Microfibre Cloths

January 2008

Forget nano particles, car wash guns or everlasting polishes... the biggest revolution in valeting over the past couple of years has been the microfibre cloth. It’s essential if you want to make cleaning your car easier.

The secret is in the fibres, which are split into tiny strands that can dig out grime and hold it. Not only can the cloth clean, but it also absorbs water, and several makers now produce special weaves to suit particular jobs, such as glass cleaning or buffing.

These cloths can clean, polish and dry, so we tested all three. Each was weighed dry, soaked, then put back on the scales to check how much water it could absorb. Cleaning was assessed on dirty window glass, and finally we buffed polished panels, looking for a quick shine with as little resistance as possible. Price was also considered in the final verdict, although it played a small role, as no cloth cost more than £7.

Verdict

Picking a winner was easy, as Armor All’s Polishing Cloth cleaned up in our tests, and at £4 is great value. Recommended is Meguiar’s, while Halfords’ twin pack will come into its own when using the bug remover mesh in the summer.

Top 3

1. Armor All Polishing Cloth
2. Meguiar’s Supreme Shine Microfiber Towel
3. Halfords Microfibre and Mesh Glass and Bug Cloths

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