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The Best Shop Towels for Keeping Your Workspace Spick and Span

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By Woodsmith Review Team
Last updated: 16 Apr 2023

No shop is complete without a good set of shop towels. They serve a variety of purposes, including all kinds of clean-ups. They’re constructed of different materials compared to your regular home towels, depending on the intended tasks involved, and provide phenomenal durability.

We wanted to find the ones that could withstand the demanding projects that go on in most shops without falling apart within a few days like many options out there. This is important in maintaining good housekeeping and safety in a shop. We wanted to find towels that provide excellent absorption, and overall deliver exceptional value for the price charged.

After sifting through hundreds of products and their customer reviews, we have narrowed our search down to the following options. According to customers, these are the best shop towels in 2023 to buy.

Best Overall
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Zeppoli Auto Shop & Car Wash Towels
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Runner Up
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Simpli-Magic 78966-100PK Shop Towels
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Honorable Mention
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Auto-Mechanic Shop Towels
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Show contents
Leading Shop Towel of 2023
  • 1 Zeppoli Auto Shop & Car Wash Towels
  • 2 Simpli-Magic 78966-100PK Shop Towels
  • 3 Auto-Mechanic Shop Towels
  • 4 Talvania Shop Towels

Best Shop Towels Buying Guide

Shop towels are one of the most important things you can own if you work with furniture, machinery, or equipment which needs to be wiped down after use, or if you need to clean your hands on a regular basis. Far superior to things like paper towels and rags, shop towels are absolutely essential for any workshop. No workshop should be without these versatile products. In fact, you’ll be surprised just how many industries use shop towels in their garages and warehouses. But what should you look for when purchasing them? We’ve put together this handy guide to give you all the information you need.

What Are Shop Towels?

Shop towels are the industry-standard cleaning product for any workshop that regularly deals with spills like water, grease, or grime. They are heavy-duty towels that are both absorbent and durable, able to clean up grease, liquids, and other spoils in a garage or woodshop environment. They are usually very strong and work effectively even when wet. 

Shop towels are made from a number of different things, both natural and chemical. For example, one of the most popular brands, Sellars, makes their shop towels with 40% post-consumer paper waste, tree fibers, and synthetic latex resin. Other brands use 100% recycled materials. Some brands produce towels that can be used multiple times before they have to be discarded. 

Do You Need Shop Towels?

Thanks to their durability, shop towels are a versatile product that can be used in a number of different scenarios. Whether you work in a garage, kitchen, automotive shop, or even a hospital, you’ll undoubtedly have some use for shop towels when going about your business.

Drying hands

The number one use for shop towels is drying your hands. These towels provide a hygienic solution to keeping your hands clean in a number of professions. If you work in an industry that deals with greasy substances or food prep, shop towels will come in handy.

Clearing up grease

Many workshops, especially in the auto industry, use shop towels to clear up heavy grease and oil spills. Shop towels are so absorbent they can wipe up grease and oil spills from around the automotive shop with ease.

Removing the grease from the towels, however, can be a tricky job. Luckily, electronicsNmore shows you how to get grease stains out of fabrics (including clothing) easily:

Wiping up solvents and inks

Many printing companies use soft towels to clean up any ink spillages.

Cleaning food processing

You’ll find shop towels in most industrial kitchens for cleaning up any food processing mess.

General office cleaning

Shop towels are so versatile, that they can even be used to clean and dust an office. You can also use them to polish surfaces and ornaments in your home.

Sanitization

Shop towels are also used in medical facilities and anywhere which needs to sanitize surfaces before use. Hospitals combine shop towels with a sanitizing product to wipe down operating tables. Tattoos and massage parlors also use shop towels to disinfect their equipment.

Should I Use Shop Towels or Paper Towels?

Shop towels are far superior to kitchen paper towels because they are more absorbent and durable. You can use one shop towel for jobs that would require several paper towels, making them an environment-friendly alternative. They are also softer, which makes them a carpenter’s best friend when wiping down finished surfaces. 

Shop towels are also a better choice than some rags. Rags can be made from polyester which is not absorbent. We should also mention that shop towels tend to be a lot cheaper than rags and other clothes, and are machine washable so they can be reused for a long time.

You can also find disposable shop towels on the market. However, we don’t recommend these. Disposable towels end up being more expensive in the long run and are also not good for the environment. 

What Should I Consider When Buying Shop Towels?

Before you buy any product, you may want to consider these factors when choosing which shop towels are right for you. 

Quantity

You can buy shop towels as individual packs or in bulk. If you are buying for your workplace you may want to shop around and find the best deal for a large number of towels. 

Eco-friendly

Shop towels are both absorbent and biodegradable. This makes them an eco-friendly addition to any workplace environment. You can also find certain shop towel brands which make their product with 100% recycled material. Depending on where you look, these may cost more than your typical shop towel pack.

