Washing machine stained my Surbuf pads!

[TimmyG]

As the title states, I had a little "incident" with my washing machine yesterday. After detailing my Vette, I brought all of my dirty microfiber towels and microfiber cutting pads inside for washing. I normall wash my polishing pads with chemicals guys pad wash in a 5 gallon home depot bucket. Basically a hand wash. Yesterday, for whatever reason, I figured I'd give the pads a good wash in the washing machine. I washed them with my MF towels with cold water and used the delicate setting on the machine. When I checked the wash to switch them over an hour later, my surbuf pads were stained red! Normally, I wash all of my different colored towels together with no problems. What I think happened was the Meguiars D300 that I used on a couple Megs MF cutting discs ended up staining a bunch of my MF towels and my surbuf pads. I was pretty upset about it.

Anyways, the microfingers on the pads look fine, it looks like only the foam is actually stained. I'm wondering if these pads are still ok to use, or if I should simply toss them? I used them literally twice before this debacle. Also stained a Cobra guzzler and a few Cobra supreme MF towels.

Learned my lesson though.

[loudog2]

I would not wash the surbuf pads with your MF towels. Those fingers on the surbuf pads get trapped in the loops of the MF.

[Setec Astronomy]

Staining doesn't effect the performance of anything. I kind of doubt that the D300 stained that stuff, probably more likely a red or orange towel you hadn't washed before. I can't tell you the times I've tinted a whole load with that one new towel.

[TimmyG]

Staining doesn't effect the performance of anything. I kind of doubt that the D300 stained that stuff, probably more likely a red or orange towel you hadn't washed before. I can't tell you the times I've tinted a whole load with that one new towel.

Ok, good.


I had NEVER washed any MF pads before in the washing machine but figured I'd go for it since the Meguiars MF cutting pads are supposed to be washing machine friendly. I did have a few different color MF towels in the load, but everything had been washed together with no problems. I was so mad about it, I thought I ruined my surbufs!

I still think it might've been the D300. Either way, I'm happy that these pads are still safe to use.

[TimmyG]

I would not wash the surbuf pads with your MF towels. Those fingers on the surbuf pads get trapped in the loops of the MF.

Lesson learned for sure. I only washed two of them in there, thankfully. The surbufs are quickly becoming a "go-to" pad for me in many instances. Sure, they need some clean up after compounding, but damn do they cut nice and quick! I thought they outperformed the Meguiars MF cutting discs hands down.

[VISITOR]

i don't machine wash surbufs, but rather massage the compound out under running water after it's been pre-soaked with a little APC...