The Journal
Supplies
Microfiber, Ranked: What To Buy And How To Not Ruin It
The Cen-Tex CounterJun 30, 2026 4 min read
GSM, blend and edge type decide whether a towel marrs paint. Laundry decides whether you buy them again in three months.
Towels are the most-touched tool in the shop and the least-managed. A color-coded system and a real laundry process pays for itself before the first case is used up.
Match the towel to the job
- Coating removal: short pile, edgeless — browse towels.
- Drying: twist loop or waffle weave, high absorbency, critical against hard water spotting.
- Interior and glass: low pile, no plush, dedicated color.
- Wheels and engine bays: retire them here, never back to paint.
Laundry rules that actually matter
No fabric softener, ever — it coats the fibers and kills absorbency. Wash microfiber alone, warm not hot, and air dry or tumble on low. Sort by job before they hit the machine so wheel grit never rides along with your paint towels.
The same discipline applies to buff pads — the full correction workflow is in compound, polish, finish.
In Stock Now
Buy towels by the case at the counter — shop pricing, no shipping wait.