Re-usability

A lot of shop towels are one-use only, although now many reusable options have also entered the market. Consider opting for these reusable options and make sure they are machine washable as that makes them very easy to maintain.

Color

Shop towels come in a variety of colors, all of which are purely cosmetic. The most common color is red, but if you look hard enough you’ll be able to find other colors to suit your taste.

Workplace

You will have to be mindful about which shop towels to purchase for your workplace, depending on the sort of machinery and equipment you work with on a daily basis. Most shop towels are food safe and can be used in the kitchen, but you may want to double-check before making a purchase. Also, you would want very durable towels if you want to clean tools and machinery with them. If you want to clean cars, then shop towels made with soft scratch-resistant material are the obvious choice.  

Shop Towel Price Range

Shop towels are very inexpensive compared to synthetic rags and even some paper towels. You can purchase packs of 200 for $25. You can also find some great discounts when you purchase in bulk. For example, you can buy an 8×200 pack of towels for $100.

Leading Shop Towel of 2023

1

Zeppoli Auto Shop & Car Wash Towels

– Best Overall
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Key Features

These strong absorbent towels can be used over and over without showing any signs of distress. The material is resistant to shrinkage, so the towels retain their shape and form even after multiple washes. Spills can be quickly cleaned up with these towels as they are super absorbent. They’re an ideal size and thicker than other brands. Achieving clean tools and machinery is a breeze with these shop towels due to the slightly abrasive texture. 

Pros
  • Quick-drying towels to prevent buildup of mildew and bacteria
  • Made with scratch-resistant soft yet durable cotton material
Cons
  • The first machine wash and dry may cause quite a bit of lint in the dryer screen
2

Simpli-Magic 78966-100PK Shop Towels

– Runner Up
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Buy on Amazon
Key Features

This towel set is made with industrial-grade fabric materials to provide long-lasting durability. They are specifically designed to clean up oil, grease, and other common fluid spills in shops. It’s good to always have an adequate number of these towels lying around the shop. They work quite well at picking up grime and other muck. 

Pros
  • Machine washable and dryable towels, each piece can be reused for a long time
  • Includes 100 towels in the pack, you won’t need to buy another one for a long time
Cons
  • Some of the red dye may wash off during the first machine cycle
3

Auto-Mechanic Shop Towels

– Honorable Mention
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Buy on Amazon
Key Features

Always have a towel handy with this big bundle of towels that should last you a long time. The commercial-grade material performs well at cleaning and buffing, allowing you to perform any shop cleaning task with ease. They’re wonderful for keeping your hands free from grease while working. They can even be used for getting grime off of tools, although they don’t seem to work as well for picking up water. These towels are completely machine washable so they can be reused until you have derived plenty of value from each piece. 

Pros
  • Has a scratch-resistant texture that does not damage auto paint while wiping off dirt 
  • Perfect square 14×14 inches size with stitched borders for added durability, easy to handle 
Cons
  • If towels are heavily soiled with grease and/or oil it may leave a residue in the washing machine
4

Talvania Shop Towels

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Buy on Amazon
Key Features

These multi-purpose shop towels are quite useful around the shop or home. The natural material is ideal for soaking up spills, even the ones that are usually very tough to wipe away with regular fabric towels. It’s very economical to have several sets of these around. These wash very easily and come out clean every time, allowing you to enjoy sparkling-clean towels every time. 

Pros
  • Excellent shrink-resistant 13 by 13 inches size, will retain its shape even after many washes
  • Exceptional absorption yet soft texture, suitable for cleaning almost anything
Cons
  • It might be a bit thinner than competitive brands

People Also Asked

Q: Are shop towels reusable?

A: Some shop towels are reusable. The standard blue roll should be disposed of after first use. However, certain brands supply shop towels that can be used multiple times as they are made with machine-washable material. 

Q: Are shop towels food safe?

A: We advise you to check the packaging on shop towels to check whether they are food safe. Most popular brands are food safe and used in many kitchens across the world.

Q: Can I use shop towels around the house?

A: Yes! You don’t have to be in a workplace environment to enjoy shop towels. Shop towels can be useful in any part of the house, including the kitchen, garage, or even to just dust your surfaces.

Q: Can I put my shop towels in a dispenser?

A: Yes. In fact, many brands produce shop towels that are ready-made for dispenser use. Not only does this prevent oil, grease, and other undesirables from sullying the towels, it also keeps them stored in a neat, tidy, and hygienic fashion.

Shop Essentials
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By Woodsmith Review Team

The Woodsmith Review Team’s product reviews and in-depth guides are here to help you choose the best tools and gear to build great-looking projects confidently. The content is created by The Woodsmith Review Team. Woodsmith’s editorial staff is not involved. Woodsmith is reader-supported: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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