How To Wash Your Microfiber Towels

How To Wash Your Microfiber Towels | DETALKS

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7 жыл бұрын

The most POPULAR question we get asked is, "How do you wash microfiber towels?" Contrary to many recommendations we have seen on the web, we thought we would make a simple and factual video on which washing methods are best!
First question we need to address is, " What is microfiber made of?" The two most common material combination is Polyamide and Polyester. Typically a towel is made of a blend between the two, which could be 80/20 or the more sought after 70/30. In a nutshell. microfiber is made of really really fine...plastic. So what happens when plastic gets too hot? It melt! Microfiber has a melting point of 140 degrees, in which most household furnaces will boil water that is hot enough to melt the towels. This is why we commend washing microfiber on a cool to warm setting. Never boil microfiber.
What about detergent? Any "free and clear" detergent is what we recommend. No fabric softener or scents should be in your washing detergent. A TRICK that we recommend is putting 1/2 cup to 3/4 a cup of distilled vinegar into the bleach tray on the washer. This vinegar will provide more cleaning power, resulting in a softer feel and less stains. Yvan Lacroix recommends Optimum Power Clean as a trick to wash microfiber. However, you don't absolutely NEED specific microfiber detergent. We hope this video helps people on how to clean and wash microfiber!
Have some washing tricks of your own? Let us know in the comments!
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Have a suggestion or want to ask a question?
Head over to the DeTalks Facebook group and let us know: / detalks
Check out the Optimum Synergy Podcast: optimumsynergypodcast.libsyn.com/
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Guests: Levi Gates, Yvan Lacroix and Dann Williams
Recorded by Dane Hennen & Anthony Fisher
Edited by Dane Hennen
Content provided courtesy of The Rag Company ©2017

Пікірлер: 107

@conanvt 5 жыл бұрын

Great info as always ,2 of the best in the game !

@louisscutti8497 3 жыл бұрын

This was very, VERY helpful. Thank you!

@nailbomb3 6 жыл бұрын

Guys don’t you mean the fabric softener port for adding vinegar ? Pretty sure the bleach port adds stuff to the wash cycle and not the rinse

@shawnamison2485 7 жыл бұрын

Glad to see if do everything mostly right lol. Up until a few weeks ago I was washing my microfiber with cotton bath towels and took your guy's advice to not do that anymore. If my towels are really dirty I mix in about a half cup of cheap all purpose cleaner and it works wonders. If you have a dollar store near you get the apc they sell there. Such a deal at that price and great for things like this where you don't want to waste the expensive stuff.

@apexdetail85 7 жыл бұрын

Another informative video👍🏻. Awesome job guys!

@jimdavidson5208 5 жыл бұрын

Sure if you want a plastic threaded rag to PUSH water and dirt around on your paint. Look up what microfiber is ACTUALLY made of. Spoiler alert = plastic. Let us all know how absorbent plastic is too.

@gmans7859 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks you guy's! Glad I watched this. It reassured me that I was doing things correctly. The only thing I can share is I run a short tub (the extra rinse cycle) of just water and Vinegar through before I start washing our towels. Wife uses powdered soap for laundry.

@thorsagersrt3720 7 жыл бұрын

Lots of great information in this video!

@Antto 7 жыл бұрын

Cool video, thanks for the tips!

@lunapj2008 7 жыл бұрын

good job guys!!!! detalks just keeps improving every time a new episode that comes out keep up the good work...

@dennisjohansson6874 6 жыл бұрын

The Rag Company hi guys! I was just wondering what kind of percentage "%" i should use on the distilled vinnegar? You see, here in sweden we have some options on that hehe :) Thanks for reply and a great show!

@victor4091 4 жыл бұрын

@@theragcompany when he says power clean half and half and then half a cup to the water machine so it means it's just 1/4 of cup of power clean but diluted before touching towels?

@dallayogini 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the great video!!!!

@jimj7571 5 ай бұрын

As mentioned by a commenter below, the bleach compartment releases during the wash cycle (not the rinse cycle) - with no correction in the video from the rag company. If your washer has a fabric softener compartment, that releases during the rinse cycle.

