Top 11 Microfiber Towels You Should Know About

Best Overall Microfiber Towel

For a versatile microfiber towel that works well on both tough messes and sensitive surfaces, this budget-friendly set is an excellent choice. Favored by professional cleaners, these towels tackle everything from scrubbing toilets to dusting furniture and soaking up spills. They’re super absorbent, leave no lint or streaks behind, and dry quickly due to their lightweight nature—ideal for drying a freshly cleaned Le Creuset. A slightly damp microfiber cloth is also great for cleaning upholstery.

The set includes 12 towels in four distinct colors, allowing you to assign a specific color to each cleaning area to prevent cross-contamination of germs and dirt. These towels are designed for long-lasting use, with reinforced edges that can withstand hundreds of washings when cared for properly.

However, we advise against using these towels on painted surfaces during car detailing, as the microfiber's density—measured in grams per square meter (GSM)—is below 350. (Keep reading for more details on GSM in microfiber towels.)

Size: 12.6 x 12.6 inches | Material: 85% polyester, 15% nylon | GSM: 280-320 | Care: Machine washable

Best Budget Microfiber Towel

For a significantly lower price per towel than the Mr. Siga set, this microfiber towel pack is perfect for big cleaning jobs around the house, car, or garage. At 12 x 16 inches, each towel provides more surface area than many similarly priced towels, offering better absorption and grip for stubborn messes. The packs come in sizes ranging from 24 towels to 144 towels, with three different colors to assign to various cleaning areas (e.g. kitchen, bathroom, car)—ideal for scrubbing greasy stovetops.

Although the manufacturer claims these towels are 'non-abrasive,' with a 220 GSM and a 90/10 polyester to polyamide mix, we don’t recommend using them for car detailing or delicate glassware that may scratch. Their mildly rough texture and large size, however, make them an excellent reusable alternative to paper towels for tasks like cleaning spills, dishwashing, dusting, and more.

Size: 12 x 16 inches | Material: 90% polyester, 10% polyamide | GSM: 220 | Care: Machine washable

Best Microfiber Towel Set

For many, it's most practical to have a selection of microfiber cloths for different cleaning needs. This microfiber towel set includes five for general cleaning, two for polishing, and one for dusting, each with distinct textures and pile heights. The dusting cloth is ideal for detailed work like wiping chair rail moldings when cleaning walls, while the polishing cloth is perfect for buffing clean laminate wood floors to a gleaming shine.

E-cloth is a highly regarded name in the microfiber industry, boasting that its towels can remove over 99 percent of bacteria using just water—no chemicals needed. From counters to windows to tile, this set offers the right tools to tackle a wide range of messes.

Size: Various | Material: Microfiber | GSM: Various | Care: Machine washable

Best Microfiber Towel for Housekeeping

If you're looking for a reliable microfiber towel for all your household surfaces, this multi-surface set has you covered. It has the right amount of texture to lift dirt and grime without causing streaks or scratches. Perfect for dusting, cleaning spills, drying dishes, polishing glass, cleaning stainless steel appliances, wiping down car interiors, and much more. The towels are made with high-density fibers and a high polyamide content, making them plush and extremely absorbent.

Each set includes 12 towels, all in one color, but they are available in seven different colors. You can purchase multiple sets to have a distinct color for each cleaning task if desired.

Dimensions: 12 x 12 inches | Composition: 80% polyester, 20% polyamide | GSM: 325 | Maintenance: Machine washable

Best Microfiber Towel for Automotive Care

Microfiber towels are essential for car detailing, but not every towel guarantees a scratch-free finish. These professional-grade towels were crafted with sensitive detailing in mind. The 70/30 microfiber blend and silk borders eliminate lint, swirls, and scratches. Use the plush side for dusting and debris removal, while the smooth side works well for polishing waxes, sealants, or cleaning windows and glass.

While these luxurious microfiber towels may not provide the abrasiveness needed for heavy-duty scrubbing, and their price is higher than some alternatives, they are an excellent choice for car owners. If you're looking for top-notch microfiber towels to preserve your car's paint, we believe the investment is worthwhile.

Dimensions: 16 x 16 inches | Material: 70% polyester, 30% polyamide | GSM: 380 | Care: Machine washable

Best Microfiber Towel for Electronics

Keyboards, phone screens, televisions, camera lenses, and eyeglasses all seem to attract dust, smudges, fingerprints, and oils. These ultra-thin microfiber cloths will refresh your delicate surfaces without leaving streaks, scratches, or lint behind. In fact, gently wiping a flat-screen TV with a microfiber cloth is widely regarded as the best method. Each cloth also comes with a protective polybag, keeping it safe and ready to use wherever you need it—whether in your purse, car, or office.

