Understanding Waffles
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mynci
New member
I don't know if I would say WWs absorb water quicker than cotton towels do as I find them to perform similarly in that aspect, but in my experience, they definitely absorb and hold more water.
rabbi
The Whaler Loves Detail City
Waffle Weaves definitely hold more water.
SilverLexus
Super Enthusiast
My guess is they do absorb water quicker simply due to the extra fibers present in a typical WW fabric.
I am always impressed how in the old days I purchased 2 Egyptian cotton bath towels (dimensions of 27x54 inches) for the previous ES and drying soaked both of them and now I use one 16x24 WW MF for the current ES and I only need this one towel!
I am always impressed how in the old days I purchased 2 Egyptian cotton bath towels (dimensions of 27x54 inches) for the previous ES and drying soaked both of them and now I use one 16x24 WW MF for the current ES and I only need this one towel!
OK help me with WW...I bought 2 from a vendor here. I think they suck !! It seem's I can't dry my truck off with them...not sure why . It's like they don't absorb the water , just move it around.
I just ordered one from Steve (PB) and I'll try one of his out because of the quality of towels I've got before are great.
A few years back I bought 2 orange drying towel's from Poorboy and they were the best I've ever used. He no longer carries them so the one's we do have are kept under lock and key and a glass case for veiwing ....lol.
I just ordered one from Steve (PB) and I'll try one of his out because of the quality of towels I've got before are great.
A few years back I bought 2 orange drying towel's from Poorboy and they were the best I've ever used. He no longer carries them so the one's we do have are kept under lock and key and a glass case for veiwing ....lol.
Big Leegr
Swirls?!?! NNOOOOOOO!!!!!
First, besides the absorbing, I find that they move the water better, possibly due to the "little walls" formed by the waffling.
My WW's tend to not absorb too well at the start. It's like they need to be "primed" first. I usually start on the windows. That way I can push a little bit and get the water soaking in. Once I have enough to wring some out, I then start on the paint.
Also, I pull the towel, rather than push it. I hold the corners up and just let the weight of the towel do the work. (I usually end up with a few trails, but I qd after each wash, so they aren't a problem.)
Others have said blotting is the safest way to dry a car, regardless of type of towel, but I haven't had much success with this method myself.
My WW's tend to not absorb too well at the start. It's like they need to be "primed" first. I usually start on the windows. That way I can push a little bit and get the water soaking in. Once I have enough to wring some out, I then start on the paint.
Also, I pull the towel, rather than push it. I hold the corners up and just let the weight of the towel do the work. (I usually end up with a few trails, but I qd after each wash, so they aren't a problem.)
Others have said blotting is the safest way to dry a car, regardless of type of towel, but I haven't had much success with this method myself.
awd330
"Beep Beep"
For me, WW MF towels absorb much faster than other type of towels (cotton or otherwise). The structure of the waffle weave pattern provides more surface area for the water to contact. On horizontal panels, I fling the towel out over the surface, and let it settle down for a few seconds. Then, I pull the towel a few inches and pat the areas near the edges (rain gutters, trim, glass, etc.). For vertical panels, I lightly pat and wipe. When using a larger towel (24"x36"), I never have to wring a towel out and I rarely need more than a single towel per vehicle. I must preface this by saying that I use a free flow rinse with my hose which removes most of the standing water. I also machine wash all my towels prior to their first use.
Actually the waffles you are speaking of (polyester and nylon) DO NOT ABSORB at all. Neither do any of the other types of polyester microfibers. Don't get excited, that doesn't mean they don't work. You see, polyester or nylon fibers don't absorb at all while cotton, cellulose, silk, and other natural fibers do.
The man made fibers adsorb (note the "D") which means they attract and hold onto liquids on the outside of the yarn while natural fibers absorb (note the "B") which means they attract and retain liquids internally. Look up the two terms in a dictionary for exact defenitions.
The reason a waffle weave works so well at drying because it is like using hundreds of little squeegees. These squeegees, in turn, push the water into the indents.
The man made fibers adsorb (note the "D") which means they attract and hold onto liquids on the outside of the yarn while natural fibers absorb (note the "B") which means they attract and retain liquids internally. Look up the two terms in a dictionary for exact defenitions.
The reason a waffle weave works so well at drying because it is like using hundreds of little squeegees. These squeegees, in turn, push the water into the indents.