MF Prep

[Finemess]

After resding so many posts dealing with new MF's, I was wondering. What do you do to prepare a new MF for use? I take it out of the bag and shake it real good, kind of snap it if you will. Should you wash/boil before use? Or do you use a different way?

[mchess1]

Just like the towels I use on my body for the shower, I give them a wash before first use.

Don’t drown your microfibers, clean and restore them with Pinnacle Micro Rejuvenator! (http://www.autogeek.net/pin620.html)

[DARK HORSE]

Just like the towels I use on my body for the shower, I give them a wash before first use.

Don’t drown your microfibers, clean and restore them with Pinnacle Micro Rejuvenator! (http://www.autogeek.net/pin620.html)

Me too...

[unclestu]

After resding so many posts dealing with new MF's, I was wondering. What do you do to prepare a new MF for use? I take it out of the bag and shake it real good, kind of snap it if you will. Should you wash/boil before use? Or do you use a different way?

I have read on the AG site under care of micro fiber that HEAT is an enemy of MICROFIBER as you do not want the fibers to melt. So I do not think that boiling them is a great idea, though I have been told by some that that boiling your mf's is a good practice.
Feed back please

[Wax Gorilla]

Wash with 1 1/2 cups of white vinegar per wash load on cold with cold rinse. Tumble Dry on cool.

[CharlesW]

Right or wrong, this works for me.
1. I wash all my MF towels before the first use to remove any manufacturing or shipping debris. Thereafter, they are washed after every use.
2. I wash in hot water.
3. I have never pre-soaked any of my MF towels.
4. I presently am using Micro-Restore, but had no problems when using regular liquid laundry detergent, whatever brand my wife was using at the time. It has been pointed out that many laundry detergents contain dyes, bleach, and softeners. Those additives are not good for MF. The detergents my wife had did not contain additives. I wasn't even aware that type of detergent existed. I guess I just thought soap was soap. Anyway, using whatever detergent is at hand is bad advice. (Unless your wife only uses those that don't contain all that extra stuff.)
5. I do a second rinse and sometimes add some vinegar to the second rinse. Bo rhyme nor reason as to if I do or don't. Just whatever mood I'm in at the time. The vinegar is supposed to help release any soap left in the towels after the first rinse. Does it help? I have no idea, doesn't seem to be hurting anything, though.
6. I dry on medium heat in an electric dryer.
7. I have never had a linting problem, melted a towel, had a towel stop absorbing liquid. No problems whatsoever.
8. Some of my MF is at least 5 to 7 years old and I normally just use whatever towel I happen to get a hold of. The exception would be my glass towels, they are reserved for windows.
9. I have towels from AG, Poorboy's, PAC, Pak Shak, Autopia Store, Target, Wal-Mart, Meguiar's. I only buy towels that feel soft and appear to be plush. I don't own any of the $1/$2 towels from the discount stores.

[agpatel]

I normally do a little snap to get off dust or what not, use a lint roller on both sides. Wash them in the washer using hot water and then dry on low/med then hit with a lint roller again and then they are good to go. If they seem to have more lint than normal then i have them one more wash.

[skizot]

Not to argue with what others have posted, but I personally would never wash my MF in hot water or with just any laundry detergent. Many of the detergents have dyes and softeners in the detergent, which is a death sentence for a MF towel.

My suggestion and what has worked very well for me. I only now use the Micro-Restore detergent. I have used everything from dye free detergent to Pinnacle, to Megs and other products and I have found that the Micro-Restore works the absolute best.

I wash all my MF's separate and full water, even if I am just washing a handful. Along with a second rinse cycle. Tumble dry either low or air only. They will dry, trust me.

Every other wash, I will use a cup of white vinegar for good measure.

When I first get them, I will do just a normal wash with the Micro-Restore as described above and air dry in my dryer. Avoiding any type of softener.

Other then a couple of defective towels, I have always had great success with keeping my towels debris free and my cars lint free. They are all stored in a clear plastic tote storage rack on wheels, to avoid dirt getting in them.

Never use powdered detergent, they do not always wash out and can scratch the paint.

[Fly bye]

I like to spray my MF's with a stream of hot (around 160-180 degrees) water in my sink to loosen everything up. I then soak them in a bucket full of hot soapy (Dawn) water. I let em chill in the bucket for a couple of days, then hit em again with a stream of hot water, and then rinse them really well with cold water.

I will use any detergent that is free of dyes & perfumes. Micro-Restore works well. A stream (under pressure) of hot water removes tough, embedded dirt/chemicals. I have used powders for spot cleaning, and trust me, it breaks down/dissolves as I am doing this in my sink.

I always do the final rinse with COLD water to keep minerals from the water heater off of the towels. Vinegar is not a bad idea, but I do a swell job of rinsing.

I don't boil my towels, (MF's don't sound very appetizing) but I just use hot water from a water heater (160-180 degrees). I dry my MF's in the dryer on regular heat (Normal) so I can put them away.

My MF's are like new, I don't see a problem spraying them with 160-180 degree water. I don't see how normal heat from a dryer can be detrimental to a MF's well being either, although my dryer doesn't get excruciatingly hot.

The reason I use "Free" detergents, is because detergents that contain dyes, and/or perfumes contain chemicals that can cause streaking on a finished, painted surface, although I suppose if you did a good job at rinsing them, you would essentially be removing the chemicals, but you would be creating a lot of unnessesary work, as I think these chemicals do not come out easily, hense why "Free" detergents are recommended on every detailing board I have ever come across.



Cheers

[Fly bye]

Edit above post: Bleach is very detrimental for the well being of a soft micro-fiber towel, or any cotton/polyester towel. Bleach is very harsh, and will break down and eventually DESTROY the fibers.

As an example, if you took a terry towel, not necessarily MF, but any terry towel and soaked it in a solution of soapy water with some bleach for 24-36 hours, (you would never do this, it's just an example of how harsh bleach is) depending on the quality of the material, after 24-36 hours, you can practically tear the material with your fingers.

[ScottB]

1. Wash with dedicated MF soap (Microrestore, Pinnacle, DP)
2. Tumble Dry with Blue Dryer Balls (found at Bed/Bath Beyond)
3. Store in sealed cabinet or closed container till use

NEVER:
1. Use Fabric Softner
2. Wash with other laundry or regular towels

[agpatel]

1. Wash with dedicated MF soap (Microrestore, Pinnacle, DP)
2. Tumble Dry with Blue Dryer Balls (found at Bed/Bath Beyond)
3. Store in sealed cabinet or closed container till use

NEVER:
1. Use Fabric Softner
2. Wash with other laundry or regular towels

Dryer balls are the shizzz, just fluff up those fibers just a bit more and make them feel better..