How do you take care of your Microfibers?

[stirthepot]

I wash them only with other microfiber towels. I use a microfiber detergent that I got from AutoGeek and dry them on low or no heat (no fabric softener in the wash or dryer)

Mine look and feel like new.

If they are not feeling the same you are either using too much/the wrong detergent and/or are drying them on too high of a setting. Air fluff no heat works best IMO.

[Moose]

I've resorted to using microfiber only for interior detailing. That being said, alot of folks use them for exterior cleaning/polishing, which is just fine.

I wash mine in COLD water, no fabric softener, and then allow them to "air dry". This method has been successful for me.

Ed

[2LTRS]

Originally Posted by Moose

I've resorted to using microfiber only for interior detailing. That being said, alot of folks use them for exterior cleaning/polishing, which is just fine.

I wash mine in COLD water, no fabric softener, and then allow them to "air dry". This method has been successful for me.

Ed

I use microfiber for all my detailing. Interior, exterior, engine bay, wheels, ect. I just have a set of "high soil" microfibers for heavy dirt areas like wheels and the engine bay that don't need the high quality microfibers because they arent as prone to fine micro-scratches like the clear coated areas. After a towel has been come contaminated with dirt that won't come out in the wash it gets demoted to engine bay/wheel duty. Then when its full of debris it gets moved to the round file.

Usually by grading my microfibers and not using good towels for heavy dirt areas they will last a long long time.

[bono83]

Originally Posted by 2LTRS

I grade my microfibers too. I have different stacks for different tasks (color coded):

1) Wash (microfiber mits - yellow)
2) Dry (waffle textured microfiber - Blue)
3) Polish (Purple)
4) Spray detailer (Green)
5) Wax (Gold)
6) Buff (White)
7) Multi pourpose (Yellow costco specials)

All of my retired microfibers get used to clean random stuff around the house, rc cars, sunglasses, ect.

The detergent doesn't really seem to make that big of a difference. I've tried dawn with the same result as Tide, so I stick the Tide. Autogeek is where we buy all of our microfibers. I do buy the 36 packs at costco. Let me know how the detailer's pride cleaner works.

I tried the Detailers Pride the other day. It worked pretty well. I don't have a lot to compare it to since I'm recently just starting to mess with the microfibers. I've had some cheap Walmart microfibers that I washed in the regular wash and then with the Detailers Pride. They came out a little cleaner and softer with the DP. My new Auto Geek microfibers came out almost like new, there was one black spot that didn't come out on one of several towels, but all others did.

[2LTRS]

Bump.

[Junkman2008]

How to Wash Microfiber Towels

First off, you only want to wash them in COLD water. DO NOT use a lot of soap. My towels never get very dirty or greasy because they are only used to wipe polish or wax from the car, thus I can use a gentle detergent like Woolite. You don't want to use the hash detergents like the stuff you use on your regular clothing. If your towels are a little dirtier than normal, let them soak in the washing machine overnight. Simply add the proper amount of Woolite to the washer, add the towels and fill the washer to the proper level. Use the gentle cycle to wash these towels. Allow the wash cycle to begin for 1 minute so that the Woolite has a chance to mix with the towels and then shut the washer down. Let it sit for as long as necessary (overnight if that's what you need, shorter times for towels not as bad), and then start the washer back up later.

DO NOT use any fabric softener of any kind! Do not use too much Woolite! Read the bottle, a little goes a long way. If 1x is good, 2x is worse in this case. Also NEVER. EVER, EVER wash these towels with any other article of clothing, especially bath towels and wash clothes. That will ruin them too.

After the wash, DO NOT DRY THEM IN A DRYER USING HIGH HEAT!!! (if you do, you may as well use them to check the oil because they are useless at that point). I don't use a dryer at all. I allow them to air dry. String up a clothes line in your garage or outside somewhere and buy some clothes pins (if you can find some, that's some old school equipment right there!). If fabric sheets are used with these towels, it will destroy them. That will cause them to start scratching the crap out of your car. Drying them in the dryer with too much heat will do the same thing, that why I tell guys never to machine dry them.

If you follow these rules, your towels will keep the consistency and softness that they had from day one. If you allow your wives or girlfriends to do this, trust me, they will screw them up unless they have read this. Don't assume that they know how to do this and don't let them tell you that they know what they are doing when it comes to microfiber. They do not own, nor have they probably ever owned a piece of material like this so they will not be aware of these requirements. Test them before you hand them over and see if they get it right. I guarantee they won't.

One thing that can be done for lint in your new microfiber towels is to wash them, and then run them in the dryer with no heat. That will fluff them and remove the lint.

I just had a funny thought. I would love to see the look on some of your wives faces when you ask for some Woolite.