@heavymechanic2 6 жыл бұрын

Vinegar in the rinse cycle is a good trick to release the detergent from the fabric, I learned that when I made homemade laundry soap. I Downy ball works great to hold the vinegar during the wash cycle an pops the cork when it spins out (easy peasy). Since I only have a few towels, I wash mine in a bucket with dish detergent, it works better than laundry detergent. My towels get soiled from using ONR and it takes a little work to clean them.

@chattfiremike 7 жыл бұрын

Love the tip for linting. Didn't think of that! Great vid

@richardhernandez8105 3 жыл бұрын

Also works for ANY fabrics with dog hair. Still LOW HEAT.

@Knards 7 жыл бұрын

As a every Sunday warrior, I never have large loads of towels. I wash them all together. And I always let them dry hanging outside in my car port. But this discussion was by far the best I have seen on how to maintain the towels. I picked up the vinegar and drier first tips. Have never heard of power clean, at present have been using CG's wash. Excellent discussion guys. We appreciate these types of talks

@adamfreeman1219 7 жыл бұрын

glad you mentioned the being able to wash all microfiber in one cycle! I often wonder if I should do my different microfiber in different washes, but being a weekend warrior that'd be some ball ache!! lol

@EnriqueMuller 7 жыл бұрын

How about microfiber towels that are used to dry wheels and dirty areas like door jambs? Is it ok to mix them in with the rest? I ask because wheel and tire stuff usually stay in a separate bucket so that iron deposits, etc don't scratch the paint...

@EnriqueMuller 7 жыл бұрын

The Rag Company Ok, thanks. I guess I'll continue to hand wash the dirty towels because I only have a couple after every wash and I'll get in trouble at home if I run another cycle just for a pair of towels. By the way, which towel would you recommend for drying wheels and other dirty areas after ONR? Can't bring myself to use the Pluffles or other nice microfibers for that...

@gordonliddy9418 6 жыл бұрын

Id still be weary about washing towels that had metal polish on them with ones ive used for wax or polish removal but thats just me

@deanbracken 7 жыл бұрын

Very informative video. Thanks guys! PS. Bring back Dann!!!

@bloodvessell 4 жыл бұрын

Hi When you are saying about adding the white vinegar in the rinse cycle or bleach port. Is this the same port as the softener

@mikee5902 7 жыл бұрын

thanks

@spikeyboy 4 жыл бұрын

For the optimum cleaner apc, do you guys actually put that in the washer too? Like in the detergent bin, bleach bin? Or do you only use that to soak the towels first and than wash after?

@pemadatpuol 4 жыл бұрын

I’ve just seen this episode and it blows away any videos about microfiber towels, but just one quick question, can distilled white vinegar replaced by a common white vinegar?

@eyetvideos467 2 жыл бұрын

Once eagle Edgeless 500 towels go from “a” towels to “b” towels I like to hot wash them because I’ve found that the high gsm isn’t great for interiors, but once a little scorched they absorb just enough but also have a little more scrub to them. I’d never use them on paint again but that’s why they’re “b” towels now.

@austinmccutcheon3270 8 күн бұрын

@eyetvideos what makes you decide when to switch them from and “A” Grade towel to a “B” Grade towel? Thanks!

@mezmorizedauto1 5 жыл бұрын

Omg!! I worked for several car Dealerships & we would just throw them in washer with tide, purex, oxyclean, or any other household laundry soap to wash & dried in hi heat!! Nobody knew this!! Always wondered why the towels would come out like $*€+!!

@gordonliddy9418 6 жыл бұрын

Is the vinegar method necessary on ultra plush mf towels that i use for spray wax, polish removal etc?

@TheMstwntdLMSV123 5 жыл бұрын

I always put the vinegar in the fabric softener port. Is this incorrect?

@chrisostenfeld 5 жыл бұрын

Silly question, are we using a free/clear detergent and adding 1/4 cup of power clean to start, or just power clean and no detergent?

@michaelmenkus1111 7 жыл бұрын

Is there a way to tell if I've damaged or melted my towels? I was uninformed and have been drying them in a heated dryer.

