Favorite rinseless towel?

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BTLew81

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I do mostly rinseless on my daily. It’s usually just dusty, so I typically use a high gsm towel. Mitt if it’s at all dirty. Looking for some new towels and would love your suggestions. Thanks!
 
Just wanted to clarify - I assumed that’s what you had in mind. Never been a fan of towel rinseless washing. I used microfiber pads for a long while but now use sponges almost exclusively so I can’t answer your question.
 
Thanks. I mix in some mitts and pads but the car sits in the garage 95 percent of the time so using the towel is maybe just to remove very light dust.
 
Probably the best method is the multiple microfiber method with never returning the towel to the wash bucket. Need 4-6 towels per wash. I was reluctant to try the method as it sounded too involved but after doing the method I was pleasantly surprised. I have some Rag Company 450 and 500 GSM towels as well as some recent acquisitions from Feynlab which maybe 370 GSM. All are high quality and seem very well suited for rinseless washing.

I've done a lot of rinseless washing over last couple years. At first I used the black ultimate sponge and then for a while a good microfiber mitt. I have stopped using both for rinseless. I suspect the sponge is responsible for dragging dirt across the surface and it leaves a lot of dirt suspended on the rinseless that is still on the paint after using the sponge.

Using the multiple microfibers seems to remove much more dirt instead of just spreading it around. Less dirt, less marring.
 
BTLew81 said:
to wash. Sorry for the apparent silly question
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Not a silly question at all. I too prefer using towels, but having the wrong type of towel can make the process counterproductive.

For rinse-less, I started out using what I already had but wasn't happy, so ended up buying a selection of single towels to find something I liked. These were then tested them back-to-back with what I already had. The purple Minx Royale was horrible, too thin and becomes like jelly when saturated. The Gauntlet was the best by far, but the 12 x 12 size too small (the only square size available) and cost per towel excessive. In the end, I settled on the Platinum Pluffle and Eagle Edgeless 500.



The TRC Platinum Pluffle is like a plush waffle weave, so in theory quite safe. However, they have since discontinued this towel, although you may find some residual stock floating around.





TRC Eagle Edgeless 500. I like these for the plushness and added thickness compared to the Pluffle, cheaper too.





A few other things to consider -

- I tend to prefer square towels, this means you get 8 identical surfaces per towel. They are also easier/simpler to fold/refold.

- Plushness is key, mainly so that you cushion the pressure points from your hands. To thin and you increase the pressure points.

- Avoid twist-loop as these can be too grabby, which is not desirable when trying to be smooth and gentle on a dirty/dusty surface.

- I also tend to prefer edgeless towels, I find them easier to fold and manage as you work.

- I'd also check out the Autofiber Double-Flip Rinse-less Towel, these are plush and make the folding part simple.
 
I still use a microfiber mitts (not noodle type) and will use 4 or 5 during the wash process.
 
I have been on a sponge kick for the last few months, although I was one of those "I would never do that" guys for the better part of 2 decades

I always used the Gary Dean method with a dozen or so super plush 500 weight towels

I bought 2 packs of the Autofiber Double Flip last year and didn't care for them as a rinseless media, partly because my hands are way to small to spread out and fit in the "pocket" to stabilize the pad and to me they feel like trying to juggle squids

I do however love them for interior dusting and wipedown with just a spritz of interior quick detailing spray
 
I have 5 dozen 400gsm edgeless towels that i got from 3D years ago onsale. Those are my wash media only.

I got a pack of autofiber flat out pads last winter that i use in the mix. They are nice, not sure that ill buy more until i need to phase out some of my 3d towels.

I got a big red sponge last year and have yet to try it. Just dont think it will be as fast for me as using towels that i can just disguard and not have to use more buckets and redip and all that.


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opie2 said:
I got a big red sponge last year and have yet to try it. Just dont think it will be as fast for me as using towels that i can just disguard and not have to use more buckets and redip and all that.
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Yeah, that's why I keep trying to like the multiple-media method, because it seems so much more efficient. I guess part of that is that when doing rinseless, I am more fastidious with cleaning the media between passes than with conventional wash.
 
opie2 said:
I have 5 dozen 400gsm edgeless towels that i got from 3D years ago onsale. Those are my wash media only.

I got a pack of autofiber flat out pads last winter that i use in the mix. They are nice, not sure that ill buy more until i need to phase out some of my 3d towels.

I got a big red sponge last year and have yet to try it. Just dont think it will be as fast for me as using towels that i can just disguard and not have to use more buckets and redip and all that.


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I guess I haven’t worried about how much time difference a sponge vs multiple media makes but I have noticed that I have much more liquid on the garage floor when using the sponge, and depending on the weather in winter that can be an issue

I have gotten sloppy and frozen the garage door shut a couple of times when it was well below zero outside


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opie2 said:
I have 5 dozen 400gsm edgeless towels that i got from 3D years ago onsale. Those are my wash media only.

I got a pack of autofiber flat out pads last winter that i use in the mix. They are nice, not sure that ill buy more until i need to phase out some of my 3d towels.

I got a big red sponge last year and have yet to try it. Just dont think it will be as fast for me as using towels that i can just disguard and not have to use more buckets and redip and all that.


Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk
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That's the main reason why I use towels over the sponge. Using multiple towels, I don't need to do the 2BM thing, and no back-and-forth double dunking. Just one bucket, 4 - 6 towels, grab/use/discard, repeat.
 
Bit of an older thread. But wanted to add something. Was getting ready to pull the trigger on a half dozen of the Autofiber Double Flip rinseless towels when I read a post that made me reconsider. The poster stated that when having the double flip towels in the dryer one has to stop halfway through the dry cycle and flip them inside out so the inside will dry. Glad I realized that before making a regretful purchase. Stopping the dryer halfway through is not something I'm willing to endure.
 
If I was going to go that route again, I'd probably use the TRC 365.

I like that they're 70/30 amd have a plusher side.

I'm beginning to hate the super plush towels like the Eagle. They get too water logged and grabby. I feel I'm more accurate, precise, and through with a 365 type of towel.

I've used Costco towels for RW and those seem simar to the 365. For the past few years it's typically the Optimum Big Red Sponge.
 
BLM said:
Was getting ready to pull the trigger on a half dozen of the Autofiber Double Flip rinseless towels when I read a post that made me reconsider. The poster stated that when having the double flip towels in the dryer one has to stop halfway through the dry cycle and flip them inside out so the inside will dry. Glad I realized that before making a regretful purchase. Stopping the dryer halfway through is not something I'm willing to endure.
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I don't remember having that problem drying them. My problem was these were just another multi-media rinseless method that I couldn't get myself to like.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
I don't remember having that problem drying them. My problem was these were just another multi-media rinseless method that I couldn't get myself to like.
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After thinking about double flips and drying them I realized if they went through the dryer and were still damp on the inside one could just turn them inside out and toss them back in for 15 minutes. I often find after a drying cycle, on low, all the 16 x 16 towels are dry but the big, heavy gsm drying towels need a little more time.
Was thinking I'd try them. Kept going back and forth. Maybe if I see them on sale somewhere or maybe if they pop up on my local Mac Bid ( internet auction ) I'll pick up a pack for a dollar or two.
 
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