· By Cal Mercer · 1 min read
Drying without adding swirls
A clean car can still pick up scratches in the last five minutes. How to dry it safely, and why we never use a chamois.
Drying is where good washes go wrong. A chamois or a cheap towel drags any grit it meets across the paint, and water left to dry on its own leaves mineral spots.
Lay it, don’t rub it
Use one large, plush microfibre drying towel. Lay it flat on the panel, pat it, lift it off. On sides and doors, drag it gently in one direction with no pressure.
Blow the gaps
Mirrors, badges and door shuts hold water that runs out later as streaks. A leaf blower or a car dryer clears them in a minute.
Wash the towel on its own
No fabric softener, which clogs the fibres, and never with your cotton towels, which shed lint into them.