishing chrome

  • Scrubbing wheels and tires

  • Cleaning windows and mirrors

  • Wiping down dashboards

  • Removing stains from upholstery and carpet

  • Buffing leather

  • Drying a vehicle’s exterior

  • Detailing every aspect of your prized automobile

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Did you know?
A single microfiber thread is less than 10 micrometers in diameter, which is thinner than a single human hair.
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Features

GSM

GSM (or grams per square meter) is a measurement of density of a fabric based on the number of fibers it contains. High-quality microfiber towels will have higher GSM. They will also be softer and more absorbent than those with lower GSM ratings.

Colors

Microfiber towels for cars are available in different colors, but, whether you buy them separately or in multipacks, there is a practical purpose to the multicolored hues. By color-coding your towels to specific tasks, such as blue for waxing, red for drying, and so on, you won’t unintentionally transfer waxes, cleaners, and other automotive solutions where you don’t want them.

Size

Microfiber towels vary in size from brand to brand, and options are available from as small as 8 x 10 inches up to 25 x 36 inches. As a rule of thumb, smaller towels are best suited for washing and waxing, while larger models are easier to use for drying and polishing.

Quantity

Whether you only need a microfiber towel to occasionally detail your vehicle or you wash and wax it on a regular basis, you’ll be able to find the quantity that works for you. You can buy bulk packs with 50 or more towels, multipacks with smaller quantities, or a single towel.

Microfiber towels for cars prices

Inexpensive: Microfiber towels for cars are actually quite affordable, especially when you consider that they can be used repeatedly and for almost countless purposes. In the $5 to $10 range, you’ll find single towels and multipacks consisting of about three to six towels.

Mid-range: For $10 to $16, you’ll find microfiber towels that are quite soft and also available in multipacks. Bulk packs with 25 to 50 towels are also available but may be smaller and not quite as soft as pricier options.

Expensive: When top quality and superior softness are your priorities, you can find them for about $16 to $30. The category includes large, specialty towels by popular brands as well as towels made of durable material that stands up to repeated, frequent usage. Packs with multiple high-quality towels also fall into this price category.

Tips

  • Keep several microfiber towels on hand and designate them for specific uses, such as one for applying wax, one for washing, and one for drying.

  • Prevent microfiber towels from wearing out before their time by keeping them clean and washing them carefully. Avoid using very hot water or bleach in the washing machine. Use a mild detergent or wash your microfiber towels by hand if they simply need to be refreshed and aren’t extremely soiled.

  • Do you spend a lot of time washing, waxing, and detailing your car? If so, investing in a large quantity of microfiber towels is your best bet. Not only will you save money in the long run, but you’ll always have fresh towels when you need one.

  • Don’t forget your vehicle’s trim and accessories. In addition to surfaces with paint and chrome, microfiber towels are just as good for cleaning and polishing bumpers, trim pieces, wheels, sidewalls, stowing racks, and more.

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Some microfiber towels that are made especially for automotive purposes are made without seams and tags. The lack of these two features means there is nothing to come between their soft material and your car’s finish.

FAQ

Q. Do microfiber towels leave behind fibers or lint?

A. Microfiber towels made of quality fibers with durable stitching are not likely to shed or produce lint. However, keep in mind that washing them with other materials can transfer lint to them, so it’s best to wash your microfiber towels with like materials.

Q. Can I put microfiber towels in the dryer?

A. With special care, it’s fine to put microfiber towels in the dryer. However, synthetic fibers like nylon and polyester can break down and wear out when exposed to extremely high temperatures. But if you set your dryer to a low setting, they should come out in good shape.

Q. How will I know when it’s time to throw out my old microfiber car towels and replace them with new ones?

A. Quality microfiber towels will hold up for numerous uses and through repeated washings, but they won’t last forever. When used towels start to feel thin, develop holes or tears, start to lose fibers, or become stained or smelly, it’s time to toss them and purchase new ones.