Is there a way to deep clean MF towels?

MrOneEyedBoh

MrOneEyedBoh

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I've always used a dedicated MF detergent and it seems that since I use a drying aid, I have noticed the towels aren't as absorbing as they once were. I always do a double rinse as well. Can they be soaked in something or can they be sprayed with something? It's just a fabric, so I'd guess that whatever is clogged or clinged to the fibers, it can be released. Pretty much everything we use is water soluble in the end.
 
How old are your towels?

I replace mine about every 6 months.
 
It's funny, when I first started on detailing forums, a popular product was Eagle One Wax-As-U-Dry (EO WAUD). It seemed that some people had the problem that you are describing, where it fouled their drying towels, so when I used it I was careful not to use my expensive new waffle-weave drying towels, but only use it with old terry towels. That kept me from using WAUD very often, and being skeptical ever-after about drying aids and expensive towels.

Of course now it seems that everyone uses a drying aid, and so many wash products have "wax" in them...that I'm surprised we don't hear this complaint more often. Sorry that was no help, it just never really made sense to me that you dry with a spray wax that has some longevity on your car, but washes right out of your towel? I'm sure we've all had a wax/sealant removal towel that we've washed, and then for some reason try to wet it in the sink and watch the water bead up and run off.
 
I don't detail enough to replace them every 6 months. But even if I did, at the cost of these they should last longer than that I'd assume..
 
MrOneEyedBoh said:
I don't detail enough to replace them every 6 months. But even if I did, at the cost of these they should last longer than that I'd assume..
Click to expand...

What kind of towels do you have?

I only use Microfiber Madness.
 
Jeremy1976 said:
That is overkill. Unless you are not taking care of them. Send me your 6 month old ones. I'll pay shipping:)
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Polish towels only.

I drop them down to Tires, Rims and Tailpipe duty.
 
Depending on the towels purpose, I use my detergent with hot water and do a 15 or 30 minute presoak in the machine, followed by a extra rinse. I have never had a problem. As Jeremy said ever 6 months is overkill, the bulk of my towels are a couple years old, and perform great. Plus my collection of towels (and I am sure a lot others here) is too expensive to replace every 6 months.
 
I buy mine form TRC, they are eagle edgeless.. Maybe I should look into soaking them in a LONG wash. I never thought about a pre-soak.
 
I have some of those towels also, they are wonderful. I can honestly say I use those towels the most!
 
Hammer77 said:
Depending on the towels purpose, I use my detergent with hot water and do a 15 or 30 minute presoak in the machine, followed by a extra rinse. I have never had a problem. As Jeremy said ever 6 months is overkill, the bulk of my towels are a couple years old, and perform great. Plus my collection of towels (and I am sure a lot others here) is too expensive to replace every 6 months.
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6 months is not overkill and I am taking about Polish towels. I only use 4 Microfiber Madness towels in a rotation.

After 6 months they are still excellent towels and I use them for removing glass coatings only. Then is a year or two then get moved to wax removal or duties.

I do not use towels to dry cars so I could careless about how much water they hold. Towel drying a car is just asking for scratches. Blow drying is touch less.
 
Ok, my polish removal towels are well over 6 months old. And your saying you use 4 towels for this? Sorry I like fresh towel surface to rub on paint. Then when your towels are spent you move them to remove glass coatings? Then after that you use them for wax removal? I would never use a towel that I have to remove a glass coating to remove wax. And for drying yes I have some of the best towels in the business, but I also have a McKee's blower, which I use all the time. If you want proof I give the mods permission to look up my order history with AG, and share to confirm what I have! All my towels have a purpose let it be glass, wheels, tire, paint, coatings, interior, leather, etc. You name it I got towels dedicated to the job!
 
MrOneEyedBoh said:
I've always used a dedicated
MF detergent

Can they be soaked in something or
can they be sprayed with something?

