Chamois v Microfibre

[MorrisJohn]

I wonder if anyone has a view on using a microfibre towel to dry your car off post wash/pre-polish or wax?

I’ve only ever used a genuine leather chamois for this job, but I see the RAC recommend microfibre now as it’s less likely to result in marks to paint.

I’ve been considering giving one of these towels a try. I already use small ones for buffing polish and wax.

[Owlsman]

I was bought a couple for Christmas 3 years ago.........never use anything else now!

Needless to say, I can highly recommend but do get a good quality one.

[moggiethouable]

We shouldn't really use microfibre anythings..................

Every time you wash these synthetic fabrics, millions of microfibers are released into the water. Microfibers are too small to be filtered out by waste treatment plants, so they end up in our waterways and oceans, where they wreak havoc on marine animals and the environment.

There is a huge amount of discussion on this material right now, its being found in our bloodstream food farmland, every where.

[geoberni]

I agree. There was a fuss a few years back about the 'plastic grit' in hand cleansers, body scrubs etc, so much so they were banned and cleaners like gritty Swarfega, Deb etc now have natural grit in them to stop those plastic beads getting into the food chain and into us.

Well the fibres in 'microfibres' are so small, comparing them to the plastic beads in the hand cleanser is like comparing marbles to beach balls.
They are so small they can't be intercepted of filtered so even end up in our drinking water, as well as our food supply.
Synthetic clothes fabrics are bad enough for shedding microscopic fibres, but the actual cloths are the pinnacle of fibre pollutants.

A 5 minutes read on the subject here: https://wellnessmama.com/5621/microfibe ... -cleaning/

[MorrisJohn]

Crikey, I hadn’t even considered the environmental or long term implications for the planet. Thanks for highlighting that. I’ll have a read of that article too Bernie.

I’ll maybe just stick with the good old fashioned chamois leather for drying - in spite of the rave reviews for microfibre towels. They’ve served me well for the last 20 years. I tried synthetic chamois once and it was absolutely terrible for absorption.

Out of interest, what natural alternatives are you guys using for polishing and buffing, and what are the results like?

I’ve been applying hard wax with the supplied (damp) sponge but tend to use microfibre for applying polish. I also find microfibre terrific for buffing, but admittedly I don’t wash them very often. They go into the rag pile when past their best.

[SteveClem]

Old cotton tea towels are quite good.

[Admin]

I used to use chamois, but converted to microfibre because I'd go through a chamois once a year - they'd either start to smell a bit unpleasant or they'd get that horrible greasy texture. The good quality microfibres have lasted me for donkeys, but having seen the info above about them I think I'm going to probably go back after all

[MorrisJohn]

I used to use chamois, but converted to microfibre because I'd go through a chamois once a year - they'd either start to smell a bit unpleasant or they'd get that horrible greasy texture. The good quality microfibres have lasted me for donkeys, but having seen the info above about them I think I'm going to probably go back after all

Yes, I’m the same. Usually a new chamois every year for the reasons you mentioned.

Old cotton tea towels are quite good.

Thanks Steve, though I sense a domestic incident may be on the horizon as a result!

[Monty-4]

Interesting blind spot for me! I avoid synthetic fabrics like the plague in all other cases, but have some microfibres for drying the cars.

There is an alternative to microfibres and Chamois for the polishing and waxing though - plain old cotton "Stockinette". Dead cheap for a long roll and has a nice feel to it. I've had the same roll for over a year now.

Also, I wonder if large cellulose decorators style sponges would be good for drying?

eBay example.

s-l1600.jpg (163.22 KiB) Viewed 2315 times

[Monty-4]

Additionally, I've just consulted m'lady and am informed that one can buy washing nets fine enough to catch microfibres which can then rolled into the corners of said bag and deposited into the bin, and filters that go on your washing machine outlet to perform the same function (for a heftier fee).

Learning new things all the time!

[Classiccars]

Going to try stockinette .Could be the way to go as opposed to animal bits and micro fibres

[SteveClem]

I used to use chamois, but converted to microfibre because I'd go through a chamois once a year - they'd either start to smell a bit unpleasant or they'd get that horrible greasy texture. The good quality microfibres have lasted me for donkeys, but having seen the info above about them I think I'm going to probably go back after all

Yes, I’m the same. Usually a new chamois every year for the reasons you mentioned.

Old cotton tea towels are quite good.

Thanks Steve, though I sense a domestic incident may be on the horizon as a result!

They just hate it when you take their tea towels and pinafores away

[MorrisJohn]

[irmscher]

Microfibre

[Des911]

Just ordered some stockinette from Amazon