Waffle Weave Microfiber Towels

[smokinfastlegen]

For a while my drying medium of choice was a huge fluffy Microfiber drying towel, but when I found that after a few washes these towels had begun to lint significantly I decided I should search out a better drying choice. I contemplated a silicone blade (lol, just kidding, those have their place, but not here.) But after working with Bryan (Gmblack3) and using his dragonfiber microfibers waffle weaves, I knew my solution. Seek out the best quality Waffle Weave microfiber. While I would have liked to sample quite a few towels, I could only fit in the budget a few at the moment.



I would include the Meguiars Water Magnet, which I had purchased several years ago, but its dismal performance then didn’t warrant it being included.



My criteria: had to be large in size, readily available, and of a good blend of material.

I have only had these towels to use for a short amount of time, so my opinions are initial use right out of the bag (no wash).



Towels in play:

Detailed Images Waffle Weave:DI Microfiber Waffle Weave Drying Towel - 36" x 24" | Detailed Image

Detailers Domain Uber Waffle Weave: http://www.detailersdomain.com/Uber-...x36_p_575.html

Autoalitys Microfiber Drying Towel:Microfiber Drying Towel 25" x 36" - Microfiber Products - Autoality Incorporated

Autoalitys Plush Microfiber Drying Towel: Plush Microfiber Drying Towel 20" x 40" - Microfiber Products - Autoality Incorporated



Price was a big factor for me. Detailed Image`s towel was bought on sale for 12.99 a towel, but is normally 17.99. Autoality`s microfiber towel was $9.99 while the plush towel was 17.99. Detailer`s Domain Towel was 15.99.



Pictures:



Top Left: Autoality Plush Towel

Top Right: Detailers Domain Uber Towel

Bottom Left: Detailed Image Towel

Bottom Right: Autoality Microfiber



Size Comparison:



You can see that the Autoality Microfiber and the Detailed Image towel are roughly the same size, while the Detailers Domain is slightly not as wide and the Autoality Plush towel is longer but not nearly as wide.



Upclose of edge and weave construction:



Detailed Image:





Detailers Domain:





Autoality Plush:





Autoality Microfiber:





Initial Findings:

All towels have only had one use on them and they were not washed before hand (used straight out of shipping packaging.) Best to worst so far in my opinion and why:



1) Detailed Image towel: On a surface stripped of wax this towel still gobbled up the water. It would leave the painted surface nearly dry with very tiny water droplets left that a dry side cleaned up very quickly. It becomes water logged quickly because of how much it does absorb.



2) Autoality Microfiber Towel: This is the surprise of the bunch. This towel is significantly thinner than the other towels, yet it absorbed nearly as much as the detailed image towel. It left a little more water behind but at most maybe 5% more than the Detailed Image towel.



3) Detailers Domain Uber Towel: This towel was originally tested on a vehicle that had been waxed a week prior. The day was cold and windy, but i doubt that had anything to do with it. This towel seemed more so like it was pushing water around than actually picking up much. It did absorb some, but not what I was expecting. My guess is this towel maybe needs to be washed before use?



4) Autoality`s Plush Microfiber Towel: I had wanted to like this towel a lot. It reminded me of Mint chocolate chip! But sadly on first use it pushed more water then my water blade did on my windows! This towel was used on the same vehicle as the detailed image and other autoality towel. It did seem when it was slightly damp it actually worked a little better, but im hoping after a wash it may pick up more water.



I will update with further findings when I use these on more cars and have a few washes through them, but I wanted to post up my initial feelings and pictures to give some people an idea. My pick of towel as of right now, Detailed image towels. To me they are worth the 17.99 each normal price.

[Accumulator]

smoknfastlegend- Heh heh, you`re more of a risk-taker than I am when you use them without washing Glad you didn`t mar anything up. Wonder if the washing will make a performance diff



Good comparison, oughta help people who are in the market for new WWs.



I`m a little surprised that only two of `em really soaked up the water (but maybe the washing...). My WWs always work like magic when they`re new, the trick is to *keep* them working OK.

[cjbigcog]

Accumulator.....



What might that "trick" be?

[jmsc]

smoknfastlegend:



what other quality-type WW`s did you look at or consider?

[smokinfastlegen]

I might pick up a Griots drying towel, along with possibly a pakshak or microfibertech, but for now these towels are going to be used in a slightly longer test.

[Accumulator]

Accumulator.....



