No matter how hard you try, are there always streaks left behind on your Ford's windshield? The problem might be the cloth you're using. You might be using the wrong towel to dry your car's paint, too.
As Larry Kosilla of Autoblog Details explains, you want to use microfiber towels to get the best results on any detailing job.
What is Microfiber?
Microfiber towels are made of a blend of polyester, which gives the towels scrubbing power, and polyamide, which makes them absorptive.
Each fiber is about 60 to 100 times smaller than a hair on your head. Because they are so thin and dense, they are able to hold more dirt than a terry towel, "locking" it away where it can't scratch the paint.
What Are the Types of Microfiber for Automotive Detailing?
Microfiber towels are divided by their density, measured in grams per square meter (GSM), and their ratio of polyester to polyamide.
For glass cleaning, look for a blend with higher polyamide content—about 30 percent polyamide to 70 percent polyester. Choose a lower-density towel, 200 GSM to 300 GSM.
Paint should be cleaned with a more polyester-heavy blend, only 20 percent polyamide and 80 percent polyester. Density should be high, up to 400 GSM, but avoid anything with an extra-long, plush pile, or it won't be an effective scrubbing tool.
The same towel can be used for interior detailing.
Microfiber less than 200 GSM can be obtained cheaply and in bulk, and these make excellent rags for excessively sludgey parts of the car, like engine, door-jams, and wheels.