It's just a fabric, so I'd guess that
whatever is clogged or clinged to
the fibers, it can be released.
MrOneEyedBoh said:
Maybe I should look into soaking
them in a LONG wash. I never
thought about a pre-soak.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Pre-soaking:
That's a very good idea! :xyxthumbs:

Remember that HOT water opens up
the fibers. That, along with your MF
detergent, will effectuate the release
of much more dirt, grease, and other
contaminates from the MF-towels, than
will cold water soaking/washing.


Those are a couple examples of what
I call the deep cleaning of MF-towels.



Bob
 
I wash my Microfiber towels immediately after use but let them soak first.

Although I also have the Pinnacle soap, I found Woolite to work 100% and in an email from them, it does not contain fabric softeners.

They and my Lake Country CCS pads that I hand wash, come out looking like new...as in never used.
 
Post Removed "Due to disrespecting other members"
 
AG sells towels ranging from general use, to special plush towels. I do not think AG's towels are "Junk".
Do you think you could correct your sentence below so that I can understand what you are trying to say? Thanks
"When you work on very high end cars and they must be absolutely perfect you rely on better products they you DIY and fast as possible detailers use."
 
MrOneEyedBoh said:
I've always used a dedicated MF detergent and it seems that since I use a drying aid, I have noticed the towels aren't as absorbing as they once were. I always do a double rinse as well. Can they be soaked in something or can they be sprayed with something? It's just a fabric, so I'd guess that whatever is clogged or clinged to the fibers, it can be released. Pretty much everything we use is water soluble in the end.
Click to expand...

While we watch other folks see how far they can spew their ego online ....

Assuming you use the same washing machine as would be used for personal clothing..... Here is the official AGO link... Microfiber Care Guide, Clean Cobra Microfiber Towels, Applicators & Tools with Pinnacle Micro Rejuvenator Microfiber Detergent. Clean & dry microfiber

Over and above AGO's recommendation I do the following:

1- I either use dedicated MF detergent to wash or a grocery store bought product that has absolutely no extras like dyes, softeners, MSG, etc... :-). All Free-N-Clear is one of these I use.
2- You can wash with hot water but never dry with high heat... Medium heat with a longer cycle will maintain longevity of the towels. If you used high heat in the past then any damage is irreversible
3- I always clean the reservoir that is supposed to have fabric softener in it - helping to ensure that none of that stuff makes their way into my wash cycle
4- I usually throw in White Distilled Vinegar in the fabric softener reservoir.... WDV is a natural fabric softener

With the URL and these 4 points above you may be able to identify certain gotchas that, over time, degraded your current towels. A clean wash or two with the above items in mind may be able to restore your MF's back to new-like condition.

Best of luck to all.
 
expdetailing said:
AG sells towels ranging from general use, to special plush towels. I do not think AG's towels are "Junk".
Do you think you could correct your sentence below so that I can understand what you are trying to say? Thanks
"When you work on very high end cars and they must be absolutely perfect you rely on better products they you DIY and fast as possible detailers use."
Click to expand...

Going to just tell you from experience to ignore the guy and move on. He won't offer anything other than condescension. I went round and round with him in another thread and it will just end in him flexing his superiority complex if you disagree with anything he says.
 
Post Removed "Due to disrespecting other members"
 
Here is my routine and it seems to work well.

As soon as I am done with the microfiber towels that I have used that day I do the following:

1) wash towels out one by one in warm water and ring well
2) fill a bucket with two ounces of Griot's pad and microfiber cleaner, two ounces of all and warm water
3) place towels in bucket, swirl them around then let them sit over night
4) in the morning ring out the microfiber towels and rinse with warm water
5) Then put microfiber towels in the washer with two ounces of Griot's pad cleaner along with two ounces of all. Wash or normal cycle with extra rinse.
6) put towels in dryer and dry on delicate cycle with a few balls of aluminum foil to eliminate static.



Sent from my iPad using Autogeekonline mobile app
 
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