New Microfiber washign routine worked out well.

Kris R

Kris R

360Detail.com
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
577
Reaction score
0
There are a ton of threads on here about care for microfiber. I have been having issues with washing the towels because they get real rough and staticy and lint everywhere.

I used to wash in machine and dry in the drier. This time around I washed on warm not hot and let is soak for 30 minutes using DP pad/microfiber renew. I didnt use any other detergent. After the wash and rinse was done I ran it through a second rinse cycle with a cup of distilled white vinigar. Instead of putting in the dryer I draped each one over a hanger and let it air dry. When i woke up the next morning I was expecting rough, hard cloths. I got the opposite. They were SOFT, full, fluffy and dry. No static and no lint. I am very pleased.

Just thought Id pass it along.
 
"I ran it through a second rinse cycle with a cup of distilled white vinigar" Why ?
 
I tried hanging my towels but found that if I dry on low heat until just damp and then finish on air dry they come out softer and it is faster.
I have NO lint problems but I clean the dryer screen before putting my towels in.
 
TheGLL said:
"I ran it through a second rinse cycle with a cup of distilled white vinigar" Why ?
Click to expand...
It has been said that the vinegar will help remove any soap residue. :dunno:

FWIW, For years, I have been washing my MF towels in warm water with either laundry detergent or Micro-Restore, usually a second rinse, occasionally with vinegar in the second rinse, but not always, and drying on medium heat in the dryer.
No problems, no lint, no rough hard towels, soft, full and fluffy.
 
CharlesW said:
It has been said that the vinegar will help remove any soap residue. :dunno:
Click to expand...


Yep. It will restore the absorbancy, too. I had some Meguiar's Water Magnet drying towels that after washing them many times, they lost their "water magnet" properties. They basically just smeared the water around. It was aggravating. I found a thread on MOL that recommened washing with hot water and using half the detergent you normally would. It was also recommended to add 1 cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle. I tried it out. The next time I used them they were like new. They really soaked up the water and no longer smeared the water everywhere. I've been washing all my MFs using the same technique ever since.

If you're going to use the dryer, dry on low heat setting unless, of course, you really like static.

Colin
 
I think the jury is still out on vinegar ... several posts on other detailing sites suggest it breaks down fibers like bleach does to regular fabrics and often used in the garment industry. Others suggest it sets the color in and makes them fluffy. It would be interested to see/hear extended use and if premature demise of the MF Towels took place.
 
The vinegar rinse isn't something I do every wash so I'm not really able to comment of how much damage regular, repeated use might do.
Some of my MF towels are probably 6 or 7 years old and I don't feel there has been any noticeable damage. I have only been doing the vinegar rinse about 3 or 4 years.
Several things could be a factor in the durability of my MF.
1. I never have grungy MF towels. Grunge jobs are for the many cotton terry towels I had before MF became available. That includes tires, wheels, wheel wells, engine compartment, door jambs & sills and the trunk. Leather and vinyl cleaning and dressing is also done with cotton terry towels.
2. I use lots of MF on a job so I have enough to wash each week. I personally think the longer dirt is in a fabric, the harder it is to remove.
3. If you stop and think about it, a hobby detailer such as myself, doesn't use towels with all that many products that have a bad effect on them. Drying, quick detailing, cleaning windows, none of those should leave a lot of chemicals in your MF. Polishes, paint cleaners, waxes, sealants probably do leave residue, but that's not usually done that often.
 
killrwheels@autogeek said:
I think the jury is still out on vinegar ... several posts on other detailing sites suggest it breaks down fibers like bleach does to regular fabrics and often used in the garment industry. Others suggest it sets the color in and makes them fluffy. It would be interested to see/hear extended use and if premature demise of the MF Towels took place.
Click to expand...

Yea, I was also thinking about that. I guess someone needs to do a test, wash two towels many many times, but for one of them, use vinegar on the rinse cycle, and for the other don't.

But who wants to put in all that work and potentially destroy a microfiber?
 
Like Charles I have only used vinegar for about 4 years but I DO use it every time.

I always rinse with warm not cold water and always do a second rinse.

When towels are stiff it is usually due to soap left from poor rinsing.
Another thing is use a liquid not a powder I have had excellent results with Tide.

I have never tried the rejuvenate stuff never had a need too if I want something stronger I just add APC.

It is easy to say vinegar harms towels but what is the proof that it does and what method of testing was done to come up with this conclusion.
 