These towels are best suited for light dusting or wiping off smudges, but they may not be thick enough to tackle larger spills. Also, it's important to note that the manufacturer recommends hand washing these towels.

Size: 6 x 7 inches | Material: Microfiber | GSM: Not specified | Care: Hand wash only

Best Waffle-Weave Microfiber Towel

In contrast to the typical loop weave found in most microfiber towels, these feature a waffle weave with no pile, which helps trap dust and dirt while quickly absorbing water and liquids. This makes them perfect for drying or cleaning up spills, and the non-abrasive microfiber is gentle on surfaces like windows and mirrors. With a GSM of 370, these durable towels are built to last and become softer with each wash.

Size: 16 x 16 inches | Material: 80 percent polyester, 20 percent polyamide | GSM: 370 | Care: Machine wash

Best Patterned Microfiber Towel

These eye-catching tea towels from Geometry show that microfiber doesn’t just serve a functional purpose. Crafted from post-consumer recycled bottles, each towel showcases a one-of-a-kind print, ranging from floral to geometric designs and beyond. Measuring 18 x 30 inches, these towels offer a larger surface area, making them ideal for drying hands, cleaning up spills, tidying the house, and drying dishes.

The towel’s tight weave allows it to dry quickly, ensuring you won’t have to deal with musty towels in your kitchen. With a GSM of 320, it’s gentle enough for drying delicate dishes and absorbent enough to soak up spills up to seven times its weight. Although we would have preferred the pattern to be on both sides, it’s still hard to beat the appearance and performance of this microfiber towel.

Size: 18 x 30 inches | Material: Recycled polyester and polyamide | GSM: 320 | Care: Machine wash

Best Microfiber Towel for Drying Hair

Microfiber towels are superior in absorbing moisture, causing less damage and frizz compared to other fabrics, making them ideal for hair drying. Additionally, they place less strain on your neck compared to traditional bath towels. We love the Volo Hero Hair Towel for its plush microfiber, which significantly reduces drying time. It's also a top choice among gifts for women.

Unlike many other hair towels, this one comes with a secure strap to ensure the wrap stays in place, preventing it from slipping off or pulling at your roots when you move. It’s particularly well-suited for those with long or thick hair, thanks to its large surface area.

Size: 2 x 38.4 inches | Material: Microfiber | GSM: Not listed | Care: Machine wash

Top Choice for Microfiber Dish Towels

These kitchen towels combine microfiber's quick-drying and absorbent properties with the look of a classic dish cloth. At 350 GSM, they offer just the right balance of weight for drying dishes and cleaning up spills, while being gentle on delicate items like glassware. Plus, they are generously sized at 18 x 26 inches.

You can easily rinse these towels between uses and hang them up using the attached loop. When they need a deeper clean, just toss them into the washing machine. With their classic lattice pattern and over 10 color options, these towels are sure to complement your kitchen decor.

Size: 18 x 26 inches | Material: 80 percent polyester, 20 percent nylon | GSM: 350 | Care: Machine wash

Top Pick for Large Microfiber Towels

These 30 x 60-inch microfiber towels, sold in a twin-pack, are marketed as bath towels but are equally effective for absorbing large spills, drying pets, cleaning car exteriors, and more. At 400 GSM, these towels are the heaviest on our list, offering a soft feel that makes them perfect for use as bath towels.

Unlike traditional bath towels, these microfiber towels can absorb up to seven times their weight in water and dry quickly, ensuring no musty smell. Each towel includes a convenient hanging loop for drying, and they come in packs of four or six, with over 15 color options to choose from.

Size: 30 x 60 inches | Material: 80 percent polyester, 20 percent polyamide | GSM: 400 | Care: Machine wash

Final Verdict

The Mr. Siga Microfiber Cleaning Cloth Set takes our top spot thanks to its perfect balance of scouring strength without being too harsh. This set is an excellent all-around option, and with four different colors, you can designate each cloth for a specific cleaning task to avoid cross-contamination.

For a more affordable option, the Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths provide great value, offering a large surface area for cleaning and absorbing spills. However, they are not ideal for delicate tasks like cleaning glass or detailing cars.

How to Shop for Microfiber Towels Like a Pro

Weave and Pile

Most microfiber cloths are designed with a loop weave that incorporates small hooks to effectively capture both wet and dry messes without harming surfaces. These towels come in varying pile lengths, from low to high. Low-pile towels are great for tough messes and have less linting, while high-pile towels are more absorbent and gentle, perfect for delicate surfaces.

