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What do use to dry your car?

9.7K views 55 replies 43 participants last post by  UrbanLegend  
#1 ·
I was using a real chamois.... the thing finally fell apart. I went to K-Mart to buy a new, real chamois...... POS. The thing would not ever rinse well. It was cloudy water coming off the thing for at least two washes.

A friend of mine suggested getting microfiber cloths to dry...... what do you use?
 
#3 ·
Actually the real chamoius and the ShamWow both will scratch your paint .

To do it safely use a Microfiber Drying Towel. The Waffle Weave are the best and available at Walmart etc .. if those aren't there get the plush M/F drying towel.


They are around $8 and you will need 2
 
#7 ·
+1

That works great. If I flush off the car to minimize the amount of water as should be done, I can easily do the whole car without wringing out this towel. In fact you can't wring anything out of the towel, there's still too much absorbency left in it! And it's much softer too. I've had it for the whole spring and summer, wash it often, and it still looks/works like new.
 
#5 ·
I have two waffle weave towels. The first i go over the car and get as much standing water off as possible, then I go over it with a second one, fold it over a couple times and gently dry the rest of the car off.

As stated previously any sort of chamois, real or synthetic (The Absorber, Sham-Wow, etc) will scratch the paint.
 
#6 ·
As stated previously any sort of chamois, real or synthetic (The Absorber, Sham-Wow, etc) will scratch the paint.
or those bug rubber squeegee thingies.........:mad::banghead:

yeah, unfortunately you will never get all the specks of scratch causing crap away from the drying process. thats why you must use something that isn't
completely smooth to dry with, that dirt needs somewhere to go.
 
#14 ·
I bought a synthetic chamois about 12 years ago and to this date is still working great. Don't ask me where I got or what brand it is because I have no idea but I use it every time I was my car and my wife's. It has to be stored damp in its plastic bag and it works like a charm every time.
 
#15 ·
The absorber. Always have. I can't tell a difference in the paint over the past 3 years on my current car. Don't care. I'll still use them. Unless, of course, somebody would give somethnig else to use, but I'm not goign out of my way.....
 
#16 ·
I get my leaf blower out strap it on my back and blow all of the standing water off of my car and out from behind those hard to reach spots.... then i wipe it down with a MF towel :)

what now son! lol
 
#17 ·
Lol. I have on occasion used my air compressor.....But somebody will just say I am sandblasting my car......It is quite usefull on multi-spoked wheels with crooks and nannies.
 
#24 ·
If it hasn't already the Absorber is going to lead to paint marring ... as will the CF water blade ... if you have a light colored car your just not seeing it ... but its happening.
 
#26 ·
oh well, I have a light colored car, so no worries, lol.
 
#27 ·
Best Waffle weave towels you can afford.

Technique: Dab the towels on the paint work - don't wipe!!!!!

Leaf blowers and hair dryers may also blow up dust and stuff from the ground or surroundings which will ultimately rest on the paint work, particularly those parts that still have water on them. Going over the paintwork later with whatever type of cloth will just work the dust and stuff over and into the paintwork :banghead:

Don't wipe - dab :thumbup: