Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

[Zaris]

Lately, I've been keeping my car clean everyday by doing the proper maintenance step -- Ultimate Quik Detailer with microfiber towels on the paint, Nxt Generation Glass Cleaner with cotton terry towels on the glass. You'd be surprised how much dirt and dust collect in a single day of driving here in Los Angeles.

But now in the process of preserving my towels, I've got two questions to ask:

1) It seems lately after throwing my microfiber towels in the laundry, adding liquid detergent, and washing them in hot water, not all the grime is coming off. I don't let them sit unwashed for more than a few days too. I hang dry my microfiber towels and add vinegar to my wash occassionally. But I don't think these are the issues. The question is: is there any additional washing steps I can do to clean my microfiber towels up further and get them looking in their original color?

2) In the process of trying to conserve water here in L.A., I try to wash my microfiber towels only after I've gone through most in my collection (rather than washing them immediately on the day that I use'm, cuz that's just like 2 or 3). Unfortunately, I only have like 8 towels that I actively use for detailing inside and out. I plan on buying more so that there'll actually be a full load in the laundry, but that'll probably mean more towels sitting dry and dirty before their next wash -- which is what I believe is the cause of problem 1 above. So the question is: what can I do in between washes to make it easier to get grime off my microfiber towels?

These questions will probably apply to my cotton terry towels as well. Thanks for answering or sharing in advance.

[Michael Stoops]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

In cases where your towels have run over trim, or intentionally used on trim, and have been stained black even in small areas, you may not get 100% of that black stain out and that's actually OK. As the towels are used and continue to get more and more stained they should be relegated to interior duty and then ultimately wheel and tire duty. The certainly won't last forever and care in use is almost as important as care in cleaning.

There is a big difference between a light but permanent stain and a towel that is just dirty. It does become a bit of a judgment call as to when to demote a towel to interior use and then wheel/tire use but you'll find that's what most people here end up doing. It's always many will tell you that you just can't have too many microfiber towels!

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

What about having a clean bucket of solution that you can throw the MF towels into, until you have enough for a wash load. This should help get them clean and eliminate the hassle of having dozens of half wet MF towels lying around.

Do other do this? What solution and concentration are you using?

[Fly Bye]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

What about having a clean bucket of solution that you can throw the MF towels into, until you have enough for a wash load.

This is what I do

I put my MF's into a bucket of hot water and Dawn, although I have used "Free" laundry detergent. Whenever I get at least 7-8 or so, I rinse them and throw em into the dryer.

Before I throw em into the bucket, I rinse the towels in my sink with hot water. (about 160-170 degrees or so) I apply Dawn directly to the stains, and agitate with a brush, then throw em into the bucket. When I have enough towels to justify running my dryer, I then rinse the soap out and throw em into the dryer.

I have been doing this for the past 9-10 years. My MF's get really clean by hand, no need for a machine wash.

[imacarnut]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

Pre-treat the dirty spots with APC and rub/agitate the areas before tossing them in the washer.

[Bill Davidson]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

If you don't get to it for a couple weeks will the MF towels be okay? Just concerned that they might get weak. The threads around the edges getting soft etc.

Overall it seems like a good method to me. The stains etc. won't get a chance to set because the towels never actually dry until they are clean.

[Fly Bye]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

The stains etc. won't get a chance to set because the towels never actually dry until they are clean.

I have never had a problem doing this. There have been times when I left towels in a bucket with soapy water for a week or two. The thread does not soften.

Now if you soaked a towel in a bucket with bleach to the mix, even for 12-36 hours, the towel will fall apart. Thats why we don't bleach our MF's.



Edit: There has been a time or two in which I left some older/stained towels in a bucket with soapy water, and forgot about it. I rinsed the towels a month later, and they were as new, except for the stains.

[J. A. Michaels]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

In your situation, I would either pre-treat and let sit. Or let them soak in a solution of APC. Otherwise it sounds like you are doing everything correct.

[Zaris]

Re: Specific Microfiber Washing Questions

It seems like the consensus is to soak your MF towels in a solution of water mixed with Meguiar's APC, Dawn (dishwashing liquid?), or laundry detergent that doesn't contain bleach or fabric softener (Fly Bye's definition of "Free", I believe). Since I don't use the professional line items (though I could just as easily get it), I've gone with my regular laundry detergent and kept a 5 gallon bucket next to the laundry for me to throw my towels into. That should work well until I have a large enough load to throw into the washer after several days of accumulation.

Though, I'll have to man up and spend a little extra more time each time pre-treating towels with dish soap and a brush afterwards...

I guess I have been confusing the stains on my MF towels with dirtiness, as Michael Stoops pointed out. A light mark or streak stain doesn't seem to be an issue, but eventually I'll have to decide when a towel gets so dirty that I don't want to apply it on paint surfaces anymore. I actually thought that running my towels over trim like rubber rain guards and plastic bumpers and air vents while I wipe down the car were the cause of the stains, but I didn't really believe in it until now.

Thanks, all, for sharing your experience and advice.