Cleaning Microfiber Cloths

[C-Town5.0]

hey im sure you guys use alot of microfiber cloths to do your cleaning on the cars. they work great on my windows and to clean wax off after i buff it. but they have started to get dirty. any special way that i need to clean the cloths? or can they simply be put into the dryer. hope you guys know what towels im talkiing about..thanks! (if you have eagle 1's new nanowax you know what cloth im talking about)

[Vertnut]

Wash 'em and dry 'em. Just be SURE any hard residue is GONE, or you will be very unhappy if you use it on your car again.

[lilgeezy]

don't use a dryer sheet when drying it. don't remember the reasoning, but i do remember being told that. microfiber rocks :)

[cbrjames]

don't use a dryer sheet when drying it. don't remember the reasoning, but i do remember being told that. microfiber rocks :)

Weird, cause i used them, and the towels are fine. :confused:

[C-Town5.0]

hmm well its not like they are expensive..im just gonna do the old fashioned way and hand wash them..they are just completely filthy..i washed my moms car for her and she hasn't washed it since she got it so its been like 4 months give or take..and after i washed the car it was nasty..

[Who Needs 8]

The only thing you want to use on ANY kind of towel used on your car (Cotton or Micro) is LIQUID Detergent. Don't use a fabric softner because it leaves an abrasive residue on the towl.

I had been using Microfiber, but I'm going back to high quality 100% Cotton towels. I don't like how anything and EVERYTHING will cling to Microfiber cloths. If you drop one on the ground, you have to throw it away because you'll never get that thing perfectly cleaned.

The great part of Cotton is that it will pick up particles, but it won't hold on to them. The particles get removed when you rinse the car. Microfiber GRABS the particles, and keeps them on the rag, thus scratching the surface over and over again.

What's funny is I came to this conclusion because of the diagrams they use to convience you to use Microfibers, like this one:
http://www.microfibertech.com/images/pageelements/howMFWorks.gif
See how the "particles" are sticking to the fiber? When that thing get's loaded up with particles (could happen on the third swip of a really dirty car), then the scratching begins. Their representation of what a normal fiber does I think is false, but hey it's whatever.

[C-Town5.0]

hmm that is a good point. thanks for the help

[Turbo5.4]

Just throw then in the washer.... then dryier after that... no fab softner or dryer sheet...

[BadCompany V.P WS6]

The only thing you want to use on ANY kind of towel used on your car (Cotton or Micro) is LIQUID Detergent. Don't use a fabric softner because it leaves an abrasive residue on the towl.

I had been using Microfiber, but I'm going back to high quality 100% Cotton towels. I don't like how anything and EVERYTHING will cling to Microfiber cloths. If you drop one on the ground, you have to throw it away because you'll never get that thing perfectly cleaned.

The great part of Cotton is that it will pick up particles, but it won't hold on to them. The particles get removed when you rinse the car. Microfiber GRABS the particles, and keeps them on the rag, thus scratching the surface over and over again.

What's funny is I came to this conclusion because of the diagrams they use to convience you to use Microfibers, like this one:
http://www.microfibertech.com/images/pageelements/howMFWorks.gif
See how the "particles" are sticking to the fiber? When that thing get's loaded up with particles (could happen on the third swip of a really dirty car), then the scratching begins. Their representation of what a normal fiber does I think is false, but hey it's whatever.


If you wash and clay the car properly, the MF's should not get 'loaded' up unless you are not doing so or there are still contaminants on the paint unless you are just wiping down a dusty car...then i would suggest a different method.

I have had GREAT success with them and never had any put more swirls into the paint or scratching. I always keep 3 to 4 with me to dry a car, and about 3 detailing MF's along with some for the porter cable. I always have a clean side to wipe down/clean up when touching the car.

[Who Needs 8]

If you wash and clay the car properly, the MF's should not get 'loaded' up unless you are not doing so or there are still contaminants on the paint unless you are just wiping down a dusty car...then i would suggest a different method.

So you clay your car every time you wash it? :eek:

I'm talking about EVER touching your car. Cleaning, or just "shining" it when you get to a show. There's about a one hour "window" when your car is 98% contaminate free, and that's when you've finished clay baring it. After that, it's contaminated. The minute you drive a freshley detailed car, you start recontaminating it.

I don't know, that illustration just scares me that it holds on to the contamination instead of loosing it up for the rinse water to wash it away like Cotton does.

[big_tiger]

Just throw then in the washer.... then dryier after that... no fab softner or dryer sheet...

Some crazy old lady told me the same thing at my job :) She kept alking about how to clean windows; "tell your mom this;" "I dont this for a living." The whole time I am thinking, if you do this for a living you are losing possible business in telling me your trade secrects :confused:

[BadCompany V.P WS6]

So you clay your car every time you wash it? :eek:

I'm talking about EVER touching your car. Cleaning, or just "shining" it when you get to a show. There's about a one hour "window" when your car is 98% contaminate free, and that's when you've finished clay baring it. After that, it's contaminated. The minute you drive a freshley detailed car, you start recontaminating it.

I don't know, that illustration just scares me that it holds on to the contamination instead of loosing it up for the rinse water to wash it away like Cotton does.


No I do not clay the whole car every time I wash it.

I do quiet a bit of detailing and claybar all the new cars that need it. On my own car, I spot clay as needed, especially the front and back bumper as those tend to be the biggest problems.

When you get to a show, do you bring along a 'detailing' towel of your choice and some detail spray? Or you just go to wipe it down?


I'd try different methods and see which fit's your needs best. I've had great luck using the M.F's. Good luck, and if you need anything just lemme know. :)

[Futurama]

i only use microfiber to tax the wax off paint. then i throw the towel away. they are the best thing for taking off wax hands down.

[lilgeezy]

Weird, cause i used them, and the towels are fine. :confused:

Sorry! I was confused, it's fabric softener that you don't use, I don't know what I was thinking.

<- avid detailer, and love micofiber ;) use it for EVERYTHING

[white95]

I have noticed when you use a dryer sheet, the MF keeps some of the product from the dryer sheet on it so when you go to wipe down the car with one out of the dryer there is a film left behind.. kinda hard to explain.. but I use them religiously keep 2 in my car at all times..when I take the top off, I get a bunch of dust and crap on my dash (black) so when Im done driving, I wipe down the dash and the rest of the interior. As for window, I always use newspaper.. sounds weird, but it works very well for some reason...

[96lasersnake]

some online detail stores sell special soap to use on micro fiber, I have used microfiber and 100% cotton. I dont like any one more than the other, I use Zanio and I have been told the cotton works better, but everyone has thier opinion

here is a place that sell the soap, it is supposed to lift the waxes of the fiber.

http://www.specialtymotoring.com/microfiber.htm

[C-Town5.0]

for the price of the soap..you can just go buy new ones. not like there extremely expensive. i think i bought 2 for a dollar at walmart the other day.

[BadCompany V.P WS6]

i think i bought 2 for a dollar at walmart the other day.

Quality of the MF towel is what your looking for. ;)

[lilgeezy]

Quality of the MF towel is what your looking for. ;)

personal favorite:
http://www.detailcity.com/gold-standard-edgeless-polishing-cloth-16-16.html very plush i like the feel of them.

[96lasersnake]

for the price of the soap..you can just go buy new ones. not like there extremely expensive. i think i bought 2 for a dollar at walmart the other day.

THose are scratching the paint,