@JEFFDEWILLE 5 жыл бұрын

How do you wash the big red sponge??

@Distorted-Vision 2 жыл бұрын

My premium glass towels had dirty stains after first use which wouldn't come out even after washing 3 times. Do you have suggestions?

@LoveLikeaHurricane 7 жыл бұрын

Does that mean i can mix my wheel towels with my paint towels in the same wash?

@matt.b.walton 4 жыл бұрын

Do you sell a dedicated soap on the rag company website? I can't find it 😬

@Shananana99 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks you guys! I learned some new things today. The bleach in the end of wash or in 1st rinse cycle for one. And no heat on the towels for two. 👍

@ernestobenavides6716 5 жыл бұрын

How much of powerclean you guys put to wash your microfiber towels ?

@twoicyclops 5 жыл бұрын

How do you get the vinegar smell off?

@gregrennie97 7 жыл бұрын

Any recommendations for hand washing towels? I used to use my washing machine but ruined several cloths due to fabric softener still being in the machine from washing clothes. This is why I've had to revert to hand washing! Great video as usual though, great info! 😆

@jimdavidson5208 5 жыл бұрын

That's because the bleach ate the plastic fibers that microfiber rags are MADE OF. Plastic is non-absorbent people.........

@mecgmecg1 7 жыл бұрын

I am having a HUGE issue with lint in some Minx and Eagle towels I bought thru amazon.com. Tried using them out of the package and literally gobs of lint was left on my car's paint. So now I've followed the instructions outlined in this video and washed (w/ warm water) and dried (w/ very low heat) all of the towels 5 times and I still have a lot of lint. I have reached out to The Rag Co on their site earlier today and am waiting to hear back......

@mecgmecg1 7 жыл бұрын

Will do! Thanks!

@mirmujahid6463 3 жыл бұрын

What if I don't have any washing machine. How may I clean microfiber towels then? Plz give some suggestions here

@ihatemacs9 7 жыл бұрын

i washed my towels with a microfiber sponge in a cold wash, gentle cycle, and the foam in the sponge leaked and disintegrated and clung to all the towels. there are millions of foam bits clinging to all the fibers of the towels. how do i get the foam removed from the towels?

@dannygg2597 5 жыл бұрын

How often should towels be washed. After every use?

@johnrohrs9482 3 жыл бұрын

So ok to wash different microfiber towel types together? Yvan says it’s ok, that says he would wash them separate at times.

@paladin656 7 жыл бұрын

If someone 'helpful' runs your towels through with fabric softener, what's the best thing to do when you find out?

@rodstawaa 5 жыл бұрын

& what about machine spin speed?

@SupraKooper 5 жыл бұрын

I have a question. A lot on heat, but there's this person who did a blog on Norwex microfiber and the only way to remove all of the bacteria from the microfiber is by boiling the microfiber cloth. Other methods clean it but not entirely?

@billrobbins883 2 жыл бұрын

I waited to do an mf wash til I had accumulated a reasonable size load, then presoaking the grimy ones for a few hours in warm water & the free & clear detergent also used for the wash, then just threw the presoaked grimies in with rest of the mf load. The grimy ones didn’t really get clean - the grime spots are still there. How/when/with what/at what temp should I do the presoak? For example, should the presoak be done immediately after use, what kind of presoak cleaner should I use, how should the cleaner be “applied” (poured in, sprayed on or rubbed in the grime spots)?, that kind of info. Thanks!

@rodstawaa 5 жыл бұрын

Do the towels not smell like vinegar after wash??

@Molly-yb4pz 6 жыл бұрын

Great video! Two questions if you have time :) I have both a Fabric Softener and a Bleach Compartment. Either Option. Which would you recommend for the vinegar? Also, I have both a Warm (not Hot) and a Cold setting for temperature. LG top loading washer. Thoughts on Warm?

@Molly-yb4pz 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks! I placed my first order with your company yesterday. I want to protect my new towels :)

@jimdavidson5208 5 жыл бұрын

They work great to PUSH water and dirt around on your car.

