# chamois vs microfiber towel



## sufff (Dec 10, 2007)

Hi,
Today at work a colleague decided to argue that chamois are excellent for drying the car after a wash.

I proceeded to tell him that microfibers were better as they were much less likely to scratch the paint due to their texture.

I bought a Meguiars Gold Class Natural something Chamois. I used it once and got scratches on my car, didn't think it done a good job as microfiber towel (also chamois stinks).
The microfiber towel I am using is the Chem Guys Elite Super Deluxe Microfiber Towel

Anyway colleague decided to state chamois was better, didn't really scratch the paint etc

I thought I would get the opinion of other members as I am sure you all have much better knowledge than me when it comes to detailing cars.

Oh I am talking about natural chamois here not synthetic, as I have never tried a synthetic chamois. Also I am talking about higher end products like Meguiars Gold Class Chamois vs Meguiars Gold Class Microfiber Towel

Thanks to everyone in advance for their thoughts on which product is generally better for your car


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## rockape (Feb 18, 2007)

i used a chamois for years now use sonus der w towels and the miracle towel. chamois's can hold grit on the surface. go back to continually ringing the leather out, no thanks. the towel dries the car in half the time with no smears either:thumb:


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## bilt-hamber kid (Dec 4, 2007)

I have had good and bad experiences with both.

We sell ours to BS 6715 1991, which is widely considered to offer the ********** definition of chamois leather, and the grade to look out for. There are many animals which purport to offer chamois hide, but since leather made from the skin of the mountain antelope became protected, the only true source of top quality hide is from New Zealand where the lack of barbed wire and good diet ensures unmarked and healthy hides. 

There, from November to May, we buy the best hides from elder ewes and then tan them by processes involving the slow oxidation of marine oils into the skin. This results in what is called a full oil chamois. Some lesser hides are treated first with an aldehyde and then oils are applied, and these are referred to as combination chamois. If you're in a specialist shop, ask them this - its important to the product's longevity and softness to get the real deal.

The term 'chamois' is often mistakenly used to refer to hides made from the skin of other animals (often cattle, goat, kid or pig), but these are not genuine chamois. Only mature sheep hides have those stretchy pores closely found within the hide, which allow them to be used in micro-filtration and which make drying so effortless. 

Tests show that genuine chamois leather, suitably dampened prior to use is the least abrasive drying material for any paint surface, and my experience concurs with that. This, coupled with its softness and super absorbent properties, continue to ensure that a premium quality chamois is still the most highly regarded product for car cleaning and drying. Our selected hides are 100% cod oil tanned to give them that luxurious, golden soft finish that can absorb six times its weight of water. I have had bad chamois scratch, sure, but I suppose like in most things, you pays your money - you takes your chances. 

Flicked just right, on the back of someone's bare legs too - far more painful than a microfibre. :thumb:


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## rockape (Feb 18, 2007)

cant argue with that al. had a deer skin hide that was good. but just prefer a towel, alot easier imo


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## bilt-hamber kid (Dec 4, 2007)

Very true pebblemoneky  ..

.. horses for courses at the end of the day I guess. I haven't tried a good towel for quite a while, I'll have to give a new one a go again, one thats premium quality.

Per ardua.


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## Macko (May 6, 2007)

bilt-hamber kid said:


> continue to ensure that a premium quality chamois is still the most highly regarded product for car cleaning and drying.


Do you have evidence to back that claim up or is it (as I suspect) marketing hyperbole? I know no-one that cleans with a chamois & only the odd person that persists with one for drying.


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## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

How do do care properly for a true chamois?

I've never had a true quality chamois but all the cheap ones have gone like a piece of twisted cardboard in no time...


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## bilt-hamber kid (Dec 4, 2007)

Macko said:


> Do you have evidence to back that claim up or is it (as I suspect) marketing hyperbole? I know no-one that cleans with a chamois & only the odd person that persists with one for drying.


On reflection, its quite possibly marketing blurb, but its based on some good anecdotal evidence which I suppose is valid too, even if it a contra opinion?

