Drying is the step where a clean car most often picks up new marks. Leave it to air-dry and you get water spots. Use the wrong towel, or the right towel the wrong way, and you can drag grit across the paint. This guide explains what makes a good car drying towel, how to choose one and how to dry a car properly, whatever towel you use.
For the wider picture on cloths for paint, glass, wheels and interiors, see our practical guide to microfibre cloths for cars.
Why use a microfibre car drying towel?
Old cotton bath towels and chamois leathers still turn up on driveways, but most valeters have moved to microfibre. The very fine synthetic fibres give the towel a large surface area, so it soaks up water and holds small particles in the pile rather than pushing them across the panel. Cotton, by contrast, tends to leave lint behind and can feel rough on paintwork.
No towel can make up for a dirty car, though. Drying only goes well if the car has been washed and rinsed properly first.
What to look for in a car drying towel
Size
Dedicated drying towels are usually large, so you can cover a bonnet or roof in a few passes. Bigger towels mean fewer passes and less handling of the paint. The trade-off is weight: a large towel gets heavy when wet and is harder to wring out and wash.
Many people use a mix: one large towel for the flat panels, and smaller cloths for mirrors, door shuts, sills and the last few drips. A 40 × 40 cm cloth is a handy size for this kind of detail drying. Our size and GSM guide explains how cloth size changes the job.
GSM and pile
GSM (grams per square metre) tells you how much fabric is in the towel. As a general rule, higher-GSM towels feel thicker and plusher, and a deeper pile gives more room for water and fine particles. Lower-GSM cloths are thinner, lighter and dry faster after washing.
GSM is a useful guide but not the whole story. The weave matters too. Common types include:
- Plush or fleece pile: soft and deep, popular for drying and for buffing off detailing sprays.
- Waffle weave: a textured, lighter weave often used for drying and glass.
- Twisted loop: long twisted fibres, often found on large dedicated drying towels.
Edges
Look at how the edges are finished. Some towels have stitched or banded edges, others are edgeless. Hard edges can be stiffer than the rest of the towel, so many detailers prefer soft or edgeless finishes for paintwork, or fold the towel so the edge stays away from the panel. Cut off any scratchy care labels before use.
Condition
A clean, soft towel matters more than any spec. A premium towel that has been dropped on the drive or washed with fabric softener will do a worse job than a basic one that has been looked after.
How to dry a car with a microfibre towel
- Rinse well. A final rinse with free-flowing water, without a spray nozzle, helps sheet the water off and leaves less to dry.
- Work in the shade. Sun and warm panels dry water before you reach it and leave spots.
- Start at the top. Roof, then glass, bonnet and boot, then the sides. Lower panels carry more grit, so do them last.
- Lay and drag, don't scrub. Lay the towel flat on the panel and draw it slowly towards you, or pat it down and lift. Avoid rubbing in circles.
- Refold as you go. Turn to a dry face as each side gets wet. A cloth folded into quarters gives you eight faces.
- Finish the details. Use a smaller cloth for mirrors, badges, door shuts and the drips that run out of trim.
- Keep glass separate. Dry and buff the windows with their own cloths. Our guide to microfibre cloths for glass has more tips.
If a towel touches the ground, take it out of the drying set and put it in the wash.
Looking after your drying towels
Wash drying towels separately from wheel cloths and household laundry. Skip fabric softener, avoid bleach and dry on low heat or air-dry. Always follow any care instructions supplied with your towels. Our guide on how to wash microfibre cloths covers the details. Keep drying towels for paintwork only; once a towel has been used on wheels or sills, it stays there.
NICE cloths for drying and buffing
We don't sell a dedicated large drying towel. What we do offer are two cloths that many car owners and valeters use for drying details and buffing:
- Coral fleece microfibre cloth, 550 GSM: our heaviest cloth, with a plush fleece feel. Available in blue and yellow. A good choice for buffing paintwork and drying smaller areas.
- Microfibre cloths, 40 × 40 cm, 350 GSM: an all-round size for mirrors, door shuts, sills, interiors and glass. Packs of 24 in blue, yellow and pink, so you can give each part of the car its own colour.
Valeting and detailing businesses can buy by the trade box. See microfibre cloths for car care for trade options.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best towel for drying a car?
For most people, a large, soft microfibre drying towel for the main panels plus a few smaller microfibre cloths for details. The best towel is also a clean one: wash it properly and keep it off the ground.
Is a higher GSM towel always better for drying?
Not always. Higher GSM usually means a thicker, plusher towel, but weave, size and condition matter just as much. A heavy towel can also be slower to dry after washing.
Can I use a bath towel to dry my car?
You can, but cotton tends to shed lint and can feel rough on paint. Microfibre is the usual choice for valeters because it holds water and fine particles in the pile.
Should I dry my car in the sun?
It is better to work in the shade. Sun and hot panels evaporate water quickly and can leave water spots before you reach them.