It is crucial to color-code and separate towels by function to avoid cross-contamination during laundry from silicone, wax, brake pad dust, etc. which ultimately leads to smears and streaks on paint and window glass.
Carwash towels can be obtained in economical quantities from suppliers like Towels by Joe, etc. that advertise in the carwash journals. Follow OEM's procedures for preparing or seasoning towels before using for production.
Slightly dampened, heavy weight cotton “soaker” towels (i.e. blue) can be used to dry body panels of vehicles as they exit the dryer producers (side drying).
On finish line, medium weight cotton soaker towel (green) can be used for final detailing (wipe down,
door jams and console).
Medium weigh, dry, soaker towel (white) would be used for
armor all interior and cleaning rims.
We used a light weight hospital grade linen towel, dry, for windows (red).
The reason for recommending folding towels in 8ths is it’s conducive to process.
For example, “four-pass” and “box and fill” methods are commonly used to final detail cars and clean windows.
Four-pass is a technique for completing all the steps in final detailing a vehicle within four spans of the vehicle's length.
Box and fill means apply solution and then clean window by making a box moving in clockwise or counterclockwise manner and then fill-in moving back and forth to clean the center of the box and then repeat to polish dry, folding towel over and over to clean side as you move along.