Microfiber VS Cotton Terry or How Much Can Just Once Scratch?

[oldmodman]

Ever wondered how much damage you can do to your finish if you run out of MF towels and use your old cotton towels "JUST THIS ONCE"?

Well I did so I came up with an easy test.

I tried it.



Over the last month I have been trying to learn the use of the mighty rotary, but that a story for another time.

So I had a dark blue trunk lid and used the rotary with #84, then a DA with 83, then 82, then #9 and finished with NXT. When done it had absolutely no swirls. It was the perfect test bed.

So the test consisted of a wash with NXT soap, and drying with Meguiar`s waffle MF on the first third, the middle with a "Zaino" USA all cotton terry towel (new, only washed once) and the last third with a used, generic cheapo cotton terry towel.

Since I knew that the MF wouldn`t scratch I blotted all the surface with it first. What I was trying for was to just wipe once, up and back with the cotton towels. And thats what I did.

Sample1 No swirl marks at all on the Meguiars waffle test.

Sample 2 Two faint swirl marks (if you could even call them swirl marks since they just appeared as a slight mar around the reflection of the sun).

Sample 3 Many, many scratches that appear as definite swirl marks evenly distributed over the test surface. And remember, all these swirl marks showed up with just one up and back wipe of paint that was protected with two coats of NXT. Imagine how bad it would look if someone scrubbed down the car with these lousy towels.

Final result. I am going to throw out all my old cotton towels. Just in case a "friend" decides to wash one of my cars for me when I am out working!



Sometime next month I will do the same test but with really cheap MF towels, medium price towels, and good towels, and this time I will give the test areas a really good rubbing!

[Matt M, PA]

Interesting test....I still am on the fence for using MFs for drying and removing polishes. I tend to "rely" on the fluffy nap of the cotton towel to be the buffer zone should any grit be present.



I wonder if a quick spritz of an QD will take those fine marks out. Meaning...if they are in the wax or the paint? I find it a bit hard to believe that definate swirls were made in the paint with one pass.



Looking forward to the MF test.

[Prometheus]

Were the "generic cheepo towels" old and used, or were they new? Im just asking for the sake of clarification.

[oldmodman]

The swirl marks are in the paint. I used quick detail and a fresh microfiber over the entire surface after the test and none of the "swirl marks" dissapeared. And no new ones appeared either.

And the old towels were old towels. Costco generic cotton hand towels that have been washed at least fifty times. They are no longer as soft or absorbent as when new. Just the kind of towels that most "average folks" would use to wash and dry their cars. People just like I was before I started following this forum!

[hondaguy2582]

Originally posted by oldmodman

The swirl marks are in the paint. I used quick detail and a fresh microfiber over the entire surface after the test and none of the "swirl marks" dissapeared. And no new ones appeared either.

And the old towels were old towels. Costco generic cotton hand towels that have been washed at least fifty times. They are no longer as soft or absorbent as when new. Just the kind of towels that most "average folks" would use to wash and dry their cars. People just like I was before I started following this forum!

Do yourself a favor and save those for undercarriage, engine, wheel wells, and tire duty. Dont throw away good stuff, it can always be used for something.



:wavey

[roadman]

A good test is wipe a CD and look for scratches. Those Free AOL CD`s that come in the mail are perfect for MF testing purposes.