Non Shedding, Lint Fee detail towels? DISAPPOINTED!

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Paulmichael

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Morning Folks,

I am a new member of the Autogeekonline community and wanted to share a few recent experiences with "non shedding, lint free" microfiber detail towels.

I certainly not a kid, but rather a 61 year old man who has built and owned many BLACK colored vehicles, many of them show quality vehicles. I recently completing a Raven BLACK, 1955 Ford Thunderbird Pro Touring vehicle that took 2 long years to complete. It was built to be driven and to different than any other 55 on the road.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to receive an invitation to display our Thunderbird at the Harrisburg, PA Motorama car show this his past weekend. For 4 days, I completed a 6 step, wet sanding and buffing exercise on this car and I have admit, it looked spectacular and showed extremely well. The fact I needed a non shedding or a lint free detail towel was evident and important to me.

For 40 years, I've used "quality woven, ultra soft" terry towels for ALL detailing and have been very successful using them, but with any towel you have to be careful picking up granular dust and dirt.

I've been hearing and seeing many people using these fabulous microfiber towels, so I decided to change my way of thinking and try these new revolutionary towels! Maybe they really work? Maybe they won't shed as advertised? Well I'm here to tell you, THEY SHED! I purchase two different makes of microfiber towels that clear stated "non shedding, lint free" on the package. One of them for "black colored vehicles".

One of the towels was Microtech's, "Microtech Platinum XL dark gray microfiber towel". After just a few minutes of detailing and wiping down the car.......the towel SHED a very fine microfiber grain that was clearly visible on the black clear coat....all over it. The towel that stated "for BLACK painted vehicles, shed badly as well. Sure, its easily blown off, but the FACT the fiber is blown all over the car and in the engine bay, did nothing but create a hassle for me. They print "non shedding, lint free" on their package is what bothers me. It's garbage!

A great towel....possibly, for light colored vehicles but not for a "every blemish shows black car".

Until a detail towel proves itself to me.....I'm staying with terry!!
 
You need to wash microfiber towels before use, preferably in a dedicated microfiber detergent. Should be no issues after that.
 
I always pre wash MF towels to make sure that any factory dust, dirt and lint is removed. I have a lot of success with Poorboys DMTs or Euro Shag plush MF towels.
 
What they said. And I personally wouldn't touch my black car with a terry towel in a million years. I like the AG Gold Plush MF Towels for mine, been very happy with them, no linting.
 
Paulmichael said:
Morning Folks,

I am a new member of the Autogeekonline community and wanted to share a few recent experiences with "non shedding, lint free" microfiber detail towels.

I certainly not a kid, but rather a 61 year old man who has built and owned many BLACK colored vehicles, many of them show quality vehicles. I recently completing a Raven BLACK, 1955 Ford Thunderbird Pro Touring vehicle that took 2 long years to complete. It was built to be driven and to different than any other 55 on the road.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to receive an invitation to display our Thunderbird at the Harrisburg, PA Motorama car show this his past weekend. For 4 days, I completed a 6 step, wet sanding and buffing exercise on this car and I have admit, it looked spectacular and showed extremely well. The fact I needed a non shedding or a lint free detail towel was evident and important to me.

For 40 years, I've used "quality woven, ultra soft" terry towels for ALL detailing and have been very successful using them, but with any towel you have to be careful picking up granular dust and dirt.

I've been hearing and seeing many people using these fabulous microfiber towels, so I decided to change my way of thinking and try these new revolutionary towels! Maybe they really work? Maybe they won't shed as advertised? Well I'm here to tell you, THEY SHED! I purchase two different makes of microfiber towels that clear stated "non shedding, lint free" on the package. One of them for "black colored vehicles".

One of the towels was Microtech's, "Microtech Platinum XL dark gray microfiber towel". After just a few minutes of detailing and wiping down the car.......the towel SHED a very fine microfiber grain that was clearly visible on the black clear coat....all over it. The towel that stated "for BLACK painted vehicles, shed badly as well. Sure, its easily blown off, but the FACT the fiber is blown all over the car and in the engine bay, did nothing but create a hassle for me. They print "non shedding, lint free" on their package is what bothers me. It's garbage!