@photogher 4 жыл бұрын

@@theragcompany The bleach compartment releases during the wash cycle, at least mine does on my Kenmore washing machine.

@Equihua77 6 жыл бұрын

What is your recommendation on washing your microfiber wash mitts/pads? Can they be thrown in with the regular microfiber towels or do they need to be separate? Same question for the drying towels.

@trainscronce6269 5 жыл бұрын

Pretty sure you can mix them all together, hope this helps

@PMitchell106 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the video. Could you provide a reference for the melting point of Polyamide mentioned at 1:50? The data I have found so far puts the melting point of most polyamides at no less than 190°C, and polyesters seem to start around 250°C. Thanks!

@christianlee7826 6 жыл бұрын

I'm curious about this as well. But perhaps even before polyamide or polyester begins to melt, either may deform even a little and be affected in a negative way in terms of intended performance? So (for example) although a polyester fiber melts at 255 degrees, maybe that same fiber degrades in another manner at 135 degrees and its performance is affected? And it's interesting that some of these shipments come from far away (Korea), by boat. Do you know how hot it gets inside a 40 foot container in the summer? Much more than 140 degrees F. Should we now ask if our towels were on a boat shipment before buying them for fear of buying "damaged" towels? And we might decide to refrain from leaving microfiber towels in our cars in the summer. We all know it can be hotter than 140 degrees in a car in the summer with the windows rolled up of course.

@boothmeister6024 5 жыл бұрын

I'd like to see this too. All the other reading I've done suggests that you need hot water in oder to get the fibres to open up and release the dirt etc? I've been washing all mine at 90 degrees celcius for ever and I boil the shit out of the one I use for washing my pots!

@jimdavidson5208 5 жыл бұрын

Don't forget that Polyamides SHRINK dramatically. Hello, these are shit throw away rags, harbor freight quality.

@stevederosa1655 Жыл бұрын

drying the towels on low heat vs no heat imo def fluffs them up a little better. but yes stay away from high heat

@_flamtnbkr_8088 6 ай бұрын

The bleach tray empties in the wash cycle. It's the fabric softener tray that empties during the rinse/spin cycle. So if you have been putting vinegar in the bleach tray and it actually negates or neutralizes the soap, you haven't been washing your towels for some time... Also, hot water heaters come set at 125. 160 will scald bare skin in just a few seconds and the lawyers would never let them leave the factory set that high, but that's just nitpicking...

@wellnessforall6663 4 жыл бұрын

Kindly let me know what is power clean? Is it a detergent brand by the name of power clean? Also let me know how much water should we take for 1/2 cup of vinegar, and approximately how many ml is this 1/2 cup? Looking forward to a reply from Rag Company.

@rik4010 3 жыл бұрын

Hey guys, i am new in car detailing and bought towles from your company. Is it the best way to wash them the first time before i use them? Thanks for the nice packaging of your products. 😉

@rik4010 3 жыл бұрын

Ok, thanks for the respons...🍀

@ibradeybunch 7 жыл бұрын

What if I have a Microfiber towel in the back of my trunk on a summers day? My car is black and it gets pretty hot in the trunk. Will that melt the polyester and ruin my towel?

@BestRN1 4 жыл бұрын

jehdian probably not. I keep some in the back of my car and have never had a problem. It can get over a 100 where I live.

@anubhavk2263 6 жыл бұрын

What should be the process incase one wants to handwash the microfiber cloths??

@anubhavk2263 6 жыл бұрын

The Rag Company thankyou so much for replying

@TheMuslimMayhem 7 жыл бұрын

Levi, approximately what ratio should you be mixing Power Clean into the wash? So for example if on the medium load setting my washer will fill up with 8 gallons, how many ounces of PC would I use? Or would you say you use it in the amounts of a usual detergent with a 1/4 cup for small loads up to 3/4 cup for a large load? The vinegar trick really works. I started adding vinegar to my loads several months ago and noticed my MF towels felt softer and came out cleaner. Mentioning that the acidity of vinegar is what is doing the work for MF towels, I also have found Optimum MDR to work great on heavily soiled MF. The first time I noticed this was I was using an older MF polishing pad to work in MDR on a heavily water spotted window and after I rinsed out the pad it came out as clean as the day I bought it. So I've found for any stains on MF towels, if you pretreat them with a few small drops of MDR on the stain, they'll come out of the washer stain free.

