Car dryers: The best ways to clean a car

From the humble microfibre drying towel to a dedicated filter car dryer, there are plenty of ways to remove water from a washed car. Here's why you should consider doing it and the best tools to do the job properly.

Written by Ryan Gilmore Updated: 8 February 2024

Put that chamois down! They may have been acceptable 20 years ago for drying cars but the fact is, they’re not very good. Not only are they not really that absorptive, but they’re also quite hard to work with and really susceptible to leaving horrible scratches and marring in the paintwork.

Car drying may still be the most annoying part of the car cleaning process, but technology had come a long way and there are plenty of ways to effectively scoop away that left-over water without adding any scratches. We’ve found the best car dryers right here, and there’s something to suit any budget.

The best car dryers

26JPN Drying Towel

Best low-tech car dryer

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The undoubted king of car drying for most people will be a good quality microfibre drying towel. A microfibre towel is capable of absorbing more than its body weight in water, and is ultra-soft to stop any chance of scratching, relatively cheap to buy and easy to care for (bung in the washing machine).

This 26JPN Micro Twist Drying Towel really impressed us when we put it to the test on a wet car. The 1200gsm fibres easily absorb the water and the large 70 x 90cm surface area makes drying a car a quicker event.

MetroVac Air Force Blaster Sidekick

Best car dryer for small areas

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This is a proper, purpose-built car dryer and a very nifty time-saving gadget. It uses gently heated and filtered air to help speed up drying and hopefully prevent dreaded water spots. It’s not the largest car dryer, and therefore it’s best suited for drying grilles, door seams and other small areas that are difficult to reach with a drying towel.

It has a 1.3hp motor which is capable of blowing 14,460 litres of air a minute and it’s made from steel so it should be tough. All-in-all, it’s a clever gadget if you’ve caught the car cleaning bug. Larger car dryers are rather expensive and while suitable for drying a full car, are often only sold via specialists and are best left to the experts.

Draper 90107 230V 1250W 15L Wet and Dry Vacuum Cleaner

Best multi-purpose car dryer

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A good wet and dry vacuum cleaner is probably the best investment you can make for cleaning around the home, car and garage. Suck up spillages, clear larger debris and deep-clean a car’s carpet with the same tool. Even better, several examples ship with a blower function, perfect for blasting water out of small water traps.

This Draper model is an excellent budget option and comes with that all-important blower function. It also has a 1250 Watt motor, 15-litre dust container and a solid selection of attachments, including a crevice tool, round brush and floor head.

WORX 20V Cordless Turbine Blower WG547E

Best car dryer for gardeners

Price: $139.99

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Another really popular air-pushing tool is the common garden leaf blower, and like the vacuum cleaner, this is perfect for pushing away excess water from the surface of a car. The air is not heated so won’t dry the water, and the lack of filtration means you’ll need to be careful where you point it, but it’s great for blowing water away from small pockets where it can potentially sit (like a door seal).

This leaf blower from Worx is our top pick because it’s well made, good value for money and battery powered (part of the Power Share family) which will make both blow drying a car on a driveway and cleaning the bottom of the garden super simple.

Ryan Gilmore is the Deputy Autos and Tools Editor for Parkers, specialising in car cleaning and hand tools. A veteran car cleaner; if it details, waxes or washes he’ll be on hand to make sure it’s worth your money.

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