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How do you wash your microfiber towels after using them for removing wax or sealant? I mean do you just throw them in the washing machine? If so, do you do them separately or with other clothes?
My concern is that the chemicals will stay in the machine and get on my clothes. Am I being overly cautious or just an ignorant neophyte?
Thanks for any advice!
I wash them by themselves. There are microfiber cleaners/conditioners out there that work well. I have used Adam's and Wolf Gang's microfiber cleaners with good luck. You can pretreat and add it to the machine. I then dry them on low heat or air dry with no fabric softener sheet.
Common question, heres an in depth article that will help shed some light on it for you. Nothing complex about towel care, just need to follow some basic rules:
REGULAR CLEANING:
Your microfiber accessories should be cleaned after every use. While it might be tempting to let that drying towel sit and use it again next weekend you run the risk of contamination causing swirls or letting something set into the towels that will be more difficult to remove later. Cleaning microfiber is usually the least enjoyable part of a detail, but in the end staying on top of your laundry just ensures that your towels will be at their best and ready when you are.
TOWELS:
Always separate your dirtiest towels, like those used to clean wheels or for metal polishing, from your 'good' plush and drying towels to avoid cross contamination and wash them in separate loads.
Keep cotton and other materials out of the wash loads. Wash microfiber only with other microfiber.
Use a dedicated microfiber detergent or a dye free/perfume free liquid laundry soap - no powders or granulated.
Set washer to a warm water setting. Some heat is required to break down waxes and polishes. Cold settings will not clean towels as effectively.
If your washer is equipped with an extra rinse cycle, use it.
Microfiber can be machine dried if you prefer, use a low heat setting and NO FABRIC SOFTENER. Air or line drying is also an option, be sure to do this somewhere the towels cannot be contaminated with dust or lint.
PADS & APPLICATORS:
Just like with towels, separate any extremely dirty or contaminated pads from the group and wash separately.
Wash pads and applicators separate from towels. The foam backing and velcro can become snagged and damaged during agitation by a towel in the same load.
Use a brush to break up heavy, caked in, polish residues on pads before washing.
Dedicated microfiber detergents are preferred, but if using regular laundry soap make sure its dye/perfume free.
Set washer to a warm setting, not hot. Pads have a glue membrane that is sensitive to high heat so stick to warm, but not hot wash water settings.
If your washer is equipped with an extra rinse cycle, use it.
Air dry all pads and applicators on a wire rack to maximize airflow and expedite drying.
as far as the chemicals from the towels staying in your washer then redepositing on your clothes - I would say thats no more likely than a grass stain happening to your khakis if you washed a grass stained pair of pants the load before.
You could always just run a rinse cycle thru the washer after doing your towels to be extra sure, but in all the years I've been cleaning towels I haven't had anything happen like that.
Last edited by Surf City Garage; 10-07-2014 at 03:30 PM.
Good point on running a rinse cycle afterwards. I clean the washer tub with 409 (it does get marked up from time to time from the towels) and then run a rinse cycle after a load of towels. I don't know that there is any transfer, but better safe than sorry with the wife.
Like others have said I just toss mine in the washer all by themselves. I do add in some Griots microfiber cleaner. Not sure if it helps or not. I've never washed two different loads with and without to check the difference.
10-07-2014, 09:02 AM
How do you wash....