Matt said:
Yea, I was also thinking about that. I guess someone needs to do a test, wash two towels many many times, but for one of them, use vinegar on the rinse cycle, and for the other don't.

But who wants to put in all that work and potentially destroy a microfiber?
Click to expand...

There are some that use vinegar religiously without issues. I have used it at times without issues. Microfiber care is almost as opinionated as leather care.

My guess is vinegar means that people are using too much soap and the regular rinse is not getting it.

Given that microfiber is a woven 100% plastic product, it does not behave like a cotton materials. For example, microfiber works by trapping in the spaces between the fiber. Cotton actually absorbs it into the fiber itself.
 
Bunky said:
There are some that use vinegar religiously without issues. I have used it at times without issues. Microfiber care is almost as opinionated as leather care.

My guess is vinegar means that people are using too much soap and the regular rinse is not getting it.

Given that microfiber is a woven 100% plastic product, it does not behave like a cotton materials. For example, microfiber works by trapping in the spaces between the fiber. Cotton actually absorbs it into the fiber itself.
Click to expand...
Also depends on the water you are using.

The city where I live has a filtration system to remove minerals and treat the water.
While it is not nearly as soft as what would come from a softener it is good enough that I never installed a water softener mostly because I hate to shower in salt water just never did learn to like it but not using a softener does change things when it comes to washing clothes or towels.

Anyone who drys with a dryer try drying on low heat until just damp then use the air fluff setting to finish that will leave them nice and soft.
As to the OP getting lint clean the exhaust screen in the dryer I always clean the dryer before I put my towels in it. NO LINT PROBLEMS
 
Black Bart said:
As to the OP getting lint clean the exhaust screen in the dryer I always clean the dryer before I put my towels in it. NO LINT PROBLEMS
Click to expand...

I too clean the lint screen before and after every session and feel it benefits with less/no lint. I also have found those dryer balls to help keep the static at bay.

10330116077429P.JPG
 
Black Bart said:
...I never installed a water softener mostly because I hate to shower in salt water...
Click to expand...
Have you ever used "softened" water? I only ask because you are wrong--- it's absolutely nothing like washing in salty water as you make it sound. The salt for a water softener is used to recharge the resin bed and is not added to the water stream if that is what you are thinking. Sure, trace amounts not bonded to the resin may come out with water output, but nothing you could possibly detect. If softened water tastes like salt I can only figure that you live on the coast and are experiencing salt water intrusion to a well.
 
Black Bart said:
As to the OP getting lint clean the exhaust screen in the dryer I always clean the dryer before I put my towels in it. NO LINT PROBLEMS
Click to expand...

One should clean the lint screen before drying anything. The dryer works best with a clean lint screen. We have a little shop vac in the laundry room to clean it out.
 
howejt said:
Have you ever used "softened" water? I only ask because you are wrong--- it's absolutely nothing like washing in salty water as you make it sound. The salt for a water softener is used to recharge the resin bed and is not added to the water stream if that is what you are thinking. Sure, trace amounts not bonded to the resin may come out with water output, but nothing you could possibly detect. If softened water tastes like salt I can only figure that you live on the coast and are experiencing salt water intrusion to a well.
Click to expand...
As I stated I never installed a water softener but have showered 1000's of times with soft water and when drying it seems like you washed in diesel fuel.
42 years as a long distance trucker I have showered in water from coast to coast
As I stated I HATE SOFT WATER and no way in hell I'm drinking it.
 
Black Bart said:
I tried hanging my towels but found that if I dry on low heat until just damp and then finish on air dry they come out softer and it is faster.
I have NO lint problems but I clean the dryer screen before putting my towels in.
Click to expand...

:xyxthumbs::xyxthumbs:

(For whatever it's worth, I add soap little by little after the washer starts agitating until I just start to get suds. Helps keep from adding too much soap.)
 
Last edited:
Jossy92 said:
:xyxthumbs::xyxthumbs:

(For whatever it's worth, I add soap little by little after the washer starts agitating until I just start to get suds. Helps keep from adding too much soap.)
Click to expand...
If I have towels that are soiled bad I soak them in a bucket of APC wring out and throw in the washer.
This gets them clean without over loading the washer with soap.
Proper towel cleaning requires so time but fortunately I'm retired and have more time than money so instead of buying all those expensive gadgets I make do with what I have for general cleaning
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top