Good drying products

[striktlyaccord]

So this thread is more of a question.  In the past I've used "The Absorber" to dry my car after a good wash, then I switched to some generic waffle-weave towel that I got at Autozone or something.  Well, I think the towel is getting closer to retirement because it just doesn't feel right.  I've always liked items like "The Absorber", but does anyone have any recommendations into a good drying product, preferably of the waffle-weave type, or maybe some other product that I'm unaware of?

[07CoupeBlue]

A squeegy type thing works great. Just get most of the water off with that and then finish up the job with a towel or something like the Absorber.

[Mike]

A squeegy has the ability to mess up your paint pretty bad. I use one only on my windows, and use the Absorber for the rest of the car.

[CrackerTeg]

I have the absorber as well and that thing has been holding up for some time. I've been considering trying out the ShamWow (yeah, I know. Flame away) just to see what this thing is about. I'm actually curious if anyone has tried it.

[ROLO]

I use sham wow.. it's decent.

[CrackerTeg]

How is it compared to the absorber?

[07CoupeBlue]

Well there is this softer squeegy thats designed for cars and you don't put any pressure on it when you use it. It just lightly wipes away the water and it didn't seem to have any negative effects on the paint.

[Mike]

Well there is this softer squeegy thats designed for cars and you don't put any pressure on it when you use it. It just lightly wipes away the water and it didn't seem to have any negative effects on the paint.

Water Blade?

[07CoupeBlue]

That might be what it's called. It's got a very flexible body so that barely any pressure is put on the paint

[Mr Eazy]

Dave, how about a leaf blower?

I know several members use this method to dry off there rides.

[RTexasF]

I don't know that what you use is as important as how you dry the car. For the last rinse remove the nozzle and starting at the top flood the car with water on all surfaces working your way down. You'll see that the water flows off of the paint unlike when you use the nozzle. Give it a few minutes for the water to run off. If you have a leaf blower that's a great way to get the water out of seams, mirrors, etc. Then DAB at the remaining drops instead of rubbing them dry. If you are using an absorber, microfiber towel, waffle weave, or chamois the procedure should be the same. I have some WW towels that I thought were high quality and they scratched the shit out of the paint. Rather than light the fuckers on fire I decided to use them exclusively on windows.......works like a charm. Now I use a regular MF towel to dry but DAB the areas as opposed to "rubbing the car down".  Try it.

[unclejud49348]

I wish I had read this thread BEFORE I had washed my car today. I just bought some waffle weave MF towels today and I think they suck. They retain wayy too much water. I'm gonna try and "dab dry" my car next time, maybe I'll keep it from getting scratched up again.

I do think that any kind of microfiber towel will work better than what I used to use to dry my car, a "Black Magic chamois" that just trapped dirt and scratched the paint. I don't recommend anyone using those.

[alpha]

I dab dry my car with a drying MF towel.  I'm planning to get a leaf blower for making the process that much quicker.

[Mike]

Well there is this softer squeegy thats designed for cars and you don't put any pressure on it when you use it. It just lightly wipes away the water and it didn't seem to have any negative effects on the paint.

Water Blade?

I had to buff out a giant scratch on my roof from using one of these now I only use it on windows.

[skizot]

I don't know that what you use is as important as how you dry the car. For the last rinse remove the nozzle and starting at the top flood the car with water on all surfaces working your way down. You'll see that the water flows off of the paint unlike when you use the nozzle. Give it a few minutes for the water to run off. If you have a leaf blower that's a great way to get the water out of seams, mirrors, etc. Then DAB at the remaining drops instead of rubbing them dry. If you are using an absorber, microfiber towel, waffle weave, or chamois the procedure should be the same. I have some WW towels that I thought were high quality and they scratched the shit out of the paint. Rather than light the fuckers on fire I decided to use them exclusively on windows.......works like a charm. Now I use a regular MF towel to dry but DAB the areas as opposed to "rubbing the car down".  Try it.

+1 on the advice of using the hose without a nozzle to let the weight of the water pull the drops off the car, leaving very little to actually dry. +1 on the leaf blower to get the rest of the water out of all the hard to reach places, exactly what I do. You want to avoid rubbing or touching the paint unless absolutely necessary. Hence why when you wash the car you should pressure wash, soap, pressure wash again, before ever taking a mitt to the car. The only thing I would add to RTexasF's advice, is that as a drying agent, you can use your favorite quick detailer to help where you dab your MF. This way you are still having some sort of lubricant between the MF and the paint, but ultimately dry to a clear and debris free shine.