Microfiber towel Question

[shadowstep]

I just recently got my microfiber towels washed and used one to wipe down my car after spraying it with a quick detailer. I realized after that after wiping my fender and door that it left light swirl like scratches. There was very light dusting on the body so I assumed that it was alright to spray and wipe those body parts. I had washed the microfiber towels along with the regular towels that I had, is the washing process for the microfiber towels different from regular towels?

[Dubbin1]

You should be washing them alone and with no fabric softener.

[shadowstep]

Any particular suggestions for detergents? And dry them on light tumble correct?

[Y2KSVT]

I use Micro-Restore and it works great. The first couple of washes I split the black MF towels up with the lighter colored towels so they didn't bleed, but now I put them all in the same load.

Some people will tell you to wash your polish removing MF towels only with other polish removing MF towels, your QD polishing MF towels with other QD polishing MF towels, and so on. I don't have enough towels that I can do that with, so I'd be washing 2-3 towels at a time. I haven't had any issues with polish removing MF towels contaminating my wax removal MF towels.

EDIT: I wash my towels on cold/cold and then dry them on low.

Mark

[shadowstep]

Great thanks! Now will those methods above help maintain the softness of the microfiber towels? I just don't want them causing swirls later on.

[Joe in PA]

Not all MF are created equal and if you use an inferior one, it can scratch the paint regardless of how well you take care of it. Start with a quality MF, use a liquid detergent without any softners (I use liquid tide) and tumble dry on a cool temp. Should give you the best chance at not introducing swirls when using a QD.

[loudog2]

I only QD after I wash. If there is anything sitting on the paint, it is always better to wash it.

[Y2KSVT]

Great thanks! Now will those methods above help maintain the softness of the microfiber towels? I just don't want them causing swirls later on.

I'm still new to the game, but with the few wash cycles that my MF towels have gone through, they're still just as soft as the day I got them. With some of the things I've heard on here about MF towels either shedding, losing their plushness, or starting to scratch their paint after different wash techniques, I'm going to stick with what has worked for me. I'm sure that some of these guys have seen dozens and dozens of washes on their towels, so they will be able to speak more on longevity of their towels.

Mark

[shadowstep]

Now as stated earlier the MF towels were washed with the regular shower towels and was dried with them also. Now I am getting really erkked because the MF towels are causing swirls all over my car and I am planning to take the M205 to my car with white CCS pads and reseal it again with KSG. Can I resalvage these MF towels by washing them again and drying on low heat?

[Setec Astronomy]

One thing you might want to think about is what the "light dusting" on your car was like. Mike Phillips had a good thread about this years ago on MOL, but the conditions under which you want to QD are fairly limited. At the time Mike suggested that if the dust has been wetted with dew, it was no longer dust that should/could be removed with QD, and if you have anything on the side of the car, I would characterize that as "road film" and not dust. Of course the new waterless washes change things a bit, but it's really a pretty narrow window of what you can remove with a QD without risking marring.

That's also not to say that you don't have to maintain some discipline with your towel care. I mix all my polish/wax/QD/interior towels together, but I wash my WW's separately, and glass towels by themselves, too. And I don't wash terry/cotton towels with the MF's. One of the "free" or "clear" detergents is probably best to use if you don't use a dedicated MF wash. I personally use Charlie's Soap.

[shadowstep]

I suppose I will definitely have to order more MF towels and have a set designated for quick detailing/waxing and removing polish.

[Silverstone]

What brand towels are they? As mentioned before cheapo's might scratch right from the start. I've used Cobra's and Pak Shak towels and both are great and never scratched.

The only problems I've run into is sealant towels. They really need to be kept seperate since the sealant stops them from absorbing liquids and if you don't wash seperate all your towels will be contaminated. I also keep WW glass towels seperate so they don't get lint on them when an old towel starts giving off lint. I wash them with my WW drying towels.

[shadowstep]

They are actually the Cobra blue mf towels that were up during the MF bogo last month I believe.