A Comprehensive Guide to Microfiber Towels for Cars
Posted by Admin at 14 October 2024, at 17 : 45 PM
Are you looking for the best microfiber towels for your car? These cloths are the best friend of auto detailers and the essential tool for every cleaning process.
Nevertheless, not all microfiber cloths are created equal. Therefore, car owners should find ones specifically designed for car detailing.
The following guide will introduce you to everything you need to know about these towels.
What is microfiber?
It is a material used for car detailing with single fibers finer than one denier, which is approximate to a strand of silk. The largest part of cloths used in the automotive industries consists of microfibers that range between 0.1 and 0.3 deniers. They are a combination of a polyester blend and polyamide, also known as nylon. The former accounts for most of the structure, whereas the latter is added for better density and absorption.
Typical blends are 70:30 and 80:20, referring to polyester and polyamide, respectively. In the course of the manufacturing process, single fibers are split in order to become fine and are later woven into different constructions. The most common constructions involve twisted loops, closed-loop, and waffles. Each of them has different attributes that make them ideal for the performance of specific tasks.
How do these cloths clean and dry cars?
Apart from being used with different cleaning products, microfiber cloths have drying and cleaning abilities on their own, owing to their weight and weave construction. The fibers resemble tiny hooks, which pick up moisture and dirt instead of pushing it around. Each microfiber strand contains a cross-section that resembles an asterixis, which can lift fine particles within the strand.
Consequently, when such fibers are run across a dry or wet surface, they will pick up water molecules or fine particles and hold on to them. Hence, dry dusting is very effective when using microfiber towels compared to cotton cloths. Unlike cotton, microfiber holds onto dust without spreading it across the surface.
Another reason why this fabric is so effective for dry dusting is the positive static charge, which is installed during the process of splitting. Hence, these fibers are capable of attracting and holding onto negatively charged dust.
What is the meaning of GSM?
When looking at microfiber towels for cars, individuals are likely to come across the term GSM, referring to grams per square meter. This term describes the density or dry weight of microfiber cloths. In general, the higher the GSM, the more absorbing and softer a cloth is. Conversely, lower GSM numbers indicate lower levels of absorbency and are better suited for heavier cleaning tasks.
When it comes to the automotive use of microfiber towels, you shouldn’t purchase cloths whose GSM is lower than 250. The density of these cloths plays a crucial role in the number of washes they can withstand. The higher the GSM, the more durable these towels are. They can be washed in the washing machine without fraying or degrading. Cloths of high quality are expected to endure about 500 washes.
Does the pattern make any difference?
When choosing microfiber towels for car detailing, you should definitely consider the type of weave. The pattern has a significant impact on selecting the best cloth for a given task. For instance, short-pile cloths are considered the best for the removal of debris and deep cleaning. In contrast, deep-pile towels tend to be more absorbent and softer, which makes them excellent for dry dusting of sensitive surfaces.
Twisted-loop weaves with ultra-deep weaves bundled together are designed for increased absorption. Conversely, tweed and waffle patterns are perfect for soaking up spray products. These kinds of weaves are also special because of the physical pockets they have between the weave, enabling them to store large debris pieces during the cleaning process.
How to prolong the life of your microfiber towels?
Another thing to consider when choosing microfiber cloths for your car is the way in which you should care for them. Proper care is indispensable for making these towels last longer. Only towels of high quality can be hand or machine washed at a cool temperature in order to prevent synthetic fibers from melting and sticking together. If washed at hot temperatures, these cloths will become scratchy and sharp, hence unusable.
Therefore, the washing temperature should be under thirty degrees. The only scenarios where the washing and reusing rule shouldn’t be applied are when microfiber towels are used with ceramic coating or glue removers. In such cases, the wisest idea would be to throw the cloths away in order to prevent causing damage during your next detailing.
Additionally, fabric softeners aren’t supposed to be used, as they leave a coating on fabrics. This coating actually prevents the fibers from working their magic. Make sure not to use fabric softeners when washing these cloths.
Regarding the use of detergents, powdered detergents aren’t supposed to be used because of leaving powder particles behind. These particles are sharp enough to scratch sensitive surfaces, like your car’s exterior. There are special liquid detergents designed to break down both grime and the residues from car detailing products.
Uses
Car owners stand to gain a lot from using microfiber towels, given their many uses. These cloths are ideal for polishing your car windows without getting the fabric wet. They are also effective in removing dirt marks from auto surfaces just by wetting the fabric slightly. You can clean any stubborn mess without worrying about chipping off the paint.
Another use of these cloths is for buffing out the wax, as they are made up of polyester and nylon. The electrostatic properties help in removing more wax and speeding up the waxing process. Conversely, normal cleaning cloths tend to push out wax and make more mess.
The bottom line
This fabric is definitely the best choice for auto care!