I clean with one, as do many people with older cars and I would back a really good quality one against some towels anyday. We have done trials with loads of towels but won't sell any yet, simply because I haven't found a decent one that really blows my doors off, that lasts as long, is a satisfying to use and is as big, durable and practical. At the moment, I'm surrounded by a few trial sets that get tatty quickly, that don't retain 6 times their weight in water, that are quite high maintenance and are expensive. As I said though, perhaps I'm just set in my ways and I should try a new, _really_ good towel again.


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## bilt-hamber kid (Dec 4, 2007)

Bigpikle said:


> How do do care properly for a true chamois?
> 
> I've never had a true quality chamois but all the cheap ones have gone like a piece of twisted cardboard in no time...


We have made chamois conditioning oil that keeps them going. Tesco has just launched its own range that you can see through. Nowt wrong with that, but if you let it dry out, you're asking for trouble and it will turn crisp.

Before use rinse your chamois in clean water, and wring out - the chamois needs to be just damp for best results. The way to remove water from your car before giving it a really good going over is to hold the chamois in your hands one at each end, 3 feet apart and then pull it over a panel. Then, squeeze the chamois and detail the paint properly with it.

For normal cleaning, rinse it in lukewarm water with a mild non-alkali soap, or a very mild detergent to get rid of particulate matter. Gently stretch it, and hang in area protected from direct sunlight and heat. Take care not to over dry. I spoke to a Pebble Beach bloke who kept his in a fridge.. 

I wrap mine up loosely in clean plakky bags to maintain moisture and keep them in the garage. I run the risk of getting creases which yes, _can _attract particulates if you're not careful, but they get used often and I'm careful. I've had one chamois over 3 years now. I guess I know what I like and I like what I know! 

But I have been promised a towel identical to the ones used by Rolls Royce at Goodwood and I'm looking forward to trying that.


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## sufff (Dec 10, 2007)

*m/f more pratical to use, easier to manage, cost less?*

Ok so I've listened to the argument for chamois BUT when I still beleive microfiber towels are more practical to use and they are certainly a helluva lot cheaper.

Eg. CG Elite Drying Microfiber Towel is £11.95, two of these can be used to clean a decent sized car without hardly any wring outs and basically less swipe means less chance of getting paint scratched

Now compare that to say Megs Gold Class Natural Sheep Skin Chamois averaging £17.99

I just feel the chamois process is too time consuming and complicated, doesn't matter how good the chamois is you have to spend a lot of time maintaining it and keeping it in good order, and even if you do if you get a crase or the texture goes a bit funny you are pretty much screwed.

I have tried the mentioned chamois and smaller versions of the large drying towel (16x16) compared to the huge one.

I just think basically if you want something that will dry your car quickly without much hassle and low maintenance then m/f towel is definentaly the choice. You may get really good chamois but is it worth spending that amount of money on it and then spending money to maintain it really well when you can get something that is good for drying costs quarter of the price (assuming real chamois are very expensive) and is easily maintained 
You can get a microfiber wash bottle for £5.95, it rejuvinates the towel. I don't know how much the chamois maintainer costs to be honest. Also towels can be washed in machines and the rejuvinator can get rid of the smell and bacteria. It just basically seems a much better choice and if you buy a few towels compared to one expensive chamois you wont even need to do any wring out.

Am I making sense here?
Please do share your opinions. I am no way a professional, willing to learn.

Thanks


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## Dave KG (Feb 23, 2006)

^^ Yes, I think you've pretty much hit the nail on the head with regards to care of a chamois vs. care of a microfibre towel...

One main problem is the vast majority of chamois leathers available are not the quality ones talked about above by BHK, and they have built up a reputation for scratching because of this as they do scratch paintwork I have found... But a quality, properly maintained chamois leather will not scratch paintwork and there are many detailers, not just BHK, who will testify to this 

However, the microfibre towels, typically (if we negate the Megs Water Magnet for now) are less prone to scratching as there are are more "quality" versions of them about. Couple this to the fact they are easier to maintain - through them in the washing machie - and this for me makes them a more practical drying towel. 

