Commercial Car Wash Towels

Created: Monday, 22 August 2016 15:30

At the end of a car wash, you can enhance your results by using the proper drying cloth. Car wash drying towels come in various sizes and materials that correspond with different parts of the car and the level of dirt on the body. Use this guide to determine which commercial car wash towels are right for your business.

Types of Commercial Car Wash Towels

People who work at car washes use several different towels, depending on the task. The type of material used is generally a personal choice and is very dependent on the result you are trying to achieve. While this information applies to those who work at car washes, many people decide to wash and clean their cars themselves for financial or personal reasons.

Using the right cloth to detail and clean your vehicle at home is just as important as it is to those who work at a professional car wash. Here are the most common types of towels you can use to dry your car.

1. Terry Cloth Towels

These towels are made from 100% cotton and are a popular choice among commercial car washing companies because of their durability and high absorbency. You likely won't want to purchase a low-quality terry towel because it may fall apart when washed several times. Conversely, a terry towel with better quality material feels softer and easier to use. The most popular cloth will be the one that weighs approximately four pounds per dozen.

Terry towels come in various textures and prices, some of which are better for the interior and others for the exterior. Softer terry towels are suitable for drying off the body of the car, while rougher ones are effective for cleaning the upholstery of the car and spots on the carpet.

The size of the terry towel is also an essential factor to consider. Dry off trucks with towels as big as 20 by 40 inches. You can use smaller towels with dimensions less than 20 inches to dry off the wheel wells or clean the carpet or upholstery. The hand towel, measuring 16 by 27 inches, is great for drying the outside of the car and removing wax.

2. Microfiber Towels

Microfiber towels contain small, thin fibers that give them the ability to dry quickly after each use. These fibers are a mixture of durable polyester and polyamide, but they feel like cotton. Since microfiber towels are porous, they are absorbent and comfortable to use. Wringing out the liquid in the towel will make it almost completely dry.

The high absorbency of microfiber towels makes them the right cloth for removing water and preventing spots. Microfiber cloths can also perform better when you're scrubbing your car compared to sponges or brushes. Clean the surface of your vehicle by dipping the towel in a bucket of warm, soapy water and washing one section of the body at a time.

This fabric can hold up to seven or eight times its weight in liquid, so it's useful for getting rid of the moisture on your car's surface. Start at the top of the vehicle and, with a flat towel, wipe each section to dry. If you're going to dry your car with a microfiber cloth, make sure you use a clean one to prevent wiping dirt back onto the vehicle.

3 Huck Towels

 These towels are not used as frequently as they once were. Because they are made from 100% cotton, they're very absorbent and are lint free. They work especially well on areas where there are narrow spaces, as well as windows and interiors of cars. There are some drawbacks with huck towels, as there isn't much variety in their colors and sizes, so the options for ordering them are limited. The other drawback of these towels is that they sometimes leave fibers behind and don't have a very thick nap, so they aren't as likely to grab grit and dirt from the exterior. This increases the likelihood of streaks and swirls forming as the car dries.

4. Chamois Towels

The chamois leather cloth is absorbent, gets rid of grit and has quite a bit of nap. Chamois cloths are easy to maintain and can last longer than microfiber cloths and terry towels. Though there are a variety of chamois towels available, one of the best is the kind that comes from New Zealand sheep.

Chamois cloths are useful for drying large surfaces, like trucks or SUVs, and won't scratch the surface of the car. You only need one towel to wipe down the entire vehicle, which can help you get more for your money with each cloth. 

If you choose to use a chamois, keep in mind that harsh chemicals may ruin the oils that are a critical part of the cloth. That said, the chamois isn't machine washable, as the process from the spin cycle and harsh detergents could damage it. Also, after hanging to dry, the cloth may become very stiff. To restore its flexibility, rinse it with water.

Qualities of Towels

When deciding which cloth to use, remember that if the vehicle isn't spotless, even the best towel will leave streaks. Selecting a drying material that can pull away left-behind grit after washing will reduce swirling marks on the body of a car. To choose the right towel for your business, you will want to look for specific attributes, such as:

• The texture of the towel: A soft cloth will maintain the integrity of your car instead of leaving scratches. You should reserve a soft towel exclusively for drying the body of your vehicle. On the other hand, a rough cloth will remove any grit and debris while cleaning.
• Its ability to trap dirt: Your towel should be able to get rid of the debris each time you clean it in water. If it tends to hold on to the residue, that dirt may stay in the towel and eventually scratch the paint that you are trying to protect.
• The thickness of its pile: The thicker the fabric of your cloth, the better it will hold the grit that remains on the car after washing. The bulkiness of your towel gives it the ability to repel dirt that could come back to the surface and leave scratch marks on the paint.
• Its absorbency: Car wash towels should have a high drying strength to remove the liquid from a vehicle. The higher the absorbency of the cloth, the more quickly you will be able to dry the body of your car. With an absorbent towel, you won't need to wipe the outside of the vehicle as much, so you won't leave marks or scratch the paint with leftover particles of grit.

If you are drying your vehicle yourself, you may want to choose either the terry towel or the microfiber towel for their high absorbency and ability to trap dirt. While chamois towels are generally for professional use, they are also better suited for large vehicles and cleaning debris off the body.

Which Towel Should I Use for Each Part of the Car?

