Help -- Can't get detergent out of MF Towels

**MilesTeg** · 09-25-2015, 11:24 PM

I have a serious problem with detergent build up in MF towels. After my last use, and wash, I noticed that the towels had no "grab" after drying, and in fact had a bit of a greasy feel. Assuming they just needed another rinse, I tossed them back in the washer, and watched the load. Even though I added no new detergent, there was a massive amount (more than a typical wash cycle) of suds no matter how many times I tried to rinse them. I even added a 1/2 cup vinegar to the last cycle and it made no difference (after air drying, they are still "greasy" with no "grab"). My washing machine is an HE/front load.

I do a hot/cold wash cycle (really luke warm), with Detailer's Pro MF cleaner used as directed.

These are all my "paint polish/waxing" towels and drying towels so there was no grease or any serious soiling (just wax residue, quick detailer residue, etc.).

This is a good $300 worth of towels, what can I do to "fix" them? More vinegar, find and old school washer that puts some actual damn water in the machine? Hand Rinse? I'm assume the soap is just getting released then "sucked" back up into the MF weave.

**spazzz** · 09-25-2015, 11:29 PM

Did you try to rinse and wring them out by hand under cold water.
I would throw them in a bucket of hot water after that and agitate by hand to see if there is any suds.

**AGOatemywallet** · 09-25-2015, 11:55 PM

Hot water will not hurt your MF's

Give it a try on 6 towels and see what you think

Using the dryer won't hurt them either

**ShaunD** · 09-25-2015, 11:57 PM

Get some Oxi powder(oxi clean or store brand is fine) and soak them in a tote/bucket in hot water(not luke warm) for about six hours(that's about how long the oxi chemical is active). You can boil them as well, and or add boiling water the container they are going to soak in; just make sure they are damp first. Just don't let the towels sit in a pot of bowling water to the point that the hot metal can melt the towels. As far as a detergent to wash them in(Oxi powders aren't detergents) I would recommend All Free&Clear with Oxi, and or All free&clear super concentrate(both designed for HE washers). All free&clear with Oxi is actually fantastic for pre-treating/soaking. In the future, I wouldn't be washing wax towels with polishing and drying towels. Maybe polishing and drying towels together but, wax/sealant towels should be kept separate.
As far as drying goes, you want to use the lowest heat possible, and don't let them dry to the point of getting singed. If you want to really careful, pull the towels when they are still barely damp. Drying them on high heat will toast(ruin) them, and even extended drying on low heat after they are completely dry can damage them.

**dlc95** · 09-26-2015, 08:39 PM

What detergent are you using?

When all else fails, I use Dr. Bronners Castille soap and hot wayer. That stuff is excellent.

**Calendyr** · 10-01-2015, 12:43 AM

Originally Posted by ShaunD

Get some Oxi powder(oxi clean or store brand is fine) and soak them in a tote/bucket in hot water(not luke warm) for about six hours(that's about how long the oxi chemical is active). You can boil them as well, and or add boiling water the container they are going to soak in; just make sure they are damp first. Just don't let the towels sit in a pot of bowling water to the point that the hot metal can melt the towels. As far as a detergent to wash them in(Oxi powders aren't detergents) I would recommend All Free&Clear with Oxi, and or All free&clear super concentrate(both designed for HE washers). All free&clear with Oxi is actually fantastic for pre-treating/soaking. In the future, I wouldn't be washing wax towels with polishing and drying towels. Maybe polishing and drying towels together but, wax/sealant towels should be kept separate.
As far as drying goes, you want to use the lowest heat possible, and don't let them dry to the point of getting singed. If you want to really careful, pull the towels when they are still barely damp. Drying them on high heat will toast(ruin) them, and even extended drying on low heat after they are completely dry can damage them.

HOLD ON THERE! From what I understand of MF towels, boiling them will destroy the micro fibers and will turn the towel into regular towels. I would not advise anyone to boil them!

I cannot find any info on this, but I clearly remember reading that heat was really bad for micro fibers, that is why you need to dry them on low heat or even no heat in the dryer.

Anyone has a link they can post about this? Either for or against boiling?

**GSKR** · 10-01-2015, 05:37 AM

Have u used them on coating jobs

**Setec Astronomy** · 10-01-2015, 06:10 AM

I've had the experience of putting a lot of detergent in a load of MF's to try and get a bunch of dressing out, and then having to run thru seemingly endless extra rinse cycles to try and get the suds out (and this was with an old-school top load machine that uses plenty of water).

Hot water, boiling water, and hot dryers don't do anything bad to MF towels.

Another thing to think about (as has been noted above) is whether you had something different on this batch of towels or if the wife had something different in the washer (fabric softener, etc.).

If it was me I'd hand rinse them for a while and then re-wash with no detergent and repeat that until you don't get any suds out, then dry them well and see if they return to normal "feel". If they don't, then you probably have something "in" them that you'll have to decide if you want to try to remove.

**Calendyr** · 10-01-2015, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

I've had the experience of putting a lot of detergent in a load of MF's to try and get a bunch of dressing out, and then having to run thru seemingly endless extra rinse cycles to try and get the suds out (and this was with an old-school top load machine that uses plenty of water).

Hot water, boiling water, and hot dryers don't do anything bad to MF towels.

Another thing to think about (as has been noted above) is whether you had something different on this batch of towels or if the wife had something different in the washer (fabric softener, etc.).

If it was me I'd hand rinse them for a while and then re-wash with no detergent and repeat that until you don't get any suds out, then dry them well and see if they return to normal "feel". If they don't, then you probably have something "in" them that you'll have to decide if you want to try to remove.

Will have to boil a few of my dying mf towel to see if it can revive them or if it will finish them off

**builthatch** · 10-01-2015, 08:53 PM

unfortunately, this sounds similar to issues that some people have with everyday laundry with new school washers. they are so "efficient" and conserving that they fall short with certain things and it might just not be rinsing well enough or something.

i dunno, as suggested, oxi clean soak (make sure powder is dissolved well) and hot water might work....spray with APC, let sit, then soak...either way, when you are done, maybe hand wring then run a few detergent-less cycles to get it all out, as Setec advised.

also as mentioned, boiling is something that has been around for a while to help with a few different MF issues, but i don't know what it'd do for you with this particular issue.

but my plan of attack would be the soak, rinse/wring by hand, wash in hot with two rinses (three cycles with no detergent, basically) and machine dry as usual. hopefully that excessive cycling will fix this and you can go to a more normal wash situation.