Today, almost every car wash and detailing service uses a microfiber towel. But with so many towel choices, it’s hard to find the right one for your business. You have to think about towel GSM, weave, size, application, durability, and so much more.
In this article, we break down this complex topic into easily digestible bits. Learn about professional microfiber towels, their best applications, and the benefits for a car detailing business.
6 Things Professional Car Detailers Really Want in Microfiber Towels
Every car detailer has their favorite microfiber towel. They base their favorites on the following six performance factors.
1. Scratch Free Performance
Microfiber towels are known for their scratch-free performance. But you can further reduce the risk of micro scratches by choosing certain towels.
- Higher GSM Towels: Give you high absorption without requiring extra pressure.
- Plush Texture Towels: Softer surface area means fewer chances of dragging dirt particles.
- Towels with Soft Edge Construction: Soft towels need an equally soft edge design to remain scratch-free.
2. Lint-Free Performance edge
Low-quality microfiber towels constantly shed loose fibers. The solution is to invest in premium microfiber towels from reputable brands. You can also reduce towel linting by taking some precautionary measures.
- Don’t use soft towels on an abrasive surface. It will damage the fibers and increase linting.
- Use flat weave or low-pile towels, which have a lower chance of shedding.
3. High Absorbency
Absorbency is key in the automotive detailing business. Water and soap stains are just as bad as scratched paint. You don’t want customers complaining about a poor paint finish.
Car drying towels, in particular, are only useful if they’re highly absorbent. You can increase towel absorbency by increasing the towel size or GSM (grams per square meter) of the towel.
4. Towel GSM (Grams Per Square Meter)
GSM is a fabric density measurement unit. Just remember, a higher GSM number means the towel is thicker and heavier.
- 200-300 GSM: General Cleaning Towels
- 300-400 GSM: Interior Detailing towels
- 400-600 GSM: Glass Cleaning Towels
- 600+ GSM: Car Drying Towels
Microfiber technology is a game-changer for towels. It gives you higher GSM car towels in a relatively compact size.
5. Durability & Lifespan
With proper care, high-quality microfiber towels should last you a very long time. But with any professional cleaning tool, it depends on your use.
- Longest Lifespan (200+ Wash Cycles): Drying Towels for Paint & Glass Surfaces
- Medium Lifespan (100+ Wash Cycles): Washing Towels with Liquid Detergents
- Shorter Lifespan (50+ Wash Cycles): Car Interior Detailing Towels
- Shortest Lifespan (<25 Wash Cycles): Buffing Towels
- Single Use: Towels Used for Cleaning Grease & Adhesive Residue
Only use warm water, a gentle rinse cycle, and low heat drying for best results. And as always, to avoid fabric softeners and tumble drying.
6. Flexible Towel Sizes
You need different-sized microfiber towels for different detailing applications. Match
- Larger Towels for Drying Application
- Medium Towels for Polishing Applications
- Small Towels for Interior Detailing
- Very Small Towels for Cleaning the Dashboard and Console.
Best Towels for Different Car Detailing Applications
However, professional detailers and businesses should optimize their towel choices. In this section, we share the best microfiber towels for car detailing based on use cases.
1. Washing Cars
Car washing takes place in several steps. Each section of the car requires a different type of microfiber towel. Especially the car interior.
We recommend using a chenille microfiber towel for washing the exterior. Its unique design holds onto the liquid detergent a lot better. When shampooing car seats, we recommend using smaller towels with good absorbency. Lastly, use a scrubbing brush for metal and rubber car parts.
Table 1 – Recommend microfiber towels for different car washing tasks.
| Washing Cars | Recommended Towel |
| Car Body | Chenille Towel or Washing Mitt |
| Car Tyres | Scrubbing Brushes |
| Car Rims | Smaller Terry Towel |
| Car Seats | Small Towel with a Waffle or Terry Weave |
| Car Dashboard | Low-Pile Microfiber Towel |
| Touchscreen | Flat Weave with High GSM |
| Floor Mats | Scrubbing Brushes |
2. Drying Cars
Car drying towels are the easiest to recommend. You need a towel with a soft texture and high GSM for consistent results. A larger towel is best suited for large vehicles.
A high absorbency towel will soak up the maximum amount of water. It ensures that there are no swirl marks or water spots on the car.
Table 2 – Recommend microfiber towels for drying different car surfaces.
| Drying Cars | Recommended Towel |
| Car Body | Large Towel with High GSM and Hemmed Edges |
| Car Interior | Medium Size High GSM Towel |
3. Glass Cleaning
There are several ways you can clean and maintain car windows, windshields, and mirrors. For basic drying, you can use the same high GSM towel that you use for the car body. However, when using glass cleaners and other agents, we recommend a separate towel.
Water spots are more noticeable on glass surfaces, so be extra careful. You want a medium-sized towel that is easy to handle. We recommend a flat weave towel as it has a very low chance of linting.
Table 3 – Recommend microfiber towels for cleaning and drying glass surfaces in a car.
| Glass Cleaning | Recommended Towel |
| Car Windshield | Large Towel with High GSM |
| Car Windows | Medium-Sized Towel with Flat Weave |
| Car Mirrors | Small Pocket-Sized Towel with Flat Weaving |
4. Waxing, Polishing, & Clear Coats
When applying wax, polish, or a clear coat, you have to be very careful. Do this after a car wash, so there is no dirt on the painted surface. We recommend using two separate cleaning towels for this job.