A great towel....possibly, for light colored vehicles but not for a "every blemish shows black car".

Until a detail towel proves itself to me.....I'm staying with terry!!
Click to expand...

Welcome to the site. :welcome:

I grew up in the Harrisburg PA area and still live there.

I've talked to a lot of the older generation that swear by cotton terry towels. I have found Microfiber towels to be very hit or miss for quality and non-shedding.

I would honestly be interested in a local source for the ultra soft cotton terry towels that you use.

You from the Harrisburg area?
 
Along the same lines, what do you guys like to use for wash mitts and/or sponges? There is just so much to choose from these days. I wash at least once a week. The microfiber mitts really seem to "grab" onto the surface. I would prefer something that glides a bit while washing.
 
I would NEVER touch any car's paint with a terry towel.

You need to wash the MF towels before use.
 
Paulmichael said:
I am a new member of the Autogeekonline community and wanted to share a few recent experiences with "non shedding, lint free" microfiber detail towels.

One of the towels was Microtech's, "Microtech Platinum XL dark gray microfiber towel". After just a few minutes of detailing and wiping down the car.......the towel SHED a very fine microfiber grain that was clearly visible on the black clear coat....all over it. The towel that stated "for BLACK painted vehicles, shed badly as well.
Click to expand...

It doesn't sound like you bought those towels from Autogeek. Microfiber towels vary in quality, and price is not always an indicator. As mentioned, washing may help to reduce fiber shedding, but not always.

A flat-weave towel (or waffle weave, neither of which may be appropriate for what you are doing) usually leaves the least lint, here's one :Sonus Der Wunder Microfiber Polishing Towels, wax removal cloths, car polish towels, detailing towels (I think, I haven't bought any of those for a long time and they may have changed).
 
Welcome to Autogeek. We would love to see some pictures of your Thunderbird.
 
A couple items I have found over the years that can produce or reduce linting from MF towels:

1. MF towels should be stored, used, and laundered outside of all other laundry and towels.

2. Those dryer balls reduce static which seems to hold/trap lint and other items in the MF towels.

3. MF specific soap and white vinegar in the wash/rinse really seems the best combo to clean them properly and keep them absorbent.

4. A quick hard shake/snap before use often releases any lint in the towel and readies it for use.
 
There is information aplenty on this forum and at autogeek.net regarding the proper care of microfiber. The guidelines are different from the care of terry towels. Do not use fabric softener, do not launder with any other type of material (don't wash microfiber towels with terry towels!), careful how you dry them, etc., etc.

Follow the advice on caring for the microfiber towels, and I believe you will love them. 95% of the members here can't be wrong on this topic. :xyxthumbs:
 
killrwheels@autogeek said:
A couple items I have found over the years that can produce or reduce linting from MF towels:

1. MF towels should be stored, used, and laundered outside of all other laundry and towels.

2. Those dryer balls reduce static which seems to hold/trap lint and other items in the MF towels.

3. MF specific soap and white vinegar in the wash/rinse really seems the best combo to clean them properly and keep them absorbent.

4. A quick hard shake/snap before use often releases any lint in the towel and readies it for use.
Click to expand...

:dblthumb2:
 
tuscarora dave said:
Welcome to the site. :welcome:

I grew up in the Harrisburg PA area and still live there.

I've talked to a lot of the older generation that swear by cotton terry towels. I have found Microfiber towels to be very hit or miss for quality and non-shedding.

I would honestly be interested in a local source for the ultra soft cotton terry towels that you use.

You from the Harrisburg area?
Click to expand...
Hi Dave,
No, I live Bethlehem Twp., but lived in Hershey for more than 37 years.

The microfiber towels I spoke about were pre-washed and no dryer sheets were used (as recommend by the manufactures) so I still having trouble understand where everyone's coming from? Are all towels the same? ABSOUTLEY NOT. My comments were intended as a "comment" and I thought others had the same experience. Apparantly some have.

