There are a few garage essentials you just need, even if you don't own a car. Screwdrivers, lubricant, a good bucket - I could go on and on. One thing that is often overlooked, however, is microfibre cloths. These ultra-soft cloths are the absolute best thing you could own when cleaning is required.
What is the benefit of microfibre cloths when cleaning cars?
They're versatile and practical while inexpensive - music to detailers' ears. The ultra-soft touch of these rags prevents scratching with a non-abrasive finish. This suits them to pretty much every surface of the car, from the bonnet panel to the gear stick.
We can't think of many car-cleaning tasks that wouldn't be improved in some way with a microfibre cloth. Washing your car's seats? A microfibre cloth will dry them more quickly. Buffing your paintwork? You'll get better results with a microfibre cloth.
How many will I need?
When cleaning car bodywork, it's crucially important that microfibre cloths are regularly cleaned to avoid built-up grime on the cloth scratching the next body panel. Multipacks of cloths are useful as a fresh, clean towel can be used for each panel and then washed collectively later.
How many you need will also depend on the number of steps you intend to include in your car washing process. If polishing and waxing are on the agenda, we highly recommend having several to hand at any one time. If, however, you're a casual car washer looking to upgrade your kit, a single microfibre towel is better than none.
They're even perfect for dusting around your home. Thing is, not all microfibre cloths are the same, so we've compiled a list of the best microfibre car cloths for you.
The best microfibre car cleaning cloths
Best for effectiveness
Description
A combination of being recycled and being effective is why this pack of recycled microfibre cloths takes top place. They cost a little more upfront than others but the trade-offs easily offset that. A five-pack means that you'll have a cloth for each step: shampoo, dry, polish, wax, and glass. Consisting of different colours, you'll also remember which is which.
Pros
- Recycled
- All different colours
- Effective
Cons
- Cost more than other general microfibre cloths
Best value
Description
It's always a good idea to have multiple microfibre cloths in your garage (especially if you aren't so hot with remembering to wash them). This 10-pack of microfibre cloths from Discounted Cleaning Supplies may be rather basic in terms of design, but the XL size (40cm x 40cm) and soft finish make them a great product for most cleaning tasks.
Pros
- Good value for money
- Massive size
Cons
- Not designed for any specific purpose
Best microfibre glove
Description
This is a microfibre glove designed to clean areas that are hard to reach using long microfibre noodles. This glove from Armor All is perfect for cleaning intricately-designed alloy wheels and grilles. You can also pretend to be Oscar the Grouch with it.
Pros
- Get the deepest clean in areas you usually miss
Cons
- Application will be fairly limited
Description
Specifically designed to be used for drying cars after washing, this option from Autoglym may seem expensive at first, but the results are worth it. Specially formulated to be extra absorbent, it'll reduce drying time and leave your paintwork streak-free.
Pros
- Ideal for paintwork
- Reduces the chance of unsightly streaks
Cons
- Expensive for just one cloth
Best microfibre for wheels
Description
For alloy wheel cleaning, this microfibre mitt from Streetwize gets our pick. Made from soft microfibre and machine washable, it's an easy way of cleaning wheels without leaving scratches. The independent fingers will make spoke scrubbing a lot easier, especially as each finger has soft chenille microfibres on one side and a diamond stitch on the other for a more thorough scrubbing.
Pros
- Good value
- Cleans even complex wheel designs
Cons
- It'll get grubby very quickly
Best for cleaning glass
Description
Offering two different cloths (one microfibre, one fishskin) this set from Glart is designed to effectively clean windows. The fishskin cloth will remove all imperfections from your car's glass and the microfibre cloth will ensure that the glass dries quickly and without any ugly streaks visible.
Pros
- Great for glass, one of the trickier areas to clean
Cons
- Microfibre cloth is rather small
Best for buffing
Description
If a single imperfection in your car's paintwork keeps you awake at night, it may be time to invest in edgeless microfibre cloths. Although the chances are extremely rare, the tiny seams at the edge of a normal microfibre cloth could cause tiny scratches. By removing those edges, you'll have total peace of mind when running these cloths over your immaculate paintwork.
Pros
- No risk whatsoever of scratches
Cons
- The chances are already tiny with a normal cloth
What you need to know about microfibre car cloths:
What purpose do you need it for?
Microfibre cloths come in a variety of designs and have different purposes. The first thing you should buy is a set of general-purpose microfibre cloths. Not only will these undoubtedly be the cheapest options, but they will be the most versatile.
Microfibre cloths designed for a specific purpose are not essential but will improve the overall look of your car after a wash. Glass, in particular, needs a specially designed cloth to look its best.
What should you look for?
There isn't much to look out for when looking for a good microfibre car cloth. As long as the reviews look good and the brand is reputable, you should always receive a quality product.
Check to see how it needs to be washed. Some are fine to put in the washing machine, while others need to be hand-washed to keep them effective. Machine-washable options are obviously easier to maintain but don't rule out hand-wash-only examples, either.