@MasterOfShine 7 жыл бұрын

Yes for heavily soiled towels I use 4 oz straight. For lightly soiled loads I use it diluted 1/4 diluted at 1:3. Make sense?

@TheMuslimMayhem 7 жыл бұрын

Got it, thanks. I rewatched the video and noticed Yvan did say he uses a 1/2 cup diluted 1:1 or in other words 2oz straight. Thanks for the reply and all the hard work making these very informative videos. You guys just about have a video for every question one could have and I often share them as replies to questions I see on detailing forums and FB groups.

@znrctrnn 6 жыл бұрын

Put the vinegar in bleach port? Bleach would be released into wash cycle, no? Softener port releases into final rinse I thought.

@louisscutti8497 3 жыл бұрын

Thats's a good point...

@a_real_jive_turkey7772 3 жыл бұрын

Damn they smoked me right from the get go Now I know why my towels are crap at least. I thought hot water helped loosen things up but now I know over 1,000 towels later

@LoveLikeaHurricane 7 жыл бұрын

This is the first time i hear not to use hot water on microfiber.... doesnt the rag company instruction say to use warm water?

@LoveLikeaHurricane 7 жыл бұрын

Im wondering what would happen if i wash my clothes like this

@JohnPerez-fn2ok 7 жыл бұрын

I searched for power clean detergent and even Dawn has a power clean dish soap so what power clean detergent are you referring to?

@JohnPerez-fn2ok 7 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the quick reply. So is power clean an alkaline based cleaner?

@TheMuslimMayhem 7 жыл бұрын

Yes, it is alkaline with a ph of 11. When diluted in the washer I imagine that ph would be diminished to at least 9 and if you add vinegar into the rinse it should neutralize.

@JohnPerez-fn2ok 7 жыл бұрын

So basically using most APCs would make the best microfiber cleaners and since meguiars APC is the highest rated by professional detailers I have another reason to buy it

@jimdavidson5208 5 жыл бұрын

Professional detailers??? No such thing. That is marketing slander to fool the public into buying a plastic threaded rag to wash your car. As you can see, this video is brought to you buy a plastic threaded towel company. See for yourself.

@Sherukka 5 жыл бұрын

jim davidson You really should start learning because what you are writing makes absolutely no sense!

@harris8390 7 жыл бұрын

What is the point of the vinegar again?

@harris8390 7 жыл бұрын

The Rag Company Thanks guys. Just ordered a good amount of towels from the Rag Company about a month ago. So glad I came across this video before tossing them into the washer.

@paull2815 6 жыл бұрын

Degreaser

@adoboFosho 3 жыл бұрын

People buy powdered detergent?!

@HEMi1995 3 жыл бұрын

“De-tales” would have been a better talkshow name

@dogfoot1874 2 жыл бұрын

Polymide melts at 260 Celsius not Fahrenheit

@larryhernandez531 4 жыл бұрын

What about warm water 💦??

@mattwoywod2337 6 жыл бұрын

Love your videos but there is a lot of misleading information in this video. First of all, the vinegar should not be poured into the bleach compartment. It should be poured into the fabric softener compartment so it’s mixed during the rinse cycle. Also the rag company recommends using warm or hot water on the website which you are now contradicting.

@dkmgp 5 жыл бұрын

@The rag company: the care and cleaning page on your web site (www.theragcompany.com/use-and-care-tips/) still mention hot water in the thorough cleaning section: "In general, microfiberloves hot water which enables the fibers to swell and release trapped dirt and other matter."and "Machine Wash in Warm or Hot Water with a Mild, Clean-Rinsing Liquid Detergent that is as Free of Dyes and Perfumes as Possible"

@dkmgp 5 жыл бұрын

Glad I could be helpful then :) I just came to the video from that page, so that was all fresh in memory when I saw this comment! And while I'm at it, have a Happy new year guys!!