Natural Chamois vs Microfiber - what is better?

[BajanM3]

I've been doing some research trying to understand which is better to dry my car. Either a Natural Chamois...or a Microfiber

Microfiber towels:
From what I've seen so far...most people are recommending a Waffle Weave Microfiber towel. I've seen the Great White Drying Towel from Adam's Polishes mentioned a lot.

And it seems like Microfiber towels are the most popular amongst a lot of auto enthusiasts.

Some Pros
1. They are very absorbent
2. They are relatively cheap (compared to a natural chamois)
3. Good ones have good knap and are really soft


Some downfalls
1. You have to wash them after each use.
2. Also - it is recommended to have more than one(a couple actually)
3. And..you will need different types (one for drying the exterior, one for waxing, one for the interior, one for the windows).
So this can get fairly pricey.
4. Not to mention keeping up with the maintenance of them as well. I've also seen specific washing soap for microfiber towels.



Natural Chamois
They don't seem to be as popular (anymore). It doesn't seem most people mention to use them.

I have found that Natural is the BEST to use. Specifically Natural Chamois made from New Zealand Sheepskin. I've read that the best sheep skins come from New Zealand
Chamois have been around for hundreds of years

Some good stuff I've heard
1. They have good knap
2. They are easy to maintain (just wash them out after your done with car soap, rinse with clean water, ring out all the water, and hang it up to dry. no machine washing needed)
3. They last much longer than microfiber towels

Cons
1. They are really expensive
One good natural chamois can cost around $100 or so (from what I've seen on amazon)
https://www.amazon.com/Acme-TannerS-...select+chamois

So a few things I'm just wondering.....

1.does anyone have experience using both a Natural Chamois and Microfiber(waffle weave or other)?
Which did you prefer?...and why?

2. Is one REALLY better than the other?...
or are they both good and it just depends on what you prefer (kind of like choosing between an M3 or an M4)

Would love to hear your guys feedback based on experience.

I'm trying to decide what to use on my new M3 and determine if there really is a BIG difference or not.

Thanks a lot for the help!!

[aboulfad]

I've only used MF towels, I've been detailing my cars for the past 15 years, and did use chamois for the first few months on my first car and ditched it in a heartbeat for MF towels that long ago! That is the first time I see someone mention it, and it brought flashbacks when I used to go with my dad to the car wash...

The only good thing about chamois is they are absorbent, and have ZERO tolerance to having any dirt on the surface, if not you'll be moving dirt particles on your paint surface. They have no lifting power/ability as plush MF.

Do yourself a service, don't over complicate things and buy a good assortment of MF towels, they last very long if maintained properly and if your care about your car, you will care about the detailing products you use, Your car will thank you for it

PS: you can google chamois vs MF, autogeek is the de facto standard online resource for detailing products.

[BajanM3]

Originally Posted by aboulfad

I've only used MF towels, I've been detailing my cars for the past 15 years, and did use chamois for the first few months on my first car and ditched it in a heartbeat for MF towels that long ago! That is the first time I see someone mention it, and it brought flashbacks when I used to go with my dad to the car wash...

The only good thing about chamois is they are absorbent, and have ZERO tolerance to having any dirt on the surface, if not you'll be moving dirt particles on your paint surface. They have no lifting power/ability as plush MF.

Do yourself a service, don't over complicate things and buy a good assortment of MF towels, they last very long if maintained properly and if your care about your car, you will care about the detailing products you use, Your car will thank you for it

PS: you can google chamois vs MF, autogeek is the de facto standard online resource for detailing products.

aboulfad
Thanks for the feedback.

The only part that seems contradictory to what I've been reading is when you said "They have no lifting power/ability as plush MF."

From what I've read, a real NATURAL LEATHER Chamois has lots of nap, and it will grap and attract any dirt particles (that might be left after washing)

I found this resource to be very insightful: http://chamoisinfo.com/page/using-yo...eather-chamois

"Unlike the synthetic products on the market, a genuine leather chamois cloth is extremely soft, absorbent, contains lots of nap and, most importantly, releases the dirt and grit completely into the rinse water. No other product has this same unique combination of characteristics"

I also checked out Autogeek as you mentioned, and came across this thread (https://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...-products.html)

where a few people also agree that Natural Chamois are better, and are wondering if they are missing something when it comes to the microfiber craze.

Perhaps its just personal preference. Maybe I'll give both a try and see which results I like better.

[BajanM3]

This site does a great job explaining the different types of towels and the pros/cons.

https://hubpages.com/autos/How-to-Ch...Cloth-or-Towel

Microfiber

The invention of microfiber was a significant improvement on the cotton towel in several ways. Microfiber towels are more durable, absorbent and have more fibers per square inch (nap) than their cotton counterparts. Microfiber, which is a synthetic material made from petroleum by-products, is more durable than cotton and will last much longer saving on replacement costs.

Microfiber doesn’t shed like cotton eliminating the lint that used to be left behind. And it is also more absorbent than cotton and requires fewer passes to dry the vehicle. And although this can be a positive attribute, microfiber like any other cloth, should still be rinsed frequently to remove the grit trapped in the fiber. Microfiber often requires more thorough rinsing because it does not release dirt easily.

