Can I towel dry a ceramic coating?

We recommend you towel dry your car after washing, but you can also use a silicone squeegee to remove the bulk of the water.

We would offer the same advice for any car, regardless of the coating. A car with a ceramic coating isn't any different, except that the coating is highly hydrophobic, so a lot of the water may have already fallen off the car.

We prefer very large plush towels, and to use a couple. If they are large, they can soak up all the water, and you shouldn't need to wring them out. As we know, wringing out towels is hard work. 

Microfibre towels are super absorbent and softer than cotton terry towels. We think it's worth spending a bit more money to get a couple of good towels because they can make your life so much easier.

A good quality silicone squeegee or water blade, can also be used to remove the bulk of the water from your car if the water is beading up into small droplets.

One of the things that a ceramic coating cannot prevent is hard water spots, which care caused when water on your car evaporates and leaves behind mineral deposits, so it is important to dry your car.

I wouldn't use chamois leather (or 'flunky') on coated paint. Leather has no pile, so any grit sits between it and the clearcoat and gets dragged about. On a slick coating, you end up pushing harder just to move the water, which is where the fine wash-marring comes from. It also tends to smear a thin film that flashes into water spots, especially with hard water. The better way is to sheet most of the water off, then lay a big plush or twisted-loop microfibre on the panel, pat and lift, minimal wiping, flip often.

Air blowers are brilliant on ceramics. Touchless drying means you’re not grinding anything across the paint, and the airflow chases water out of badges, mirrors, trims, grilles, fuel flaps, wheel nuts and brake callipers – all the little traps that drip and spot later. It keeps towels cleaner and speeds the job up nicely. As an alternative to an air blower, you could take your car for a drive around the block.

What to buy – for a dedicated car dryer with filtered air, a gentle warming element, variable speed, a long hose and a rubberised nozzle so you don’t mark anything. Pet-dryer style units are great value, the proper vehicle dryers are more powerful. A clean electric leaf blower works in a pinch, just make sure the intake isn’t sucking up dust. You’ll find them at detailing suppliers online, decent motor accessory shops and some pet stores. In the UK, expect roughly expect to pay £80–£200 for mid-range, £200–£400+ for professional kit, which is a little spendy unless you are a dedicated enthusiast.

Keep the nozzle a safe distance, start at the roof, work down, and let the coating do the work.

What this question is really about

Most people asking this are worried about scratching the coating while drying - especially as coated paint can feel more “grabby” or glass-like compared to bare paint.

The short answer

Yes, you can towel dry a ceramic-coated car. The key is using clean, high-quality microfibre towels and proper technique.

Why drying is where scratches often happen

• Remaining grit after washing can be dragged across the surface.
• Dirty or dropped towels introduce contamination.
• Excess pressure increases the chance of marring.

A ceramic coating reduces friction, but it does not make the surface scratch-proof.

Safe towel-drying technique

• Pre-rinse thoroughly before washing.
• Use a clean, plush drying towel.
• Blot or gently glide - don’t scrub.
• Replace the towel if it becomes saturated or contaminated.

Alternatives to towel drying

• Car dryers or filtered air blowers.
• Leaf blowers (kept clean and used at sensible distance).
• Combination of air to remove bulk water, towel for final touch-up.

During the curing period

Follow installer guidance. Early on, avoid heavy pressure and aggressive wiping. Light blotting may be preferable if drying is necessary.

The key principle

Drying is safe when the paint is clean. Most drying scratches are the result of incomplete rinsing or contaminated towels - not the coating itself.

Written by Danny Argent. Last updated 17/02/2026 16:46