Cotton Towels

A

AquaHawk

New member
Tomorrow I have to do that bus, so I read some stuff here and there, and I have these high quality 100% Egyptian cotton towels and I was wondering If I can use those on the surface? I really don't want to do this, I have MF towels, just not big ones. But, is it safe? Even if I just "dab" the car with the towels would that be okay, then go over the car with a MF or 2 to completely dry it?


(The towels aren't old, but they have holes in them and some are stained by make-up (not mine lol :) ) that is why I'm willing to use them)
 
AquaHawk- I'd CD-test them.  IMO, VERY few cotton towels will be safe when used dry, and that includes CBT/DFT/etc. and Koala-soft.  I use egyptian cotton for my bath towels, and I doubt that even my Christy's would be soft enough for detailing use.


 


When damp, especially with a QD or rinselss wash, they *might* soften up enough to be OK, but it's still risky.


 


No, I'm not a cotton towel-hater!  I like the way cotton soaks up water but I'm careful to blot instead of rub.  I've messed up very hard clear by wiping it dry with some DFT cotton towels that I failed to test first.  They'd worked OK before, but then....no, even though they still felt soft to me.
 
wwww-willywallywashwax- I've gradually softened my position on stained towels.  I use to be like you are, but now I give some consideration to *what caused the stain* and sometimes I go ahead and rub away on my paint with something that I consider stained with harmless [stuff].  I sure do give it careful consideration though!
 
I would be worried of make up residue.

As long as there are no oils or anything,

could it hurt? Probably not.


I would probably use them for tires though.

I wouldn't chance any make up residue on interior either.
 
One thing about cotton towels for tires and interior, they can leave lint behind.  Noting that I just finished doing some work with a cotton towel in the Tahoe, you simply *gotta* keep them away from the black material surrounding the side glass!  I like cotton towels for the intitial/scrubbing pass on glass but I quit using them for that on the inside glass (think: dog-smudges) because once the lint gets stuck to certain surfaces I have a whole 'nother job to do cleaning it off.


 


wwww-willywallywashwax- No "makeup residue" issues here as my detailing and bathroom towels never get mixed together.  My "general household use" ones and the detailing towels can get mixed, but those never touch paint anyhow and by the time I get finished laundering them I'm confident there won't be any likelihood of contamination.  Come to think of it, I've never had any laundering issues from Accumulatorette's makeup.
 
Mf is all I use on my vehicles besides some foam pads and applicators. Wheel and tire brushes and my fender well brush.
 
wwww-willywallywashwax- OOPS! :o  Thanks for getting me back on track!


 


Guess there are different types of "makeup stains", but I still wouldn't completely write off the towels.  Nothing Accumulatorette gets on her washcloths/towels would render them unsuitable to me.  Not that I'd touch paint with those things anyhow!
 
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