Just to clear one thing up, high-quality microfiber towels will never scratch clear coat. That’s because those towels are super soft, far softer than the paint finish, but, even if you use the world’s gentlest types of microfiber incorrectly, you may scratch the paint.

Right now, you’re probably wondering how both could be true. Scratch free microfiber towels never scratch paint, but using them incorrectly can scratch paint? How is that even possible?

Because the scratches aren’t caused by the microfiber cloth itself. They’re caused by what’s trapped between the towel and your clear coat. Dirt. Road salts. Brake dust. That sort of thing. If you wash and dry your car incorrectly, these particles act like scouring agents, and the wiping action of the towel causes them to dig into the clear coat. This is important to understand, so you can take the right precautions to avoid this problem.

• Always start washing your car by rising your car with a strong stream of water. Start with the roof and work your way down and around the car. If possible, use the stream to break up any caked-on soils. The more dirt you remove without scrubbing, the better.
• Use Bug & Tar Remover on any insects, tar, tree sap or bird droppings. Again, the less scrubbing, the better. Let the cleaning product do the work for you.
• Be sure to rinse your wash mitt or wash sponge frequently in the car wash solution. Rinse and squeeze soils into the bucket and absorb more soapy solution at least once for every 2’ x 2’ section of your car.
• Dry with a high-quality microfiber towel or, even better, use a touch-free drying method, like a leaf blower. Blowing your car dry can be fast, easy and safer for your finish.
• Always maintain a protective wax barrier. This will help prevent scratches while you wash and shed rinse water from your car, so you won’t need to wipe it dry as much.