Hi, folks,

How do you clean your detailing cloths? Here's what I've got, and I'm looking for hints on cleaning any/all of them:

- Drying towel - don't remember what it's called, but it's the kind that turns into cardboard when dry

- Waffle weave microfiber drying towel

- Microfiber buffing cloth

- Tire swipes - do you even bother to clean these? I'd hate to keep disposing of them

- Microfiber wax applicators - again, do you bother to clean these?

- Soft towel (don't remember if it's microfiber) for cleaning glass

- Microfiber wash mitt

Some of these are a lot dirtier than they should be...for example, my buffing cloth. Shouldn't it be clean? I need to figure out where I'm not doing a good enough job at dirt removal, but for now also need to figure out how to clean what I've got.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

 

I have narrowed everything down to two types of towels...buffing and drying. Add to that The Absorber (I have two) and my wash mitt. That's four groups of items and I wash each group seperately. I dry the buffing cloths because they're so plush they take forever to dry, but the drying towels I just hang up to dry...same with the mitt. The Absorber isn't supposed to ever be dry, so once I wash it (them) and it spins, I just roll them up and put them back into their tubes.

As for wheels...I use a mf cloth when washing (nothing special, I wash it w/ my regular laundry), but I'm afraid I probably get major points off for using Viva paper towels for wheel cleaning in between washes. They are fairly soft, especially when wet. I use water and a few sprays of QD (really helps) and then wipe my wheels (which are treated w/ Klasse) with the Viva towels. You're right, brake dust is nasty...I like using something I can just dispose of.

 

For my MF towels and buffer bonnets, here it what I do:

Most of the time, they're really greasy and dirty. I put everything in the washer and select small load. Since they are really greasy, use the hot setting. I also add the normal amount of detergent. I then leave the lid up and let it soak for ~30 minutes. Then, close it and let it finish. I repeat this process because the water is REALLY dirty after the first wash. They gradually get cleaner.

That works perfectly for me.

The cardboard thing you are thinking of, thats a chamois. I would love to know how to clean it. What I do it let it soak in hot water alone with NO soap. I'm sure there is a better way to do it.

My mit, I through it in with my MF towels and bonnets. Its MF too.

Good luck!

 

I have a hiarchy - new microfibers are used for drying & polishing, when they get dirty and stained they become wheel towels, when they become very bad I used them to apply rubber and tire detail. I wash the drying and polishing towels in vinager to get out the wax then do a second cycle with a very small amount of pure detergent.

 

I have enough microfiber towels for an entire load. Only wash mf towels together, don't mix them with terry or any other type of material. However, after repeated washings and drying, they aren't as soft as I'd like them to be. So I've now been washing, setting the dryer to delicate and "less dry", and letting the dryer go only until it's still slightly damp, then I air dry them on a clothesline set up in my garage. So far, this technique has keep the towels as soft as new.

Some people say that drying mf towels in a dryer will damage them. Others have said it makes no difference. For me, since I've been down the lazy route of drying them in the machine, I've decided that for my newest towels the DP Monster Fluffies, I will air dry them.

As for the washing itself, I don't wash the wheel MFs with the polishing MFs, they get separate loads.

Don't throw your towels on the floor or ground while working. They will pick up all kinds of leaves and particles that won't wash off. You can only extract them with tweezers. So definitely inspect every towel before you wipe your car with it be mindful about where you put them.

If you've got only a few mf towels, the Wonder Washer works great for washing a small load of MF's. The polish residue ends up at the bottom and sides of the bucket and not in the laundry machine!


Cost around $50 from Harbor Freight and well worth it.

After washing, I can then rinse them under running water or run the machine with clean water a few times, and then air dry it. For me, I like to use it, then throw it into the washing machines spin cycle to get the water out of it.

Some people prefer to let it soak in a sink but I think this machine gets the towels cleaner. The 15 minute timer is constantly swishing the water around in both directions just like your traditional washer, it really gets things clean, and you don't waste water by washing only a few towels in your huge washer.



Here's a Monster Fluffy before washing


And After Washing, but still wet


Sorry no picture after air drying but it looks and feels as clean as brand new.

As for your drying towel, I love the Meguiar's MF Drying Towel, that goes right into the washer. The Absorber is really great too when used properly, and that can be washed in a sink with some Dawn--it absorbs all the water and spits out any contaminants or bad smells. I don't use Chamois, so not exactly sure what the method is there.

 

^^ is that a juice mixer?

i have a dedicated laundry basket for my car MF towels and wash it
in our washing machine separately from all the other cloths. Usually
i have enough towels to do one cycle every weekend....then i
just hang it over night, no dryer for me.

oh yah, as far as my MF wash mitt, i rinse it very well in the sink
until there is no dark soap water coming out, wring it, rinse it some
more, and then toss it in the washer with my other MF stuff.

 

Haha, it really is just a huge drink mixer!

Imagine this as a daiquiri (sp?) instead of water! Maybe can use for mixing drinks at parties when you aren't washing your towels!



