FIND YOUR CLASSIC CAR

Can't find your car? Contact us here
Want to view an example car? View a Sample

Top-Notch Detailing Starts With The Best Car Drying Towels

Our content is meticulously curated through independent research, testing, reviews, and AI-driven recommendations, all designed to present you with the finest product choices. When you make a purchase through our links, it could result in us earning a commission.

Last Updated: May 3, 2024, 1:27 p.m.

You might never be able to forget or forgive yourself if you scratch up your brand new car while cleaning it with a rough cloth. Scratches can instantly ruin the look of any car, and it is a hassle to buff them out whether you do it yourself or take the car to a professional. If you don’t invest in quality maintenance materials, you’ll 100% be signing yourself up for future frustration and extra maintenance expenses.

When it comes to caring for your car’s ‘skin’, investing in high-quality car drying towels is a no-brainer. Add a car-safe wash soap to the fray, and you’re good to go! Consider it the ultimate skincare routine for your metal companion.

Luckily for you, making the right car drying towel decision is nowhere as tough as choosing which car to buy, and we’ve made it even easier. You can check out five of the most popular car drying towels online reviewed below. We’ve also included a buying guide in which we get into the leading car drying towels in 2023 to help you find something ideal for your situation.

Car Drying Towel Buying Guide

This buying guide simplifies the buying process as it’ll help you pick out the car drying towel most suited to your needs from our list. When choosing a new car drying towel, you should consider the factors outlined below: Material When it comes to drying your automobile after hand-washing, car drying towels are the best way to go. They come in different materials such as microfiber, chamois, and cotton. Read on for brief introductions to each: Microfiber Many microfiber towels have a waffle texture with tiny depressions. They are particularly absorbent due to their larger surface area and are ideal for usage after washing your car. You can also use waffle microfiber towels to clean chrome and tires. Cotton Cotton towels, such as those used in the bathroom, are far too harsh, keeping in mind that your car’s paintwork in this case is far more fragile than your skin. Chamois Chamois is another popular material used by many manufacturers for their towels. The only problem it has is that it is far too frail, unlike other materials, and requires more upkeep. That being said, it is highly absorbent and usually made of natural leather or synthetic material. Size Towels should be chosen according to the size of the car you’re cleaning. Smaller 16x16 inch towels are ideal for little activities such as spot-cleaning your windshield or interior cleaning. If you would like to use only one towel for a task involving a larger car, the towel would also need to be larger. The finest car drying towels are between 12 by 12 and 16 by 27 inches, or as large as a hand towel. For use on the car’s exterior, larger towels are more suitable, with smaller towels being better suited to cleaning the interior. It is also usually a good idea to have spare towels on hand. Pile The pile depth is one of the most common ways to categorize a car drying towel and is a measure of how thick and soft the towel is. GSM is the correct way to measure pile thickness, with a higher GSM indicating a greater pile.

If you are going to use a short pile towel, it should have a weight of 200 to 250 GSM
Standard medium pile towels weighing between 250 and 400 GSM are ideal for buffing or cleaning your car’s paint.
Towels with a medium plush pile weight of 400 to 600 GSM are ideal for drying painted surfaces.
Long pile towels with a weight of 600 GSM or higher are more expensive, but they work even better for drying painted panels safely.

Plush towels often have higher GSM. You should go for a towel that’s 600 GSM or more to get a soft buff and choose a lower GSM if you want a multi-purpose product. Longevity Many towels seem fine when you initially use them, but they begin to come apart after a while. The easiest way to find out how long a towel will last is to look at other people’s reviews since you can’t test a product’s lifespan without using it for a while. You will likely save money by not having to buy a new towel every three months if you get a long-lasting one. Weave Different towel weaves vary in effectiveness. You will most commonly come across waffle weaves, which are extremely absorbent and ideal for drying automobiles. This weave is found in lower-pile towels that are crisscrossed with a higher-pile grid to resemble a waffle. These are excellent drying cloths, particularly for reflective surfaces and generally leave no streaks, lint, or residue on windshields, mirrors, and other glass.

Tips for General Automobile Drying and Maintenance

Where should you leave your automobile to dry? Dry your automobile in the shade if possible. Washing and drying a car in direct sunlight may make the job more difficult since the heat and glare can cause wet stains. How do you dry your automobile after it has been washed? If you want to dry your automobile properly, wring the towel frequently as you wipe. If you don’t do this, you’ll just be spreading water about instead of soaking it up. How do you dry the nooks and crannies of your car? The plan of action for drying the difficult-to-reach locations after a car wash is to blow air into them. You may use an air cannon, a shop vacuum, or even a leaf blower to blast areas with air to ensure that water departs the cracks and prevent streaks.

Top Picks

Best Overall: Meguiar’S X2000 Car Drying Towel
Best Scratch-Free Towel: Chemical Guys Car Drying Towel
Most Absorbent: Cleantools Car Drying Towel
Best Multi-Purpose Towel: Solid Multipurpose Car Drying Towel
Honorable Mention: Aidea Car Drying Towel

Reviews

Best Overall

Meguiar’S X2000 Car Drying Towel

Has a waffle weave for better absorbency
The finish is spot-free and streak-free
It is machine-washable and reusable
Large-sized towel of 22” X 30”

Check on Amazon Check Price on Walmart

Best Scratch-Free Towel

Chemical Guys Car Drying Towel

It is scratch-free, lint-free and swirl-free
The towel is made of long-lasting microfiber
Fit for wet and dry conditions
Silk-banded edges enhance durability
It is machine-washable

Check on Amazon

Most Absorbent

Cleantools Car Drying Towel

Material is soft and safe for hands
It is suitable for multiple surfaces
It is easy to maintain and wash
Is highly absorbent

Check on Amazon

Best Multi-Purpose Towel

Solid Multipurpose Car Drying Towel

It is made of microfiber fabric
The towel has a non-abrasive design
Absorb liquid up to 10x their weight
The towels measure 16” x 24” inches
Suitable for interior and exterior use

Check on Amazon

Honorable Mention

Aidea Car Drying Towel

The towel is swirl-free, lint-free, and scratch-free
It is made with premium microfiber
Has silk banded edges to reduce scratches
The towel measures 31’’ x 24’’

Check on Amazon

FAQs

Why can’t I wipe my car with an ordinary towel?

It is not recommended to use normal towels if you want your car’s paint to remain shiny and immaculate. Normal towels are too abrasive to use on car paint and may end up leaving scratches over time. Proper car drying towels made from microfiber or chamois do not scratch surfaces due to their soft material and are renowned for their high absorbency.

What should the absorbency of a microfiber car drying towel be?

There is no set quantity, but the towel should not just be pushing water about while you try to dry the surface.

Can I use a car drying towel to dry both the interior and exterior of the car?

It is dependent on the product. If it is a multifunctional item, you can dry both the interior and exterior without issue.

Are car drying towels machine-washable?

The ability to machine-wash depends on the material and quality of the car drying towel. Check the label to ensure that it is machine-washable.

How should I dry my car drying towel?

It is not recommended to use heat to dry microfiber car drying towels since heat can stiffen them. You can use an air drier (without heat) or hang dry.

Can I soften a car drying towel with fabric softener?

Yes, but only in certain circumstances, and before using a fabric softener, please read the label. Generally speaking, we feel that you should avoid using fabric softeners.