Cleaning insoluble materials from micro fiber towels and pads

[TMQ]

Fellow geeks,

Since waxes, sealants and coatings are considered insoluble materials, what product or soap do you use to remove from micro fiber towels and pads?

Tom

[Heisenberg]

Coatings I generally only apply/remove with suede towels and I consider them disposable. I honestly hate it because it feels extremely wasteful, but they always harden after use and I've never been able to stop that from happening, even with an APC soak or something. I have dedicated pads for waxing/sealing, and they get cleaned as well as they can in between uses.

As far as towels go for waxes/sealants, they usually come out clean when I wash them as normal. There's usually very little residue in them if you're applying the product thin so I don't worry too much about it.

[kevincwelch]

I use 3D Towel Kleen and Micro-Restore. That gets most of them clean, as long as I immediately wash them. When I use towels with a coating, I typically throw them in a bucket with some water and APC or snappy clean while I'm working.

I've had my share of towels that no longer absorb any water because they appear to repel all the water. I've tried adding acetic acid or using a pressure washer. At some point, I think towels just reach their lifespan and get downgraded to wiping trim or jambs. After that, they get tossed.

(Sent via my mobile device...)

[TMQ]

These should be more than enough?

56738


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[TMQ]

Kevin, Heisenberg,

Thanks...!

Tom

[TMQ]

If I recall,

Towels needed to be separated between soluble (compound/polishes) and insoluble (waxes/sealant.) Right?

Tom

[kevincwelch]

^^Meh...

I have two wash loads:

1. paint
2. everything else

[Heisenberg]

^^Meh...

I have two wash loads:

1. paint
2. everything else

Same. Never had any problems with my towels. I try to keep this as simple as possible.

[TMQ]

Super!!!

I like easy and simple. I now have a plan! Grin
Thank you very much!

Tom

[Setec Astronomy]

Same. Never had any problems with my towels. I try to keep this as simple as possible.

Mine has gotten more complicated over time.

1. Drying Towels--because they're not very dirty
2. Wash Media--because mostly wash pads with sponges inside that you can never get the suds out of
3. Glass Towels--I dunno, just seemed like a good idea
4. any other towels

Lately, I created another category of waterless/rinseless towels (5) since they don't fit with my wash media category (2) or with my other towels (4) because they are too dirty. I have tons of towels and media so I really don't wash that often since it takes a while to fill up any category.

[dcjredline]

I do

1. Wax towels
2. Glass towels
3. Wash media, etc towels

Not in that order cause I dont want the wax residue to get to the glass towels.

[kevincwelch]

To each his own, but I have viewed this with the thought that if your chemicals being used are water soluble, then a hot water wash with some detergent will break that material apart. Similarly, the hydrocarbons and hydrophobic stuff is going to be encapsulated by the surfactants in the detergent and break those down along with the hot water. Acetic acid (vinegar) can as well, but some will state that it can -- over time -- break down the seals and gaskets. Not sure of the reaction.