How did you organize your supplies?

Maxima Mom

Maxima Mom

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So after all the stuff arrives, how did you organize it? I read forum posts about separating the dedicated polishing MF cloths from the drying MF cloths. Some of you have created some very interesting pad drying systems (see "first order arrived" post from today). Some of you have purchased plastic bins, drawer systems, shelving. Tell me your hints and suggestions. Post some pics! Share your creativity with me so I can borrow your ideas! :Picture:
 
I just went to Walmart or Target and picked up two stacks of plastic drawers. I dedicated four drawers to MF towels: drying towels, QD & polishing towels, glass towels, and general purpose towels. I store each MF in its own ziplock bag just to make sure no contaminants get into the towels during storage. For the general purpose towels I put 2-3 into a bag.

For product storage I've got two Meguiar's bags I got as a bonus for spending a whole lot of money a long time ago. I store most of my products in those. Larger spray bottles and any gallon jugs of products I have are sitting on a metal shelving unit I got at Target.

I would LOVE to get one of those Craftsmen cabinets but they're in the $300 range and I have about 3 pennies and a dime to my name right about now, haha.

Sorry, no pics as I'm at work.
 
Pristine Image said:
I just went to Walmart or Target and picked up two stacks of plastic drawers. I dedicated four drawers to MF towels: drying towels, QD & polishing towels, glass towels, and general purpose towels. I store each MF in its own ziplock bag just to make sure no contaminants get into the towels during storage. For the general purpose towels I put 2-3 into a bag.

For product storage I've got two Meguiar's bags I got as a bonus for spending a whole lot of money a long time ago. I store most of my products in those. Larger spray bottles and any gallon jugs of products I have are sitting on a metal shelving unit I got at Target.

I would LOVE to get one of those Craftsmen cabinets but they're in the $300 range and I have about 3 pennies and a dime to my name right about now, haha.

Sorry, no pics as I'm at work.
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The ziplock bags are a great idea! So are the plastic drawers. Thanks for the suggestions!Im the MAN
 
Shelves, plastic storage cabinets, drawers...etc.
 
Being in SE GA I keep all my chemicals in my laundry room instead of my garage because I don't think the intense heat will be good for them over time. I have plastic storage containers with snap on lids, 1 for pads, 1 for microfibers, and 1 for chemicals.
 
CEE DOG said:
Check out my posts from these 2 threads. Got the perfect containers for your pads!

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/off-topic/22039-pics-your-detailing-space-arsenal-2.html

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum...964-how-store-your-pads-so-you-don-t-get.html

Actually, I should take some fresh pics. Will do that tonight and post them for you
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I love that fan idea for drying pads. I have an old box fan I never use and have wondered why I still keep it around. Guess I know now.
 
Since I usually have to do a lot of my washing in the back yard, I wanted something with wheels. Years ago, I got an Ames garden cart at a home center on sale. After my first AG order, It wasn't big enough, so I got a wooden 3 shelf kit at K-Mart on sale, and mounted it on a piece of plywood to fit over the well on the cart. Fastened a bit of peg board on 2 sides to hold brushes, etc, and bolted a cheap metal tool box on top. The pads, towels, sponges and applicators are in plastic boxes I get when on sale at the Walmart, Kmart, etc. I like the ones with a latch to hold the lid on the best. My PC XP is in a plastic drawer unit in the well under the plywood/shelf unit. It's still a work in progress, as I just did it this last week, and haven't had a chance to use it yet. I thought about one of those Wooden sided wagons or an all terrain wagon, but they were just too high priced for my application. The only draw back on the garden cart is the wells along the sides are a little too small to fit in spray bottles. The flat ones fit in fine though. Like I said, it's still a work in progress, but at least most of my stuff is in one place now.
 
NNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO I had a great reply written and the server fubarred when I went to post :( Now for the rewrite:

I typically use bigger sterilite containers I got from wallyworld. They're very easy to clean and are clear so I can see what is in each.

I have 2 larger 34 quart shallow containers like these:
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I use one for solely microfibers (I have ~90 at the moment). One side is used for clean/new/soft MF's that are safe for wiping off wax/compound etc. The other side has the older/stained/coarser MF's that are used for wheels/engine bays/misc. cleaning. Separating them are my drying towels, wash mits, and applicators in individual baggies.

