How do you wash your towels?

[myaeger18]

So, I have a ton of towels, both microfiber and cotton, and am looking for the best way to wash them. I know I can just use a washing machine, but what is the safest cleaner to use on them so that there is no residue on them after washing? I know fabric softener is a no-no, but what process do you guys use or suggest? What works the best for you? Do you mix towels or wash them separately? And as for drying, can I dry them together or separately? Any help would be much appreciated.

-m

[AeroCleanse]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

I use regular liquid laundry cleaner and low heat ( no fabric softener / dryer sheets). I wash the micro fiber and others separately. There are dedicated microfiber cleaners, but I haven't used one.

[Megafast13]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

Microfibers should get there own load in the wash.

Just use a standard wash detergent. I use Tide.

Fabric Softeners are bad because they make the fibers more ruff over time.

You can dry them in there own load as well. Just no little fabric/static sheets either.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

Microfiber and terry towels should be washed separately because terry tends to lint a fair amount and this lint will stick, rather tenaciously, to the microfibers. Not fun at all.

Here at Meguiar's own garage we wash our microfibers, foam applicators and Soft Buff 2.0 pads together on the Heavy Duty setting, warm water, and use a standard amount of Tide liquid laundry detergent but absolutely no fabric softener. Tumble dry on medium to high setting, without dryer sheets, and you're good to go.

[MyFirstES300]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

I personally use a product called "Microrestore" to wash all my microfiber towels and products. Apparently Microrestore has a degreasing agent in it to effectively remove wax and polish. In the rinse cycle, I put in a cup of white vinegar which helps maintain the quality of microfiber. I put the cup of vinegar in every other wash load.

If you do a Google on Microrestore, you'll find a lot of on-line retailers that sell it. I am very happy with it, and find it removes most of the toughest automotive stains.

How I wash them: 1. First rinse them in washer in hot water, no detergent for 10 minutes. 2. Drain water from washer and then fill with warm water, adding Microrestore detergent. Let agitate for 2 minutes and then let soak for 1-2 hours. Turn washer back on and let washer agitate for 10 minutes. Rinse cycle is in cold water.

I dry on a "low heat" setting. I made the mistake of using a "medium" heat setting and the edges of the microfiber towels curled up.

[topcat]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

Standard soap on cold. I wash and dry micro and terry seperate but I also wash and dry the towels I use on the wheels/tires seperate and after I have washed the other towels.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

Regular soap on warm/cold. Wash the tery cloth separate from the micros. I dry on medium, no fabric sheets. Each load is dried separately.

[TXShine]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

I wash micro’s and terry’s separately as well and use the same steps for both. I use regular Tide and about a quarter cup of APC+ in hot water on a heavy (long) cycle, let the washer run for a little bit, then soak for about an hour and then let the cycle finish. Then I run through another cycle with just a little APC+ with warm water and cold rinse adding about a cup of vinegar on the final rinse cycle. Dry on low.

Seems like a lot of steps but it’s really not that bad. Considering I have microfibers that are several years old and used countless times that still look new, all I can say is it works for me.

Another note: I always wipe out the washer with a little APC+ and do a load of jeans (anything that’s heavy denim) after washing my micro’s and terry’s. Just to make sure nothing gets on something more delicate. A friend of mine had his wife tell him "absolutely no more stuff like that in the washer" after a small accident with what I think was a white sweater. Just something to think about..... ruining a woman’s clothes can be costly......

[MyFirstES300]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

Txshine, you gave me another idea regarding the APC. Never thought about that!

[Andy M.]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

I wash micro’s and terry’s separately as well and use the same steps for both. I use regular Tide and about a quarter cup of APC+ in hot water on a heavy (long) cycle, let the washer run for a little bit, then soak for about an hour and then let the cycle finish. Then I run through another cycle with just a little APC+ with warm water and cold rinse adding about a cup of vinegar on the final rinse cycle. Dry on low.

Seems like a lot of steps but it’s really not that bad. Considering I have microfibers that are several years old and used countless times that still look new, all I can say is it works for me.

Another note: I always wipe out the washer with a little APC+ and do a load of jeans (anything that’s heavy denim) after washing my micro’s and terry’s. Just to make sure nothing gets on something more delicate. A friend of mine had his wife tell him "absolutely no more stuff like that in the washer" after a small accident with what I think was a white sweater. Just something to think about..... ruining a woman’s clothes can be costly......

I don't know I kinda like my clothes smelling like Meguiars products.

Andy

[akimel]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

Based on the recommendations of Leo Cerutti, long connected to the fabric industry, here is what I do:

Wash towels as soon as possible after every use
HOT water
Tide liquid detergent
No bleach or fabric softener
Medium to hot drier setting
No softener sheets
Add approximately a tablespoon of vinegar per towel during first rinse cycle. I then run a second rinse cycle.

As you might note, this is very similar to the recommendations offered above by Michael Stoops (#4).

Also see Leo's lengthy comment over at Detailing World.

I recently queried Steven Tinker, director of research at Gurtler Industries. With his permission I quote his reply:

Microfiber towels generally are fairly easy to clean with detergent only. Liquid Tide in a home-style washer is an excellent choice. Hot water (in a home washer that is 130-140ºF) is okay, but you may want to try the warm water setting also to see if the soil and stains in the fabric are adequately removed. The temperatures used in a home-style washer should not be detrimental to the microfiber textile.

Do not use fabric softeners, as that will affect the absorbency of the fibers.

The use of vinegar may be helpful, but an extra rinse may be more effective in making sure that all the residual detergent is removed. I also recommend soft water for best results.

Leo dismisses the boutique micofiber detergents, which he states as simple shop degreaser with an added foaming agent. These special detergents do work, but they do not necessarily perform better than ordinary Tide or ERA on the hot setting. In the long term degreaser will degrade one's towels.

As Leo likes to say, "It's laundry, folks, not rocket science."

[G Force]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

As Leo likes to say, "It's laundry, folks, not rocket science."[/quote]

by leaving them soaking overnight in warn water and quality detergent,the next morning hand wash,rinse and hang dry,they last longer when not machined washed and tumble dried.

[To be named later]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

terry cloth are used for dirty work and get washed once, extra dirty settings, Tide, double rinse.

microfiber washed once, extra dirty settings, Tide, double rinse, then repeat.

Never mixing the two.

[myaeger18]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

Thank you to everyone who replied. I'm going to give a suggestion or two a try. I have done the towels in the past. I take them to a local laundromat and take up 8, yes 8, washers at a time. I just wanted to see how everyone else was washing theirs to see if my process is ok.

Thanks again!

[02zx9r]

Re: How do you wash your towels?

8 washers, thats a lot of towels if it is in fact just towels.

I use All liquid detergent. warm or hot water, extra rinse and dry on medium to high heat. No problems as of yet.