Ease of use plays a big part in decisions for products for me (and I imagine most others), and microfibre drying towels have proved easier to me to use, maintain.


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## sufff (Dec 10, 2007)

*Tah!*

Thanks KG, just glad I'm making sense.
I am not out to diss chamois or say anything against them being used, just think microfibers are better because of the scratch free edging being used now and also because if you wash them properly and add that rejuvinator sometimes they will not easily loose their texture unlike a chamois. Also I seen some people were saying the oils in the chamois are easily lost (probably y they stink). Anyhow my my main point was one really good chamois vs loads of very good microfiber towels. For me the microfiber towels win because you can get more and also because you can get more means less swiping/wringing out to do which in turn = less chance of scarring/marring paintwork


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## [email protected] (Jun 15, 2007)

I think the danger when using a chamios comes from the one that's badly maintained. A greasy/sticky chamios can attract grit, and can then be wiped straight across that precious delicate surface.


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## kings.. (Aug 28, 2007)

i do agree that some chamois can cause potential damage however I have used towels like the vileda flunky which I have never had issues with and had a clear smear free finish in minutes.. 
although I do use a miracle dryer too!


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## Justin1979 (Dec 27, 2007)

Having just gone from leather chamois to sonus towel, difference is night and day.
Drying is a pleasure now, was a chore before.
Not sure if you could use last touch with a chamois, but am liking that too.


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## VIPER (May 30, 2007)

Alex at serious performance does some microfibre chamois that are the best of both worlds. I've got one that I've been using for years and it's as easy to look after as any microfibre towel, doesn't smell or dry hard - it's great. I still use proper drying towels as well but these 'hybrids' are worth investigating if you really like chamois but don't like how hard they are to use and maintain.


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## Wheelie_Clean (Jun 16, 2007)

The other advantage of towel over chamois is the depth of pile. Any dust/grit which lands on the paint after rinsing is less likely to scratch the paint with a towel as it can disappear into the pile without any pressure on it. With the chamois it has no where to go and will be dragged across the paint.


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## HomeJames (Nov 16, 2007)

I am a new convert to the microfibre towel, while he was detailing a Merc, Paul (Reg Hollis) spotted a chamois lying around and asked me if I had ever tried towel drying. He chucked me a miracle towel and suggested I try it on the Chrysler Voyager I had just rinsed down. The towel dried the whole damn bus and I didn't even get to wring it out.

Easy to look after, cheap and kind to paint.


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## BIG BAVARIAN (May 7, 2006)

i will "fess up " and admit i use an autoglym aquadry on my wheels and have done so for twenty years,(small and compact for getting in between the spokes,it is washed after every use too) the rest is done with an aquatouch


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

I dont think the drying stage is as much the problem as the washing stage.By the time of drying the car is pretty much free from grit and silt wheras at the wash stage your actually removing the dirt mechanically by means of wiping.


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## Detail My Ride (Apr 19, 2006)

The Doctor said:


> I dont think the drying stage is as much the problem as the washing stage.By the time of drying the car is *pretty much free from grit and silt *wheras at the wash stage your actually removing the dirt mechanically by means of wiping.


Pretty much? I should hope that its 100% free of dirt, grit and silt.


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## The Doctor (Sep 11, 2007)

Gaz W said:


> Pretty much? I should hope that its 100% free of dirt, grit and silt.


I dont like to reply to your rambling too much after the flaming you gave me in the other post for absolutely no reason but i feel i cannot let this go.

No matter how much you rinse a car there will be trapped dirt somewhere that can be pulled out of maybe a crevice when drying. If the car was 100% perfectly clean and free of grit there would be little need for this topic as you could use simply any old towel/chamois provided it did not itself inflict swirls to the paint. To add to this there is the possibility that particles of dust and grit can fall from the air and be blown onto the paint in windy conditions when working outdoors especially hence the vehicle being 'pretty much clean'.


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## bilt-hamber kid (Dec 4, 2007)

Best I speed up the MF then.


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