The other is used for storing the pads for the rotary, a few random tools/brushes, and my Meguiar's spray bottles with various products in them such as wheel brightener, APC+, #40, ONR QD/clay lube, IPA, and window cleaner. If the spray nozzle is closed all the way, they do not leak out and can be stored on their sides.

I have a 20quart approx. latched taller container which is used for the bulk chemicals such as ONR bottles, 32oz megs compound bottles etc. as well as extra cans of paste wax and things like that. This box typically stays in storage and isn't used/taken when I go to detail. The box is similar to this one here:
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I also have a smaller clear box with a handle that holds all of the chemicals I will be using on a car.

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I have all of my liquid/gel products such as compounds/sealants in individual labeled Autogeek Squeeze Bottles which contain enough material to really handle about any job i've had so far. It also holds the other chemicals I use on a regular basis such as wheel polish, paste wax, clay tubs etc. as well.

This setup works great for me as I do a lot of my detailing mobile and I need to be able to fit everything in the back of the car. It has plenty of room width wise, but heightwise it lacks which makes the shallow containers great. I like the shallow containers as well as you can have everything on one level and avoid having to dig through different layers to get to the product you need to use at the time. They all stack very nicely on each other as well to put away in a closet etc.

e8f41609-db7e-42f1-aea5-bf8f50cc7cb5.jpg


The plastic grocery bag in this pic is used after cleaning a car for dirty MF's etc. This keeps them away from the other clean towels, and also puts them in plain view to make sure I wash them in a timely manner:
c84a900e-1922-4af8-979b-f4ecfd8c806d.jpg
 
I understand you shouldn't wash microfiber towels with cotton towels. What about washing your all purpose microfibers with your polishing microfibers? If not, and you don't have 20+ of each towel to store up until you have a full load of laundry, do you really just wash 4 or 5 microfibers at a time?

Mark
 
I generally separate by material meaning I'll wash foam buffing pads with foam applicators, and microfiber towels (polishing/all purpose) with the MF applicators as well. I also add in a bit of white vinegar to the load and select the "Power wash" with the "Rinse Plus" option on and wash them on a warm cycle. I haven't had any sort of cross-staining or ill effects by doing it this way.
 
Very good to know. I'll be starting my detailing collection here soon, and I know my wife would kill me if I had to wash each type of microfiber towel individually. I'm pretty sure our washer and dryer are running more often than they aren't, so sneaking in one load for towels will be a task as it is. I'm assuming you use regular detergent? We have LG front loaders, so unless the detergent goes into the sliding door, I can't just dump anything in once the door locks.

Mark
 
Yeah, I've had good luck with plain old tide. As for putting the vinegar in, we have bosch front loads with the locking door. They have the little door on top for putting detergent/bleach/softener in, and I just add in the vinegar instead of the bleach. Remember that fabric softener and dryer sheets are a big nono with MF's.
 
We never use fabric softener. I almost forgot about the dryer sheets. My wife put some stick-on unit in the dryer with replacable dryer bars, they look like soap. I'll just have to remove that for the MF towels. Thanks for the heads-up!

Mark
 
I would use Micro Restore, or any other Autogeek microfiber soap for washing the towels. In a pinch I am sure you can get away with regular liquid soap as long as there isn't any scents, or fabric softener included in the soap.

You can also get some DP Polishing Pad Rejuvenator that you can use to clean your pads, but also put in a 5 gallon bucket to soak the really dirty microfibers you are bound to have. You would then put those into the washer and wash them as you would normally. Others have used APC's to clean their dirtiest towels with great success.

Don
 
Oh, one more thing...drying them use just an air fluff. Heat in the dryer will melt the fibers in the MF.
 
wife just showed me there is a cleaning cycle on our front load washer. just put bleach in and it cycles through and cleans the inside drum. she has been doing this regularly, maybe thats why i dont have any mf problems.
 
daveinsweethome said:
wife just showed me there is a cleaning cycle on our front load washer. just put bleach in and it cycles through and cleans the inside drum. she has been doing this regularly, maybe thats why i dont have any mf problems.
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I'll have to look at our washer to see if it has that option. That may help with the smell that these front loaders get. It'd cut down on spending $8 a month on the Tide seal cleaners to get rid of the smell. Thanks for all the input, guys! Now, back to storing your supplies! :props:

Mark
 
I have a very similar setup as sgtmillhouse648, except I don't use the containers to carry my products. I carry my products in my wash buckets.
 
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