Microfiber can be laundered like cotton, However, do not use bleach or fabric softener when washing or it will breakdown the synthetic fibers and always wash microfiber products with other microfiber, never with any other fabrics.

Natural Chamois Leather Cloths

The gold standard for car drying cloths has been and, arguably, continues to be the genuine natural chamois leather cloth. A quality chamois is extremely durable, is highly absorbent, has lots of nap and releases dirt and grit better than most other materials. Regardless of where they are tanned (or “made”), the best natural chamois’ are made from New Zealand sheep’s hide.

It is a natural renewable resource that has been used for decades. A properly maintained chamois will last for years with normal use. Natural chamois’ should not be laundered, simply rinse thoroughly and hang to dry.

A chamois cloth should never be used with a degreaser or harsh detergent as it may strip the essential oils that are part of the tanning process. A chamois, like any leather product, can become stiff during the drying process; however, re-wetting the cloth will make it immediately supple and ready for use once again.

[XsltAnalyst]

Those who detail for a living use MF. You can find tons of videos on youtube, AMMONYC is probably the best. Don't overthink this like the other poster said. Good set of MF towels will last 10+ years. Just toss them in the washer after using if you're lazy like me. I just use whatever laundry detergent I use for clothes.

Chamious vs MF is like comparing conventional oil vs synthetic, and we all know which one is better.

[stooker]

Microfiber all the way, just use the right type for different applications - glass, drying, cleaning, buffing, etc. I don't consider that a negative. It's just picking the right tool for the job.

Take good care of them, don't use towels that have been dropped on the ground, and clean with mf detergent or vinegar and don't dry them on high heat. I air dry mine. The ones you use for multipurpose cleaning will quickly become throwaways, but some of the more expensive ones (like my favorite drying towel, Cobra's Guzzler) you'll want to keep for a long time.

[Bruce_SC]

Microfiber here as well. I had a chamois years ago....Not sure where it is now, but I know where all my Microfiber towels are, if you get what I mean.

Bruce

[larryn]

I use something called "The Absorber", which is a fake chamois, to get the majority of water off, then have a large MF over my shoulder, and use to sweep up what little water remains.

[SD ///M4]

I gave up on natural chamois years ago. I've been using Griot's Garage MF towels ever since. I currently use the PFM Terry Weave Drying Towel which soaks up an amazing amount of water.

I have different MF towels, mitts, and pads for each task: body wash mitts and body dry towels, wheel wash mitt and wheel dry towels, interior pads and towels, glass, polishing, and waxing. I wash them separately from other laundry along with a few ounces of GG MF Cleaner.

[gramboda]

Back in the day we used natural. I never found them to be all that effective. Then I went to The Absorber which absorbed more but I wondered about marring. Today, I use a mixture of regular MF and waffle weave. They absorb great and I like the peace of mind knowing they are clean because I machine wash them after each use. You really need to determine your tolerance on the scale of perfection. Do you want your DD to be a show car? Or, do you just want to have the nicest car in your neighborhood? That usually answers how much effort you'll put into detailing your DD.

[BajanM3]

Originally Posted by gramboda

Back in the day we used natural. I never found them to be all that effective. Then I went to The Absorber which absorbed more but I wondered about marring. Today, I use a mixture of regular MF and waffle weave. They absorb great and I like the peace of mind knowing they are clean because I machine wash them after each use. You really need to determine your tolerance on the scale of perfection. Do you want your DD to be a show car? Or, do you just want to have the nicest car in your neighborhood? That usually answers how much effort you'll put into detailing your DD.

Thanks gramboda
You are right. I like how you stated that.
"Do you want your DD to be a show car? Or, do you just want to have the nicest car in your neighborhood? That usually answers how much effort you'll put into detailing your DD"

This isn't my daily driver. But it is my dream car and I've waited a VERY long time to get it. I just recently got Xpel Ultimate installed on it as well...so i'm a little less worried now about what I use to dry it with.

I will say...that I bought the Adams Great White MF towel...and to be honest...I'm not sure what all the rave was about it.

Personally...I found it to be TOO big and awkward to use.
Also - after it got wet, I found it hard to wring out the water because of the size.

On my 12 yr old car (which is my daily driver)...I have a synthetic chamois that i've used to dry it for years.
And between using the 2...I can say that I like the way the chamois dries better and how easy it was to wring out the water and keep going.

Now...in full disclosure..that car is all chipped and scratched up..so i don't really care much about the looks.

But...i'm just talking about how easy it was to dry, and wring out the water using the chamois in comparison to Adams Great White MF.

I'm not that picky as some. I don't see/understand the need to dry your windows with a specific or different type of MF towel. Why not use the same towel that you used to wipe down the rest of the car?

Again...I'm new to this...so I probably don't have ALL of the knowledge as others....but I'm just not that picky and don't understand why I need a special "window MF drying towel"

It sounds more like a money grab to me.