Just wondering which is better for drying after washing your vehicle. I have used chamois for years but I've been hearing that microfiber is safer for the paint.

 

it is much safer. best drying method is to sheet water off with the hose, then blow excess off with a blower, then blot dry with a high quality micro fiber.

A Chamois has no nap, so if there is any dirt, dust or other crap left on the paint for any reason, you run the risk of inducing scratches/swirls/micro marring.

 

I personally prefer a microfiber drying towel to a chamois because they are more effective and safer on your vehicle's delicate paint.

The most absorbent drying towels that we carry are the Waffle Weave Guzzler Microfiber Drying Towels from Cobra. They come in a variety of sizes from 16"x24", 20"x40" and 28"x44". The Guzzler towels are super absorbent, paint safe, and have a super soft satin edge.

To clean and maintain your microfiber products it is best to use a detergent concentrate that is specifically designed to clean and condition delicate microfiber products, such as Pinnacle Micro Rejuvenator. It is highly concentrated with no harsh chemical smell and it's free of dyes and perfumes.

 

Aside from the 'which is safer' argument theres also the longevity aspect to consider. A genuine oil impregnated chamois is great for drying, but has a short life span... with each use the material gets progressively harder and less absorbent until it needs to be replaced.

With proper care a microfiber drying towel will last you almost indefinitely.

In the end anytime you are going to touch your finish the risk of damage exists. Using a pooling or sheeting rinse technique and forced air to get rid of as much water as you can before taking a towel to the paint is probably the most important thing to think about.

 

I finally splurged last week and purchased some of your drying towels to use instead of my normal cotton towels -- however I got the big purple ones, not the waffle weave. Out of curiosity, do you recommend washing new microfibers one time before using them, or should they be ready to go right out of the box?

 

New microfiber generally will be safe to use right out of the box, although you might experience some linting as there is often times remnants of the manufacturing process still in the towel.

Also consider how they were shipped... some packing materials can leave fibers in a towel that you may not want to rub into your finish. In a better safe than sorry scenario I recommend washing, although its not necessarily required.

 

Over the past 50 years, I have used just about every towel known to man handed to me at every car show to try....My cars paints have included lacquer, enamels, & urathanes...
, colors included candies, pearls, blacks & blues are my favorite- what i can say is I have never seen any syn. towel that absorbs as much water, leaves few if any swirl marks as 100% cotton flat fold diapers- period! The paint typically looks like it has just been buffed each time you finish drying! They are a fraction of the price, because they are white you can also esily see any contaminent that is stuck to the towel, etc. You can get them at any Walmart, Babies R Us, etc....