This is the kind of stuff it prevents from getting in your washer. Your spouse may not appreciate this getting on the family clothes.



Air drying my towels


Great for washing foam buffing pads

 

^^ wow, that's a nice unit!

 

I let the dogs lick them clean.

Takes a while but it saves on the price of soap and electricity.

 

I found that drying my regular MF towels makes them less soft...but the monster fluffies do fine in the dryer, in fact, they might even come out softer.

But I don't use the regular ones on my paint anyway, so no big deal. I just wash the entire load (all my MF, including my mitt) together, and then put them all in the dryer. I even put my MF pads in.

 

If you let the dogs lick them clean, they will air dry them for you. Just tie them to their backs and have them run around awhile

 

I wash delicate cycle and use Woolite...why? my machine suggests to use powdered detergent which I was afraid might leave undissolved abrasive crystals in the fibers, so I use woolite since it is liquid...then I dry them in the machine on low until are basically dry and then let them air dry...

..I have the Sonus drying cloth and also the Sonus cloths where one side is very plush and the other side is smooth (shorth-napped)....I use the plush for wiping the detailing Z6 off then the smooth side to buff it dry....same for wiping off Z2....plush for first wiping off then smooth side for buffing shiny

how often do you all wash them....say if your car in between washes is a little gritty and you use detailing spray and wipe it off with your MF cloths, do you re-use the cloths next time and hope the grit isn't imbedded in the cloth causing swirling or do you wash them after each detailing?

 

I use my MF towels once and throw them in a pile to soon be washed

 

OctaneGuy,

Nice tailgaters drink mixer... but seriously, I'm glad to see someone who isn't throwing their MF's in the gentle cycle with their wive's delicates! Hey, if the machine's a Bosch, doesn't that by default endorse the cleaning of nasty automotive shop cloths?

I know this comment should be on the NAM confessional, but I have to sneak around and do my MINI dirty laundery on the sly. If I had more to do, I'd get the unit you pictured.

 

That Wonder Washer thing looks really nice.

 

Thanks for all the great ideas! And also the before and after pictures. Glad to know there's hope!

I'm so bad about remembering to do my laundry, it will be hilarious (though not surprising, I have to admit) if I get religious about laundering my detailing cloths but still can't manage to wash my clothes more than once every month or so...

"The cardboard thing" is a variant of the Absorber. Essentially the same thing with a different brand. I think it's Meguiar's, but am not sure. I'm vegetarian, so no sheepskin chamois for me. :-)

Have to add the daiquiri mixer to my Christmas list...

 

once month? you either got a lot of cloths or you are just discusting.

i do my laundry once a week, sometimes twice a week.

 

That needs to be added to some detail equitment list. I will not have a problem getting that for christmas...and with the ablity to do smaller loads I will not feel guilty about washing my towels in small loads. And the pad idea is awesome. Do you toss the pads in there as soon as your done with a step(polish, then wax) and do them together or do you wash them seperately?

 

^^ im not sure if my washer is special or not, but i have 3 load settings
so i just use the "SMALL" setting and run one 6min (light duty)
cycle. The 6min is the washing part followed by rinse and spin so total
duration is about 14-15min. my towels come out very clean.

on my normal clothing, i toss in the entire load and set it at "SUPER" and
run any where from 7-10min (still light duty) cycle. comes out very
clean each time.

 

Last night I washed 10 of my pads at once. While I think it's probably easiest to wash them as soon as you finish, my pads tend to get pretty heavily saturated so I just wash them as needed. That is, I have 10 clean, almost new looking pads now, though they were used several days ago. Of course, I only washed the pads with the polishes. Pads with synthetic waxes are much harder to clean, which is good--wax shouldn't come off in water.

I sprayed my pads first with a spot removing carpet cleaner, rubbed it in, then used regular laundry liquid soap in warm water.

Richard

 

Theres another step I would have never thought to use. I guess theres a reason you are a professional.

 

time is money!

 

Lol. Yeah, I'm a pro that likes to find new uses for consumer stuff. That Wonder Washer won't wash very heavy items like blue jeans that completely saturate with water cause it bogs down (or maybe one pair is max), but MF towels and pads are very lightweight! I think it's the perfect machine for them.

Honestly though, Kenchan has a much nicer storage location for all his waxes and tools! I gotta get a rack like his to better organize my gear.

With the Meguiar's pro cleaners, I also use APC (All Purpose Cleaner) in place of that carpet cleaner for heavily soiled rags with brake dust, etc..

Richard

 

next thing you know, octaneguy will modify his shop vac to
make a dryer. lol

yah, those carts are nice. it really brightens up the garage.
it's more of a vanity thing though, if you asked me...which was
the primary purpose.

 

Any cleaners I should stay away from?

Ken do you have the shinny racks from sams? I have some of those on wheels its very nice. wish they weer not as deep, I find I keep alot of junk on them just because the space is there. Hence the need for the detail cart. I will get pictures of the garage soon, well, as soon as the MINI goes into storage.