Believe it or not, Microfiber dates back to the 1950’s. Micro, as in 1/100th the diameter of a human hair and 1/20th the diameter of a strand of silk. In the ’50s and ’60s, only fine staples of random length could be manufactured and very few applications could be found. Microfiber’s use in the textile industry expanded after techniques were discovered that made manufacturing these microfibers easier. First publicized in the early 1990’s in Sweden, Microfiber saw success as a product in Europe over the course of the decade. In 2007, Rubbermaid began a line of microfiber products for American markets and the rest is history.

Fabrics made with microfibers are exceptionally soft and hold their shape well. When high-quality microfiber is combined with the right knitting process, it creates an extremely effective cleaning material. This material can hold up to eight times its weight in water. These products have exceptional ability to absorb oils, and are not hard enough to scratch paintwork unless they have retained grit or hard particles from previous use.

As far as car owners and car detailers goes, microfiber is probably one of the most, if not the most, important part of a paint correction and care routine. All the effort spent polishing and cleaning can be undone in an instant if the wrong towels are used. Being that microfiber plays such a pivotal role in the shine enthusiasts’ collection, it seems only fitting that they should receive the appropriate care and cleaning to insure a long and useful life.

Photo from Ctgreenclean.com

What’s In Your Towels?

When you think about the contamination that’s in your towels after a use you’re talking about a pretty thick cocktail of polymers, waxes, oils, and other stubborn residues that need strong detergents to remove. Take for example waxes and sealants… these are products that are designed to resist removal from detergents, water, heat, etc on your paint.

A durable wax or sealant is defined by its ability to resist detergents thru more than a few washes. These products behave no differently when buried deep within the fibers of your towels.

Anyone who’s tried to strip wash quick sealant or machine super sealant knows that sometimes it takes a pretty aggressive mix of detergents to get it completely removed.

Knowing the kind of fight that these products put up on your paint, don’t assume they’d be so much more easy going when bonded to a towel fiber. Because they’re not. This is why a stronger detergent or dedicated microfiber cleaner is key to maintaining your towels. Removing product residues is just as important to your microfiber as any other part of their care.

Proper Microfiber Cleaning:

• Always separate lights and darks as well as heavily soiled towels to avoid cross contamination.
• Wash dark towels and heavily soiled towels (like ones used for metal polishing) in a separate load from other towels. Wash microfiber only with other microfiber, do not mix with cotton or other materials.
• Pre-treat any stains with liquid laundry soap. Use a liquid laundry detergent to pre-treat and/or in the wash load. Make sure it is a dye/perfume free product.
• Machine wash using a warm water setting and extra rinse cycle if the machine is equipped.
• Machine dry on a low heat setting with no fabric softener.

Tips for Microfiber Towel and Applicator Care:

Pre-Soak: If you know your detail will be a long one, and you’ll be going thru a lot of towels, start a pre-soak bucket. Fill a bucket 1/2 – 2/3rds full of water, add approximately 3-4oz of liquid laundry detergent and stir. As towels are used up toss them in the bucket to soak.

When the detail is done, pull them out, wring out excess water, and proceed with your usual wash routine. The pre-soak will help prevent stubborn stains from setting in and make routine cleaning easier.

Cross sections: top image is microfiber thread, bottom is cotton thread; microfiber leaves little or no residue, unlike cotton.

Taking it a Step Further: Put a grit guard in the bottom of your pre-soak bucket. Larger contamination dislodged from the towels in the soaking process will then be kept separate from the towels and making sure they come as clean as possible in the wash.

Spot Treatments: Sometimes there will be spots that just don’t come out in the wash. Most times a more concentrated cleaning in that area and another washing will remove them or at least reduce them. Use liquid laundry detergent to spot treat, then scrub really well with your fingers or against a grit guard to work the cleaner in deep. Flush with water and wash as usual.

Storage: Microfiber towels should always be stored in a clean, dust free environment. Plastic storage totes make excellent storage and organization systems for your towels while ensuring you’ll have clean, dust free towels at the ready.

Air Dry If Possible: Machine drying your towels is fine, but any amount of abuse you can spare them will help prolong their lives. If possible line/air dry your towels, they may feel a tad crispy, but this is remedied simply with a mist of Waterless Wash or Detail Spray before use or even a few second tumble in the dryer.

Boiling Towels: Over time your towels may accumulate a buildup of waxes, polish residue, polymers, or even fabric softener residue from the dryer. The best way to remedy lack of absorbency or linting from these issues is boiling: Simply bring a large pot of water to boil. Add in 2-3 capfuls of white vinegar. Add a couple towels at a time and allow them to boil. Try to avoid allowing the towels to sit against the sides or bottom of the pot for too long. After a few moments pull each towel out (using tongs to be safe) and flush under cool water. Wash these towels using your usual routine and they should be as good as new.

Microfiber, while important to your detail routine, is a tool for cleaning, and should be cleaned properly to maintain performance. Like anything else detailing, taking good care of your tools and accessories means they’ll take good care of you. Microfiber being 100% man made means its much more durable than many naturally occurring fibers, so make sure to treat your towels with care and they’ll serve you well for a long time.