Just got a couple new PFM drying towels. With these new towels i believe I will only use them when drying my vehicles off when I haven't used any drying aids. So I'm wondering when I go to wash them and I do a load with other microfibers that are in the same load with microfibers saturated with si02 products is there a possibility of cross contaminating the new PFM towels?
Drying Towel Question
- Thread starter BLM
- Start date
John. Was that post in jest - are are you actually combining clothes with detailing wash ;-)
BLM. For stuff with LSP, or if I happen to have a towel that has wiped the bottom door edge and picked up crap.....
I usually do soak and a quick pre-wash in the laundry sink before, then a single rinse pass just to get the majority out or super diluted....and then it gets tossed into the Landry washer.
BLM. For stuff with LSP, or if I happen to have a towel that has wiped the bottom door edge and picked up crap.....
I usually do soak and a quick pre-wash in the laundry sink before, then a single rinse pass just to get the majority out or super diluted....and then it gets tossed into the Landry washer.
- Thread starter
- #5
So after the presoak/ rinse do you wash them with other microfibers or continue to wash them separately?
I typically wash all my microfibers together without presoaking any of them unless they get used for something dirty. Wash my drying towels with those used for drying aids, spray waxes and sealants, etc. That seems to leave my drying towels slightly hydrophobic even with using a microfiber detergent.
I can see where prewashing/ rinsing would help with knocking down the LSP products but wondering if there is still enough residue to inhibit my drying/glass/ Interior towels.
Last edited:
Big Dave
Well-known member
- Jan 7, 2018
- 4,765
- 4,235
I generally don't wash my drying towels, but I don't usually use my good twisted loop drying towels with a drying aid either, they soak up the water so well, I use a general purpose MFs when I'm using a drying aid. Also, I don't use the good towels to dry the lower parts of either car, as both the FJ and Qashqai have black trim all the way around the lower parts, I just use an old synthetic chamois that I also use on the tyres. So my good twisted loop towels have only ever touched clean paint, I just hang them up inside the garage to dry, and when they're dry they go straight back in the plastic tub.
After just the presoak/rinse (in which whatever of the concern of chem is).....they all go into the wash as soon as a single auto detailing clothes wash (yikes, I don't mix house clothes in it like post #2)
The only towel that always get's hand washed is just the glass towels....as it's too small to just throw into tre washer and I never *mix* with other towels as a preference.
Since we're discussing what go's into the load.......I've been wondering but just wondering. In the wash cycle, in goes 2 wash mitts, the auto fiber pole stick wash mitt cover as well.
The wheel mitts always just get's washed in the rinse water I am using to clean the buckets.
Does anyone put the wheel mitt:towel into their washer as well..
It's the one wash media that annoys me as I have to find a place to let it dry whereas the others get's washed, into the dryer and put away all in in 1 shot
The only towel that always get's hand washed is just the glass towels....as it's too small to just throw into tre washer and I never *mix* with other towels as a preference.
Since we're discussing what go's into the load.......I've been wondering but just wondering. In the wash cycle, in goes 2 wash mitts, the auto fiber pole stick wash mitt cover as well.
The wheel mitts always just get's washed in the rinse water I am using to clean the buckets.
Does anyone put the wheel mitt:towel into their washer as well..
It's the one wash media that annoys me as I have to find a place to let it dry whereas the others get's washed, into the dryer and put away all in in 1 shot
Last edited:
Setec Astronomy
Well-known member
- Aug 31, 2010
- 17,802
- 1,898
I generally use brushes/Wheel Woolies on the wheels, but sometimes I will use one of those AutoFiber finger mitts, I just throw them in the wash with the other wash media. I do understand your concern about contaminating your paint media with wheel dirt.
In daily rotation is TRC wheel mitt and the Autofiber Sleeve - for the stick.
I don't have the cajones to mix any wheel wash media with paint:interior media although the thought has not crossed my mind on chucking those mitts in.....as machine washing surely is netting a cleaner wash than my hand wash. I don't go crazy hand washing the wheel mitts though since wheels are just dirty anyhow. They're dirt/grit free and just left to air dry. I might hit them with some Tide like every 3 months....just to make me feel good that I'm cleaning any oils out of them
I don't have the cajones to mix any wheel wash media with paint:interior media although the thought has not crossed my mind on chucking those mitts in.....as machine washing surely is netting a cleaner wash than my hand wash. I don't go crazy hand washing the wheel mitts though since wheels are just dirty anyhow. They're dirt/grit free and just left to air dry. I might hit them with some Tide like every 3 months....just to make me feel good that I'm cleaning any oils out of them
Tasmania
Well-known member
- Jan 12, 2017
- 2,156
- 1,609
I always wash mine after, the lower side steps, wheels/wheel arches get the old microfibre treatment.
John U
Active member
- Mar 3, 2006
- 745
- 64
Yup, All in one washing here!
- Thread starter
- #14
So I mixed 4 gallons of water with 8 oz of Simple green and threw 5 of my PFM towels in the bucket, occasionally agitating them with an upside down grit guard. Let them soak for 15 hours or so, rinsed and them put them in the Washing machine with Rags to Riches. Hope that has removed all the residue in them.
Then I mixed up another batch of Simple Green and water and put the ten 16 x 16 365 GSM towels that are currently in my circulation for applying/removing wax/ sealant/ Drying aids on my paint. Was surprised how hydrophobic they were. I didn't really notice that as I hadn't used them for drying much. Let them soak overnight, rinsed well and did a load with R to R.
Hope I have removed all the residue in my towels. As far as using Simple Green for the prewash/presoak, instead of the Rags to Riches, the Simple Green is $10.00 per gallon and the Rags to Riches is $40.00 per gallon. Guess I'm going to have to start presoaking anything with LSPs in them. My plan is after rewashing the towels that need it putting them in one load with my other microfibers. Can't see using 30-40 gallons of water for a half dozen 16 x 16 microfibers.
Then I mixed up another batch of Simple Green and water and put the ten 16 x 16 365 GSM towels that are currently in my circulation for applying/removing wax/ sealant/ Drying aids on my paint. Was surprised how hydrophobic they were. I didn't really notice that as I hadn't used them for drying much. Let them soak overnight, rinsed well and did a load with R to R.
Hope I have removed all the residue in my towels. As far as using Simple Green for the prewash/presoak, instead of the Rags to Riches, the Simple Green is $10.00 per gallon and the Rags to Riches is $40.00 per gallon. Guess I'm going to have to start presoaking anything with LSPs in them. My plan is after rewashing the towels that need it putting them in one load with my other microfibers. Can't see using 30-40 gallons of water for a half dozen 16 x 16 microfibers.