I've read a lot of great info on the forum about detailing the actual vehicle, but I am curious to know if there is a proper way to clean detailing towels (microfiber, terry, etc.) between washes.

Is washing them in the washing machine with liquid detergent OK? Or does that somehow degrade the properties of the towels? And how often should the towels be cleaned? After every wash?

Thanks in advance for the resposes...

 

all my towels go in the washer and the dryer. it's cleaned them great and gets all the dirt out so when you do your next car wash you don't have to worry about scratching your car. btw wash it in your lowest settings.

 

It is safe to machine wash them after every use and yes, only use liquid detergent. Don't use fabric softener when washing or dryer sheets when drying them.

 

I concur with a lot of what was already said. Its recommended to wash your microfiber towels with a liquid detergent right after use on a low setting. The towels will last longer if you let them air dry but you can put them in the dryer. I recommend only putting them in there as long as need be, don't excessively dry when possible. I also recommend storing the towels in a container (rubber maid, zip lock, etc.) that won't allow dust and other contaminates to land on the towels while being stored.

Greg @ Detailed Image

 

Thanks guys!!

 

Hello fello ATL member. Having owned a detailing business, I accumulated a lot of MF's over the years. Two weekends ago, I did my semi-annual cleaning, which included washing 108 MF towels.

I personally separate my towels into polishing and wax removal. From there, I soak them overnight with water and degreaser. After rinsing and wringing out, I put them into the washer (again, separated from wax and polish towels). I personally do not use liquid fabric detergent because it does not seem to rinse all that well. Murphy's Oil Soap was recommended to me on a detailing site, so I tried that. It works well and rinses very clean.

In addition, I also put a tablespoon of vinegar into the fabric softener compartment. This too is supposed to help the revitalization process.

I only put the towels into the dryer for a very short time. The spin dry in the washer gets them pretty dry itself. After the short dryer time, I let them hang overnight, then fold in the morning and store for future use.

I'm a little obsessive compulsive. MF's will loose their ability to do their job over time. The fibers get clogged, and need to be loosened up. I've spoken with several MF manufacturers, and all recommended boiling the towels for a period of 10 minutes. Well, seeing as how we were frying a turkey for Christmas, I busted out the 40 quart pot and burner then and proceeded to boil MF towels in my driveway. My neighbors thought I was freakin' crazy, but in the end was well worth it.

So, back to my liquid detergent...upon boiling them, all the detergent gets purged from the towels, so the ones I know I washed only with Tide, were retaining it before. I doubt it means much, but if you are one to reguarly QD your vehicle, the liquid from the QD "may" reactivate the soap, which in turn can spread on the surface of your vehicle.

Sorry for the rant, but I enjoy this passion

 

Thank you Nick. Awesome info!

 

Been detailing my own vehicles for years. Like Nickc0844 I separate my MF towels based on use. Don't want to be mixing a towel used to condition leather with a towel that will be used on glass - etc. Upon initial purchase I wash them twice in Detailer's Pro microfiber cleaner with vinegar in the rinse cycle. FYI - don't forget the vinegar, it removes any traces of detergent.

When I'm in the process of detailing my car I have a five gallon bucket standing by filled with Detailer’s Pro Polishing Pad Rejuvenator. I drop the used MF into the bucket to let them soak which removes almost all contaminants before they go in the wash.

Wash your MF on the highest water temp you can - SANITIZE - if you have that setting. Some people actually boil their MF. I use Detailer Pro Microfiber cleaner, but you can look on any detailing site to find a suitable MF cleaning product - some places are Detailed Image, AutoGeek, or Autopia. I would avoid regular clothes washing detergents as they have softeners and fragrances that can clog your MF making it hydrophobic - i.e., repels water. If you notice your MF repelling water got a good MF cleaner and boil them.

I air dry only in the tumble dryer - and DO NOT use a dryer sheet. It is the heat in the drying cycle which will kill your MF by actually melting the fibers together. High wash heats are OK and necessary to maintaining your MF, no heat when it comes to drying is best.

So - separate and wash by intended use, use a good quality MF cleaner on high wash temp with vinegar in the rinse. Tumble dry only with no heat and no dryer sheet.

Lastly, I store my MF in a snap lid container to keep the dust out.

Good luck ~

 

That was so well written it should be stickied!

 

You have no idea how much has just been explained to me with that piece of info alone. I've been extremely frustrated after using what I though was a clean fresh from the washing machine MF towel with quick detailer on a black car.

Going to boil a few of my towels soon, thanks so much for the great post!