Larger towels are not useful here. Smaller towels give you better control over the car polish process. It ensures that all of the car is evenly coated, and any accidents will be caught easily.
Table 4 – Recommend microfiber towels for applying or removing coatings from the car surface.
| Car Waxing | Recommended Towel |
| Initial Coat | High GSM, Medium Size, and Flawless Finish |
| Buffing Towel | High GSM, Smaller Sizer, and Flawless Finish |
5. Interior Cleaning
The biggest concern in interior cleaning is towel linting and accidental scratches. Unlike traditional cotton towels, microfiber towels won’t leave fibers on your piano black interior. And using the right type of microfiber towel will reduce the risk of scratches.
Interior cleaning towels should ideally be lower GSM. Remember, GSM is also a measure of thickness. You want a thinner towel that is easy to handle and can fit in tight spots.
Table 5 – Recommend microfiber towels for cleaning the different car interior surfaces.
| Car Interior | Recommended Towel |
| Plastic Surfaces | Medium Size Towels with Medium GSM |
| Fabric Surfaces | Low-Lint Towels with High GSM |
| Touchscreens | Flat Weave and High GSM |
| Door Trims | Disposable Microfiber Cloths |
| Floor Areas | Disposable Microfiber Cloths |
6. Wheels & Rims
Generally speaking, you don’t need microfiber towels for cleaning car wheels, rims, and lower panels. But you can use towels for drying tasks and scrubbing between the rim corners. Even in those rare cases, you don’t need premium towels.
We recommend using general cleaning towels for washing and drying car wheels.
Table 6 – Recommend microfiber towels for cleaning and drying car tyres & rims.
| Car Wheels | Recommended Towel |
| Car Tyres | Scrubbing Brushes |
| Car Rims | Small Low GSM Towels |
| Bumpers & Trims | Medium Size and Medium GSM Towels |
| Drying Tasks | Medium Size and High GSM Towels |
4 Essential Microfiber Towels for Your Car Detailing Business
New businesses and car detailers should stick to a few towel options. Then, as your business grows, you can invest in more towel variants and expand your product lineup.
Here are four essential microfiber towels that every automotive business should carry.
1. General Cleaning Towels
A general or all-purpose cleaning towel can be used for any task. We recommend these towels for quick cleaning jobs, interior detailing, and dry dusting. This is a value product line. Meaning it has to deliver the best performance for the price.
| General Car Cleaning Towel Recommendation | ||||
| Towel Size | Blend | Weave | GSM | Edge |
| 16×16 inches | 80/20 | Terry Cloth | 300-400 | Overlocked |
2. Twisted Loop Drying Towels
Every towel supplier needs to have a dedicated car drying towel. A large towel with high GSM weight and soft edges. This product falls under the premium microfiber towel category. You can sell this item for more, but it also needs to live up to customer expectations.
| Drying Towel Recommendation | ||||
| Towel Size | Blend | Weave | GSM | Edge |
| 24×24 inches | 70/30 | Terry Cloth | 600+ | Hemmed |
3. Lint-Free Microfiber Cloths
Next, you need a high-performance microfiber cleaning cloth for delicate surfaces. This towel needs to deliver a lint and streak-free finish. This towel is designed for interior use, but it can also double as a glass cleaning towel.
| Lint-Free Car Cleaning Towel Recommendation | ||||
| Towel Size | Blend | Weave | GSM | Edge |
| 12×12 inches | 70/30 | Suede/Flat | 300-400 | Edgeless |
4. Edgeless Polishing Towels
The last thing that every car detailer needs is a polishing/buffing towel. This is another premium microfiber option that is designed for scratch-free performance. This towel’s main selling point is its soft surface and an easy-to-handle size.
| Buffing & Polishing Towel Recommendation | ||||
| Towel Size | Blend | Weave | GSM | Edge |
| 16×16 inches | 80/20 | Pearl Weave | 400-500 | Ultrasonic Cut |
4 Tips for Wholesale Microfiber Towel Procurement
Here are four quick and easy procurement tips that can help increase your business’s profitability.
1. Always Buy in Bulk
Bulk purchasing is the key to staying profitable. You get a lower price per towel for large orders. In fact, many microfiber towel manufacturers offer significant discounts on bulk orders.
2. Lowest Price Doesn’t Mean Good Value
The lowest price towel is always going to come with some compromises. You end up with towel shedding, poor absorption, and rough texture. All of this leads to a poor perception of your towel company.
3. GSM is More Important
Always prioritize towel GSM over other factors. A higher GSM towel will always be softer and more absorbent. This leaves a positive impact on your customers.
The hierarchy for towel customization goes like this: GSM → Weave → Blend Ratio → Size.
4. Have a Clear Sales Strategy
Lastly, you must tie your towel procurement strategy to your overall sales strategy. Your cost per item is defined by the size of your order.
Add packaging, shipping, and storage costs on top of that base cost. Then calculate your final sale price for the microfiber towel.
Conclusion
There is no single car detailing towel. Professionals use a set of different towels to achieve the best results. Businesses should have at least four different car detailing towels on hand. Then, as your business grows, you can add more variants based on customer feedback and demand.
Get Car Wash Microfiber Towels from Manywell!
Manywell is a microfiber towel expert. We have a wide range of car detailing towels and cleaning products. Check out our microfiber scrubbing sponges, lint-free towels, soft drying towels, and disposable cleaning cloths.
All our microfiber products are fully customizable. Choose your brand logo printed on a custom towel. Manywell provides the perfect solution for all your car detailing needs. Contact Us Today!