The type and quality of a towel are important, but you also need to consider what part of the car you'll be cleaning. A washing mitt is a perfect tool to get the grime and grit off your car. The fibers in the glove grab dirt and hold it there, so it's crucial to keep rinsing it to prevent the debris from scratching the paint.

Some parts of the vehicle are much more suited to certain materials. Follow these suggestions to determine which towel to use for your cleaning job:

• Cleaning the windows: Microfiber cloths are the best types to use for windows because their short fibers often contain less lint than others. Remember that you wouldn't want to use the same towels you used to dry the body if they still contain some debris or grit that could scratch the glass.
• Cleaning the body: A chamois is one of the most effective tools to dry your car because of its softness and high absorbency. Wipe the vehicle from the top down and gently pull the chamois toward you as it glides over the flat surfaces. Fold the cloth into a square while wiping to prevent streaks. Terry towels are best for waxing and polishing the exterior.
• Cleaning the dashboard: Microfiber cloths are suitable for collecting dust and debris from the inside of your car. For best results, dip the towel in water before wiping down your dashboard.

Why It's Important to Dry Your Car with the Proper Towel

As we have already discussed the types of towels to use on various parts of the car as well as the quality of towels, we need to think about why you should dry your car at all, rather than letting it air dry. Most people think that they are expending enough effort by merely taking the car to a car wash or by hand washing it themselves. However, if you simply let the car air dry, you are almost certainly going to have a car that has water spots on it.

Tips for Drying Your Car

Now that you know the importance of using the proper drying towel for each part of the car, you should also learn the best technique to reduce streaks on the surface. When you are using a cloth to dry your vehicle, remember that a good towel will be able to absorb the liquid. Excessive rubbing to dry your car can result in scratching or other damage.

Consider these tips before you use a cloth to dry your vehicle:

• Use a flat towel: The proper procedure is to lay the clean towel flat against the car, then remove it. You will need to repeat this process several times until the vehicle is completely dry. If you need to rub the cloth against the car since it's not drying fast enough, try to wipe only in straight lines. Residue caught in the towel can cause scratches, but straight marks will be easier to remove than those that form in circles.
• Thoroughly wipe your car: Airing out the vehicle by driving will produce spots in your paint job. Instead, you should take the time to wipe it down with a cloth. This method will ensure a clean, shiny appearance on the surface of your car.
• Keep water out of the car: Another critical aspect of drying your vehicle is to make sure that you wipe all of the areas where water can leak inside. Moisture can get trapped in your vehicle's openings, like the trunk and doors, as well as in the grille. If you don't wipe it up, this water can leave spots in those areas and drip into other parts of the car.
• Use a drying towel for drying only: If you reserved a cloth to use for drying, don't use the same one to remove the grit from the surface of your car. You can scratch the paint if you don't wash off the dirt with a cleaner approved for your car and then dry the surface with the appropriate cloth.
• Be careful when washing your car wash towels: When washing these towels, only use detergent, since fabric softener contains chemicals that can potentially damage the paint on your vehicle.

You may wonder why you should dry your car at all instead of letting it air dry. Most people think they are expending enough effort by merely taking the vehicle to a car wash or by hand washing it themselves.

If you let the car air dry, you are almost certainly going to have spots on your car from the dissolved minerals in the water, such as calcium, iron or salt. As these minerals dry, they can etch into the paint and become difficult to remove. If left to pile up, these etch marks will result in a crust forming on the exterior of your car, which you can only remove with detail spray.

Why It's Important to Dry Your Car with the Proper Towel

If you want to preserve the longevity of the paint job on your car, you'll want to dry your vehicle with a quality towel. You will need to dry your car after you wash it, after it rains, or even after you accidentally run through a sprinkler. Use a towel designated for drying your vehicle instead of an old bath towel that has retired to a rag for the garage.

Remember that you can't use any old cloth to dry your vehicle and do a quality job. You should avoid using old bathroom towels, T-shirts, dirty rags and strips of flannel to dry your car. Instead, consider these alternative materials and the effect they have on your vehicle:

• Cotton: Cotton towels are especially useful for removing dust and small dirt particles from the surface of your car. While they can dry your vehicle, they are also helpful if you want to shine up those highly waxed surfaces.
• Leather: Chamois made from sheep or goat skin is one of the most effective materials used to dry cars. It's soft, absorbent and non-abrasive, so the vehicle's finish will be safe from water spots and scratches. Keep in mind that while there are synthetic leather towels, real leather is most effective.
• Microfiber: Polyester is a popular material for bath towels. While polyester is suitable for bath towels as it's long-lasting, it's not ideal for drying cars because it can easily scratch the paint. Microfiber cloths are made from shorter, non-abrasive fibers that will maintain the integrity of the body. Even though they're not as soft as 100% polyester towels, they are more absorbent and serve as a useful material for both cleaning and drying.

Along with the right type of towel, you also need adequate soap for your vehicle. Spraying your car with a bottle of water and wiping it with a paper towel won't have the same effect as using a high-quality cloth with soap and water. Harsh soaps and paper towels can strip the finish and ruin the integrity of the paint job.

Shop for Car Wash Towels at Towel Supercenter

At Towel Supercenter, we have a wide selection of proper car wash drying towels to maintain your vehicle. Browse through our collection of car wash towels to find the products you need at the prices you love.