Waffle weave microfiber towels are made without a pile, featuring a cross-hatched pattern that excels at drying. The grooves in the waffle weave trap water, and the ridges add scouring power. When crafted from top-quality microfiber, these towels are lint-free and non-abrasive, making them excellent for glass cleaning.

Density

Microfiber towels come in various densities, measured in grams per square meter (GSM). General-purpose microfiber towels typically range from 250-350 GSM. Lower GSM towels are better for tougher cleaning tasks and scrubbing, but they may cause streaking or scratching. Higher GSM towels are gentler and better suited for delicate surfaces. Use the following chart to help you select the appropriate GSM for your cleaning tasks:

Material

Microfiber towels are crafted from a combination of polyester and either polyamide or nylon. The polyester typically makes up the bulk of the towel, providing durability and scrubbing power, while polyamide or nylon contribute to the towel's absorbency and plush feel. Towels with a higher percentage of polyamide or nylon tend to be more resistant to scratches and feel softer. Inexpensive towels may have a ratio of 90% polyester and 10% polyamide or nylon. For a versatile cleaning cloth, opt for a blend around 80/20 or 85/15.

Color

Although color might not be the first thing you think of when buying a microfiber cloth, choosing a variety of colors within a set can help avoid cross-contamination, especially since microfiber holds onto dirt and grime so well. "With the awareness of cross-contamination it's great to have a variety of cloths you can keep separate in your cleaning caddy, in your car, and in the wash," says Brown. "And using the same color for every job removes the guesswork from trying to keep your cloths separate."

Consider assigning a different color to each cleaning area, such as one for the kitchen, another for the bathroom, a separate one for automotive tasks, and a distinct one for glass cleaning.

Questions You Might Ask

How do microfiber towels work?

Microfibers are known for their ability to cling to microscopic dirt particles and even bacteria: "A microfiber cloth is designed with millions of small fibers that can lift and hold dirt, bacteria, and liquids," explains Stapf. "Scientifically, the polyester fibers are positively charged, while the nylon fibers are negatively charged, which creates the perfect conditions to attract and pull in the mess you're cleaning up." High-quality microfiber towels are also more absorbent and dry faster than other towels, making them a great choice for household cleaning tasks.

When should you use microfiber towels?

Microfiber towels have a wide range of uses, and different fabric blends are especially suited for particular cleaning tasks. In general, you can use microfiber towels in place of paper or cloth towels, as they are highly effective at capturing dirt and bacteria.

"Every cloth type has its specific function," says Brown. "Microfiber cloths are preferred in cleaning because of their superior ability to sanitize surfaces." Due to its capability to pick up minute particles, microfiber is excellent for dusting surfaces, including electronics and car interiors. Depending on its density, it can also be used for scrubbing, drying, or detailing sensitive surfaces, like car paint. Microfiber cloths are versatile and can be used dry, with water, or with cleaning products.

Which side of the microfiber towel should you use?

Some microfiber towels feature one side that is soft and another side that is slightly more abrasive. The rougher side is ideal for scrubbing, while the softer side is designed for drying or detailing delicate surfaces without causing scratches.

How should you wash microfiber towels?

Because microfibers are designed to attract dirt, it's crucial to maintain that property for the cloth's longevity: "Harsh chemicals will coat the cloth and reduce its effectiveness over time," explains Stapf. "As a result, you don’t need to deep clean the cloth after every use. You can rinse it out with warm water and let it air dry, reusing it a few times before washing it thoroughly."

When it’s time to clean your microfiber towels, most are safe for machine washing in cold or warm water (but not hot). To avoid attracting lint from other fabrics like cotton, wash them separately. Use a gentle, unscented detergent and avoid fabric softeners, dryer sheets, or bleach. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets can affect the towels' absorbency, while bleach can damage the fibers. "Instead of fabric softener, try adding a tablespoon of white vinegar to eliminate any odor," recommends Stapf. To organize them in the broom closet, store smaller clean towels in a hanging bag and larger ones on a shelf.

To extend the life of your microfiber towels, Brown recommends following these tips:

• Pre-soak heavily soiled microfiber towels in a pH-neutral cleaner before washing.
• Air dry the towels or tumble dry them on a no-heat setting.
• Avoid using microfiber towels on extremely greasy or tar-like surfaces, such as car engines or oven hoods.
• Don’t leave dirty microfiber cloths in a damp pile for too long. Either soak them in a bucket or hang them to dry until you can wash them.

Take Our Word for It

This article was written by Melanie Fincher, associate editor at Mytour, with three years of experience in product reviews and lifestyle content. To create this list, she spent hours researching microfiber towels and received expert advice on shopping for and maintaining microfiber towels from A​​ngela Brown, CEO and founder of Savvy Cleaner, and Leanne Stapf, COO of The Cleaning Authority.