Microfiber vs Cotton Car Towels: Which One Should You Buy?

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Below: the short answer, the four microfiber towels compared in ranking order, what the listings state about GSM, size, absorbency and washing, and answers to common questions.

Microfiber vs cotton car towels: the short answer

Microfiber wins the listings here by default, since cotton does not appear in any of them. What the four microfiber listings do show is what to compare: GSM on the two drying towels that state it, sizes from 11.8 x 15.7 inches to 29 x 36 inches, absorbency stated as multiples of weight or of terry towels, and machine washability on all four. Judge cotton the same way when you shop for it: weight, size, absorbency and care.

The two drying towels, Blackline and Griot’s, are the ones built for the big job of drying a whole car, with stated GSM figures and the largest sizes. The Meguiar’s and Tihzheoy packs are general detailing towels in smaller sizes, for windows, interiors and finishing work. Match the towel to the job first, then compare within that job.

Microfiber car towels compared

Towel	Size (stated)	GSM (stated)	Pack	Absorbency (maker’s claim)
Blackline Drying	24 x 36 in	1300	1	6x its weight
Griot’s PFM	29 x 36 in	1120	1	No figure stated
Meguiar’s Supreme Shine	16 x 24 in	Not stated	6	2x traditional terry
Tihzheoy Coral Velvet	11.8 x 15.7 in	Not stated	10	No figure stated

Blackline Drying. Ranked first. The Blackline drying towel is the spec-heavy pick: 24 x 36 inches at 1300 GSM in a twisted loop weave, 70 percent polyester and 30 percent polyamide, weighing 1.7 pounds. The maker claims it absorbs 6 times its weight in water, up to an entire gallon, drying streak-free with no water spots in one pass. One towel per pack.

Griot’s PFM. Ranked second. The Griot’s Garage PFM is the large-format pick at 29 x 36 inches and 1120 GSM, edgeless and double-ply, weighing 1.5 pounds and made for SUVs, trucks and RVs. The listing claims superior absorbency from its PFM Terry Weave without stating a multiple. Note: the spec table lists dimensions of 13 x 2 inches against the 29 x 36 inch title, so we trusted the title.

Meguiar’s Supreme Shine. Ranked third. The Meguiar’s Supreme Shine is a 6-pack of 16 x 24 inch plush microfiber towels for paint, glass, interiors and plastics, machine washable. Its head-to-head claim against cotton-kind material: absorbs two times more than traditional terry towels, with a swirl-free finish stated. Note: the listed item weight of 4.54 g is not credible for six 16 x 24 inch towels, and the warranty entry reads Not applicable.

Tihzheoy Coral Velvet. Ranked fourth. The Tihzheoy 10-pack gives 11.8 x 15.7 inch coral velvet towels, dual-sided and lint-free, weighing 0.36 kg for the pack. The listing states the reinforced edges withstand 500+ washes, and care is machine wash with mild detergent. The thinnest listing of the four, but the most towels per pack.

What the listings state

GSM

Two listings state it: 1300 GSM on the Blackline and 1120 GSM on the Griot’s Garage. GSM is grams per square meter, per the spec tables, so a higher figure means more fiber in the same area. The Meguiar’s and Tihzheoy listings state no GSM figure.

Size

Sizes run from 11.8 x 15.7 inches on the Tihzheoy to 29 x 36 inches on the Griot’s, with the Blackline at 24 x 36 inches and the Meguiar’s at 16 x 24 inches. A larger towel covers more panel per pass; a smaller one is easier to fold into a working pad. Fold a large towel into quarters and you get eight clean faces before it needs washing, which is how detailers stretch one towel across a whole car.

Absorbency claims belong to their makers

The figures do not share a common base, so do not rank the towels by them. Blackline claims 6 times its weight in water and up to an entire gallon. Meguiar’s claims two times more than traditional terry towels. Griot’s and Tihzheoy claim strong absorbency with no figure. Each claim describes its own towel only.

Washing

The Meguiar’s, Griot’s and Tihzheoy listings state machine washable outright; the Blackline care instructions describe washing the towel with a mild detergent without stating machine washable in those words. The Griot’s and Tihzheoy listings add: avoid fabric softeners, which reduce absorbency. The Tihzheoy states its edges withstand 500+ washes, and the Meguiar’s notes machine washing gives maximum longevity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for drying, microfiber or cotton?

No cotton towel is listed here, so the listings cannot settle it. Among the microfiber picks, the Meguiar’s listing is the only one that names cotton-kind material, claiming two times the absorbency of traditional terry towels as the maker’s claim.

What does GSM mean?

Grams per square meter, per the spec tables. The Blackline states 1300 GSM and the Griot’s states 1120 GSM; the other two listings state no GSM figure.

Can I machine wash microfiber towels?

The Meguiar’s, Griot’s and Tihzheoy listings state machine washable outright; the Blackline care instructions describe washing with a mild detergent. The Griot’s and Tihzheoy listings say to avoid fabric softeners, which reduce absorbency, and the Tihzheoy adds mild detergent.

How many towels come in a pack?

One in the Blackline and Griot’s listings, 6 in the Meguiar’s and 10 in the Tihzheoy. More towels per pack means more fresh ones per wash load.

Do microfiber towels scratch paint?

The listings claim they do not: swirl-free and scratch-free finishes are stated by Meguiar’s, scratch-safe by Blackline, and reduced scratch risk from the edgeless design by Griot’s. These are the makers’ claims, stated as such.

Related: microfiber towels for auto detailing, microfiber towels for drying cars and microfiber towels for car windows. Also see our car detailing hub and detailing kit for beginners.