Everyone has their "NICHE" product, but for BLACK.... use what works! I've been a car junkie for many, many years and "trust me", a
quality towel having 600 to 700 GSM (grams per square inch) of fiber are the best because of their density. I have found "Mini Squares" are the best, but incredibly expensive for a towel.

The OLDER GENERATON HAS SPOKEN!!! LOL
 
Hi Scott,

All my towels are pre-washed but as you use them they appear to shed more??

Like anything else, there is quality Terry and poor quality Terry. I have always used double loop Terry with a 700 grams per square inch. That is why I've had success.

I appreciate your comments. To each his own I suppose
 
Paulmichael said:
Hi Dave,
No, I live Bethlehem Twp., but lived in Hershey for more than 37 years.

The microfiber towels I spoke about were pre-washed and no dryer sheets were used (as recommend by the manufactures) so I still having trouble understand where everyone's coming from? Are all towels the same? ABSOUTLEY NOT. My comments were intended as a "comment" and I thought others had the same experience. Apparantly some have.

Everyone has their "NICHE" product, but for BLACK.... use what works! I've been a car junkie for many, many years and "trust me", a
quality towel having 600 to 700 GSM (grams per square inch) of fiber are the best because of their density. I have found "Mini Squares" are the best, but incredibly expensive for a towel.

The OLDER GENERATON HAS SPOKEN!!! LOL
Click to expand...

Makes me think of summer, "Wheels of Time" at Macungie Fairgrounds!!! Can't wait.:hungry:
 
Yep. All microfiber towels are awful because you tried two.

How were they "prewashed"? What products and processes did you use with the towels? I'm in no way questioning your expertise and a skills as you seem to have more of both than many (or most) of us ever will, but when trying something for the first time even the most experienced person has to be open to suggestion and help from a group that has used that product or process for a long time.

I don't do show cars and a little lint won't ruin my day. But washing all new MF towels twice, separately from any other textiles, rinsing twice and drying with only blue plastic "dryer balls" has eliminated virtually all lint that I can detect. My next MF laundry load will include a Smack Method step of going over all towels with 3M lint rollers, just out of curiosity to see what they pick up.
 
:welcome: to AGO Paul! (Or Michael). :dunno: :D

While I'm not quite as old as ya'... I'm darned close.

I'd say you need to look at towels from Microfiber Tech or The Rag Company. Or if you're really getting crazy, look at the units from: Zanio, Microfiber Madness, and even the two offerings from Duragloss. (Those are REALLY nice!)

I totally agree with you in that microfiber towels can/and will (at least with some) end up leaving what we call "micro-lint". The very worst of those I've ever seen are the Eurow 660 (aqua blue color) towels (12"x16" I think). OMG do those things lint!

That lint problem is THE MAIN reason that many hate cleaning glass, and also look near and far for a good "lint free" glass cleaning towel. (FWIW, For that, good ol' Surgical Huck towels are hard to beat. Although... there are PLENTY of microfiber towels out there these days that are fantastic glass towels.) The green glass towels from Microfiber Tech come to mind. :dblthumb2:

That aside, there are more than a few nice microfiber towels out there. Although I've not seen ANY in any retail store with the exception of the Griot's Garage units that Advance Auto Parts sells. I'd still go to the first two suppliers I mentioned above.

I've done black with nothing but microfiber, start to finish, without a problem. (And the guy with the Viper and Hellcat would be one to complain.) ;)

Of course YMMV ;)

Not that I know/have/tend to collect several hundred microfiber towels around here in several dozen different flavors. :rolleyes: wink wink - - - nod - nod :laughing:

Shhhhhhh.... guys.... don't let my secret out. (Me thinks there is a photo in more than one thread of a few of my towels.) :eek:
 
Hmmm.

I'm lost here. I buy quality MF towels from AG, have a black car - and the towels DO NOT lint. When your buying from The Towel Company or whoever, you get what you get.

The Cobras are tested in AGs garage and used by actual detailers on show cars. I don't think they would use towels that lint.

Did you buy these towels from AG?
 
Isn't that a towel hanging in the Walmart car washing section?

Yikes...
 
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