Washing Microfiber Polishing Cloths - Laundry

[sneek]

i am very interested in buying something that Richard has a tiny wash machine thingie

http://www.showcargarage.com/forums/showthread.php?t=185

[RZ Autodetailing]

i usually go the the laudramat once a month..and use hot water and woolite..iam just scared to use my own washer and dryer , i just dont wanna mess up my clothes or the w/d...has anyone had any problem with their clothes ever messing up?I also saw that little wash thing Richard showed on showcargarage,,that looks pretty cool..if i had it i wouldnt have to make a trip once a month.......cool write up Richard iam thinking of getting one myself.

[OctaneGuy]

Heh heh thanks guys. I didn't post that article here on MOL because of Meguiars stance on washing pads, but now that the cat is out of the bag......

I don't think proper washing has a detrimental effect. Think about it, whether you use a wax or polish, the pads get wet. Actually they get soaked with product. And worse, they are under stress (clinging to the velcro backing plate) while being soaked. I've never gotten my pads as thoroughly clean with a brush or a towel versus washing them properly.

But what exactly is washing? Is that throwing the pad into a big machine washer, running it on hot water, then letting it spin dry?? Or is it putting it in the sink and carefully hand washing it? By definition they are the same thing, but it seems those that are hand washing continue to have good results and I'm in that camp.

The little washer I have gently swishes the water around. With only one pad, it just floats on the surface. With up to six pads, they kind of get wedged in place, and the water circulates in both directions. You can see immediately how clean the pads get once the cycle begins.

After the 15 minutes is up, and the water drained, you will see quite a bit of "sludge" product at the bottom. Imagine where this all goes in your home washer? I rinse it off, fill it with clean water and run the cycle again to remove all traces of detergent, then air dry. Or spin dry on a rotary. The Wonder Washer is in my opinion the best solution for keeping the pads new and fresh. Its inexpensive, uses minimal water and electricity, but most of all its very effective while at the same time being very gentle.

Anyone in the SoCal area that's interested in seeing mine, I will be happy to show you. =)

Richard

[RZ Autodetailing]

Richard how does it work on m/f towels..did you try washing them yet? That little washer looks great ,iam really thinking about geting one.

[OctaneGuy]

Washing MFs work very well. I washed the dirtiest of them..using for my wheels. Washed in hot water with laundry detergent. After washing and rinsing, I just air dried it on a clothesline.

I think it works best for pads, esp since I have a full load of MF towels, but for those that down own many, its also great for that.

[RCBuddha]

I wash my MF in hot water using Charlie's Soap Laundry Liquid and a downy ball filled with Vinegar. I set the dryer to low, and I pull mine out when they are just slightly damp. I've read that an extra rinse cycle is beneficial, though I have never had a problem with my current method.

FWIW, I've found no significant differences in performance b/w MF specific detergents and off the shelf brands.

I always take mine to the laundromat; it is much easier to do a lot of MF in a short amount of time.

I agree with RZ...do you really want detailing chemicals to run through the same machine as the clothes you wear? The same machines that your kid's clothes run through?

To clean my pads, I wash them in a bucket that sits in a utility sink with hot water, an APC, and a little bit of Dawn. Get them wet, carefully massage the product out, and then rinse several times till the water goes clear.

[SpoiledMan]

I use my washer and dryer at home and have no problems. My son has very sensitive skin and would show any problems right away. As long as your equipment is functioning as it should (rinsing properly) there shouldn't be a problem. If the towels I'm washing are on the dirty side, I spray down the interior of the washer with APC, clean it up real good and run it through a short cycle with nothing in it.

[inthedetails]

Just another voice from the forest, I also wash my MF in hot water, although I do use woolite on them. (Also a small splash of APC). The vinegar I need to try, but always forget.

As for my pads, I have always used the bucket and dawn method.

Wash em, soak em, rinse em....and in that time have have velcro on 1 pad delaminate. I think it was that pad however, as I have another of the same manufacture and style and it has been washed with no issues. I have washed pads of 3 different manufacturers, with great success. I have not and do not plan on ever using my washing machine for my pads. But that is just my opinion.

[rhema83]

I wash my MF towels and applicators with Ajax dishwashing detergent and warm water in a bucket. It works VERY well. You see, dishwashing detergent is bad for your paint because it strips off protection (i.e. wax). Therefore it's good for cleaning wax and other product buildups on your MF towels and applicators.

But it does take some elbow grease. My roommate thinks I'm crazy cos I'll spend half an hour in the bathroom washing the MF stuff.

[LAfirefytr]

I too use AJAX and warm/hot H2O. I agitate them and then let them soak in this solution for 1/2-1 day before I wash them in machine. It may be overkill, but I've had some towels now for almost 6 months and they still look new...I has worked well for me. If they are really dirty, I will pretreat them w/ some APC and let it soak in for a while before washing.

[rascal]

Great discussion guys. I'm taking all this in since I just received my MF towels today. I'm planning on using my new clay kit this weekend and putting the MF through it's paces on the interior. Now I just need to get that PC.

[CELL]

For MF's, applicator pads, wash mits, quick detailer pads, and terry cloths...ive had great experience by spraying them down once on the front and back with APC dilluted to 10:1 and then throwing them in a gentle warm wash using "All" free/clear.
Just make sure you dont wash terry cloth towels and wash mits with MF products or else youll have fuzzy from the terry products sticking to the MF stuff.

[scarface_]

I was wondering the same thing with the microfiber towels. Seems throwing them in the wash machine with a detergent with no fabric softner is the key. But one question. What about the even coat applicators and the hi tech applicators. Do i just throw them in also? Because i tryed washing one even coat applicator in a bucket with detergent and it came all out of shape.

[BabyBigfoot]

I've been washing my MF towels by themselves in warm/hot water (depending on the soil) with regular detergent and no fabric softner. I dry them without a dryer sheet. No problems, but I love the distilled vinegar tip. Thanks.

[KenNETx]

Re: Cleaning microfiber/towels

Any good quality laundry detergent and 1 cup of non-sudsing ammonia with warm water in a standard home washer rocks.
Use dryer on "KNIT" setting.
Will be no residue in aplicators, towels, pads, or washer/dryer.
NO! NO! NO! fabric softner. Will end up rubbed into finish.
Enjoy!