Towels

[Cjbarton]

How many towels do you guys use on average for the entire detail process (wash, clay, polish, seal, and wax?

 

Just an estimate.

 

I have a small car (vw gti) and a Yukon Xl.

[JBlack151]

I usually go thru the following microfibers for a complete detail (exterior/interior/engine/misc.)

 

1 Great White Drying Towel

1-3 Waterless Wash Towels

3-5 Utility Towels

2-4 Glass Cleaning Towels

3-4 Single Soft Towels

2 Double Soft Towels

 

It all really depends on the size and how dirty the vehicle is I'm working on and also what steps I'm actually completing. There has been times I've used much more towels.

[Laguna]

For GTO complete detail:

 

2 wash mitts

1 great white drying towel

4 glass cleaning towels

5 ww towels

4 polish removal towels

2 wax removal towels

3 post-claybar wipedown towels

2 door sill wipedown towels

4 wheel towels

3 engine towels

 

Barely any of my towels are Adam's, so that is why I didn't list Adam's names of towels.

[firemanram]

I go through the following towels on a full detail (drying, polish, wax, interior, etc.):

 

Drying

-great white drying towel

-4 waterless wash towels

-4 utility towels for tires and wheel wells

-2 waterless wash towels for rims

-2 waterless wash towels for truck bed

-1 glass towel for touch-ups

 

Glass

-2 glass towels for initial cleaning (I use one for the first wipe and one for final, then I use the final wipe towel as my initial wipe post clay bar)

-1 glass towel for clay bar

-1 glass towel to remove glass sealant

 

Clay

-2-4 single soft towels (it depends on whether I need to do my whole truck or not)

 

Polish & SVRT

-2 single softs for SVRT touch-ups and smudges

-3 single soft towels (one for each polish, sometimes more if I have some real heavy correcting to do)

-1 double soft towel for detail spray if needed

 

Seal, Glaze, Wax

-1 double soft for super machine sealant

-1 double soft for brilliant glaze

-2 double softs for Americana paste wax (I do to coats of Americana)

 

Interior

-2 waterless wash towels for interior cleaner

-1 waterless wash towel for interior conditioner

-2 glass towels

(If I do my seats, carpet, and floor mats, then you can add about 20 cheap autozone mf's to that list)

 

Keep in mind that I drive a Ram 1500, so I use probably double or triple the amount of towels and product as most people. Since it's my daily driver, I have to spend quite a bit more time on it as well, even though I keep it pretty close to perfect. More importanly for your question though, I have never finished a full exterior detail in one day and I rarely even think about doing the interior at the same time. So, you don't really need every towel I mentioned, you just have to know how you to break up your detail to use what you have most efficiently. I routinely throw the waterless wash towels I use for drying in the dryer, so that I can use them for the interior when I'm just doing a simple wash. Good Luck!

Edited September 11, 2012 by firemanram

[THE Mook]

I go through the following towels on a full detail (drying, polish, wax, interior, etc.):

 

Drying

-great white drying towel

-4 waterless wash towels

-4 utility towels for tires and wheel wells

-2 waterless wash towels for rims

-2 waterless wash towels for truck bed

-1 glass towel for touch-ups

 

Glass

-2 glass towels for initial cleaning (I use one for the first wipe and one for final, then I use the final wipe towel as my initial wipe post clay bar)

-1 glass towel for clay bar

-1 glass towel to remove glass sealant

 

Clay

-2-4 single soft towels (it depends on whether I need to do my whole truck or not)

 

Polish & SVRT

-2 single softs for SVRT touch-ups ans smudges

-3 single soft towels (one for each polish, sometimes more if I have some real heavy correcting to do)

-1 double soft towel for detail spray if needed

 

Seal, Glaze, Wax

-1 double soft for super machine sealant

-1 double soft for brilliant glaze

-2 double softs for Americana paste wax (I do to coats of Americana)

 

Interior

-2 waterless wash towels for interior cleaner

-1 waterless wash towel for interior conditioner

-2 glass towels

(If I do my seats, carpet, and floor mats, then you can add about 20 cheap autozone mf's to that list)

 

Keep in mind that I drive a Ram 1500, so I use probably double or triple the amount of towels and product as most people. Since it's my daily driver, I have to spend quite a bit more time on it as well, even though I keep it pretty close to perfect. More importanly for your question though, I have never finished a full exterior detail in one day and I rarely even think about doing the interior at the same time. So, you don't really need every towel I mentioned, you just have to know how you to break up your detail to use what you have most efficiently. I routinely throw the waterless wash towels I use for drying in the dryer, so that I can use them for the interior when I'm just doing a simple wash. Good Luck!

 

 

I fall reallllllly close to what this guy does...maybe a bit more. However, I do use applicators for Conditioners and such, and towels to remove residue or cleaning product.

:cheers:

[firemanram]

I must be doing something right if I use almost as many towels as you Mook. lol

[Cjbarton]

Thanks guys. I just needed an idea how many more towels I need to order.

[PacificNWBuckeye]

Looking at these lists I need more towels.

[Cjbarton]

Looking at these lists I need more towels.

 

Exactly what I was thinking

[Captain Slow]

I've never counted but I easily fill a large laundry basket when done. I guestimate somewhere in the neighborhood of two dozen.

[JJ Stin]

Looks Like I need more double soft towels & utility towels.

[scociny]

Looking at these lists I need more towels.

 

Yeah...I am feeling a little "inadequate" as well.

[firemanram]

I just read all these responses and it seems like a lot of them seem to be saying, wow i guess I need more towels. That may not be the case. Just because Mook and I, and a few others, have said that we use a TON of towels does not mean that you have to. Mook is an extremely talented detailer and happens to work for Adam's, and I don't accept anything less than perfect, but your standards may be different. At the end of the day, for most people this is therapy, so whatever level of finish you call perfection is fine. However, the more times you can change out to a cleaner towel, the fewer swirls you will have.

[Brandon Lutz]

2 Great white drying towels-1 for the upper half of the car, 1 for the lower half.

5 utility towels-1 for each wheel and 1 for the windows.

3 waterless wash towels-2 for the engine bay, 1 for the door jambs of my Camaro.

2 Double soft towels-1 for polish residue buffing. 1 for buffing off wax/sealant residue.

 

If I have to clay a vehicle that I have not detailed before, I will use another 1 to 2 waterless wash towels for removing the combo of detail spray and clay residue.

Edited September 20, 2012 by Brandon Lutz