What might that "trick" be?

If I ever have an utterly foolproof (Accumulator-proof!) answer you can bet I`ll post about it! But alas....it seems that sooner or later they just quit working as well as they did when new :nixweiss



Maybe they just wear down and don`t have the same texture or something.



The best solution I`ve found is to wash them in *VERY* hot water (sanitary cycle in my HE washer). In a perfectly clean washing machine (no residues in it). Over and over, only using (MF type) detergent for the first time. I guess it`s like doing a zillion "hot rinses" to get all the detergent/QD/everything residue out and *really* get `em clean. That`s worked pretty well on my PakShak/Sonus ones, but it didn`t bring back my older/cheaper original WWs.



Eh, IMO the *real* trick is to just replace them from time to time

[cjbigcog]

Thanks for that info. I couldn`t figure out why some of my WWs became less effective. Nature of the beast I suppose.

Time for some new ones.

[Ch96067]

smoknfastlegend:



what other quality-type WW`s did you look at or consider?

I would throw a cobra WW in the mix.

[4AudiQ]

I just learned a lot more about MF this weekend here:

Learn About Microfiber from the microfiber experts at Cobra! Microfiber towels & tools are the future of car care detailing!

I have been using MF to dry & polish my car since 2005, but this new info. has been very helpful.

[TLMitchell]

The best solution I`ve found is to wash them in *VERY* hot water (sanitary cycle in my HE washer). In a perfectly clean washing machine (no residues in it). Over and over, only using (MF type) detergent for the first time. I guess it`s like doing a zillion "hot rinses" to get all the detergent/QD/everything residue out and *really* get `em clean. That`s worked pretty well on my PakShak/Sonus ones, but it didn`t bring back my older/cheaper original WWs.



Eh, IMO the *real* trick is to just replace them from time to time

When my WWs or other MFs seem to have lost some absorbancy or softness I pour a cup of vinegar in the final rinse followed by an additional rinse. Vinegar is a natural softener and removes built up contaminents, soap etc that plain rinsing won`t. I`ve yet to toss a MF due to reduced softness or absorbancy. YMMV.



TL

[Accumulator]

When my WWs or other MFs seem to have lost some absorbancy or softness I pour a cup of vinegar in the final rinse followed by an additional rinse. Vinegar is a natural softener and removes built up contaminents, soap etc that plain rinsing won`t. I`ve yet to toss a MF due to reduced softness or absorbancy. YMMV.



TL

I`ve had mixed results with the vinegar rinse. I do it fairly often with my regular MFs, seems to help with detergent residue. But with the WWs it doesn`t really "bring `em back" when they`re not soaking up water. I read somewhere that it can interfere with the absorbancy, but I dunno if I`d go *that* far.



With my HE washer, vinegar rinses leave way too much vinegar in the towels for my liking. [Insert my usual mixed feelings about HE washers here...] So it`s pretty much something I only do with the older washer.

[tom p.]

Thanks for that info. I couldn`t figure out why some of my WWs became less effective. Nature of the beast I suppose. Time for some new ones.

This has been my experience, too. Certain batches of WW have just plain failed and no longer absorb anything. I`ve tried all the restoration tricks and it has made no improvement. So, I chuck `em out and that`s the end of it.

[SpoolinNoMore]

When my WWs or other MFs seem to have lost some absorbancy or softness I pour a cup of vinegar in the final rinse followed by an additional rinse. Vinegar is a natural softener and removes built up contaminents, soap etc that plain rinsing won`t. I`ve yet to toss a MF due to reduced softness or absorbancy. YMMV.



TL

I`ve noticed when I wash my MFs together I have to use a seperate wash for my drying/QD towels otherwise any wax residue or dressing from my other towels will end up getting stuck to my other towels. I always use a free & clear detergent and just warm water, so I may have to start using the vinegar rinse trick to help renew some towels...

[Shawn F.]

Older thread I know but looking for an update here... Also give the MicrofiberTech Korean Waffle Weave drying towel a try. I sell them and use them personally and love them. I wash them separate and only use Micro Restore on them and they have lasted a long time so far but like others said, eventually you gotta toss them and buy new ones because they just lose their ability to absorb water as good as when new.

[Time 2 shine]

The cobra WW HD guzzler is a great drying towel from my experience. Its not as big as some others but using it on a vehicle (like my access cab tacoma) with an LSP will get the job done.