How to Clean Microfiber Towels?

Re: how to clean mf towels

I will segregate towels, only because I wind up with enough to make separate loads. Drying towels and (non-mf) glass towels usually make up a load. Interior towels and QD towels are another load. And then the "grunge" door jambs, trunk jambs, wheels and etc. are a third load.

I used to use Micro-Restore with every load. I ran low on my supply and started using it every other load, then every third load. I will renew my supply at some point, but I no longer view it as an essential. I use a "free" style detergent and sometimes "boost" it with anything from Oxy-Clean, to Charlie's Soap APC, to Bio-Kleen's Bac-Out.

The vinegar in the rinse is an essential, IMO as I do believe the theory that it helps to release soap residue. A residue free fabric should feel softer because soaps do stiffen fabric.

Air drying is out for me as I just don't have room in the utility room to hang up all of my towels. Drying them just short of dry has proven to be a hit or miss proposition for me. I don't doubt that they do feel softer by air drying and I definitely think that drying any fabric shortens its life. And yet I still have towels that are 8-9 years old. So that shortened life is relative.
 
Re: how to clean mf towels

Mr. Clean said:
I will segregate towels, only because I wind up with enough to make separate loads. Drying towels and (non-mf) glass towels usually make up a load. Interior towels and QD towels are another load. And then the "grunge" door jambs, trunk jambs, wheels and etc. are a third load.

I used to use Micro-Restore with every load. I ran low on my supply and started using it every other load, then every third load. I will renew my supply at some point, but I no longer view it as an essential. I use a "free" style detergent and sometimes "boost" it with anything from Oxy-Clean, to Charlie's Soap APC, to Bio-Kleen's Bac-Out.

The vinegar in the rinse is an essential, IMO as I do believe the theory that it helps to release soap residue. A residue free fabric should feel softer because soaps do stiffen fabric.

Air drying is out for me as I just don't have room in the utility room to hang up all of my towels. Drying them just short of dry has proven to be a hit or miss proposition for me. I don't doubt that they do feel softer by air drying and I definitely think that drying any fabric shortens its life. And yet I still have towels that are 8-9 years old. So that shortened life is relative.
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I have hung mine on the line outside to dry but they were stiff so I use low heat until they are just damp and then use the air fluff setting on the dryer until they are dry makes them softer.
 
I was turned on to Charlies Soap years ago from Norah and as a matter of fact I just ordered a gallon before I came here. :bigups
 
uadetailing said:
ok well the dp cleaner said its goof for mf towels so whats the verdict
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I have used DP Microfiber cleaner and it seems to work. I just started using Microrestore and it seems to be a bit more concentration (use less) but I have only done one load.

I follow the care labeling (warm wash, low heat dry). Please note that microfiber is a plastic product not a fiber like cotton.
 
Re: how to clean mf towels

black bart said:
Charles just 1 time set the dryer to shut off before they are dry and use air fluff drying.
If you do this once you will never go back to completely drying them with heat.
I have tried both ways and mine come out much softer when they are air dried. :bigups
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Hey!
I remembered.
I tried it.
They do seem to be softer, but that might be that I expected them to be softer. :)
Good tip.
Thanks.
I'll try it again and see what happens with a few more loads.
 
CharlesW said:
I used the dryer balls a few times and wasn't really sure they made a difference.
They seem to stay on the shelf now.
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Charles didn't all that noise make you think they were doing something.
I wonder if their is a chance they could chip the porcelain.:yikes:
 
OK guys, new guy here. I get the no dry and no fabric softener but what does the vinegar do ? And i started my first load the way JP stated above and holy crap was the water dirty in the presoak bucket :wall man do i have a lot to learn :D Thanks guys and have a great day
 
CharlesW said:
Hey!
I remembered.
I tried it.
They do seem to be softer, but that might be that I expected them to be softer. :)
Good tip.
Thanks.
I'll try it again and see what happens with a few more loads.
Click to expand...
Since this thread has been resurrected, I have to admit that I never did do the air fluff dry thing again. Just never thought of it.
Since my towels seem to be staying soft, it's unlikely I will remember to try it again. It's pure carelessness on my part since the dryer senses moisture and all I have to set the dial to a less dry position and then finish with the air dry setting. The air dry cool down cycle might even finish drying them.

SilverHammer said:
OK guys, new guy here. I get the no dry and no fabric softener but what does the vinegar do ? And i started my first load the way JP stated above and holy crap was the water dirty in the presoak bucket :wall man do i have a lot to learn :D Thanks guys and have a great day
Click to expand...
The vinegar is supposed to remove soap residue when you use it in the rinse cycle.
Also, using the dryer hasn't been a bad thing for me. If air drying is that important to you, have at it, but IMO it isn't necessary.

FWIW, I did some research on dryer temperatures.
1. Most dryers have a safety shutoff in case of a malfunction. There was some conflicting information, but it seems that about 240 degrees F is the set point for that shutoff. That is maximum dryer temperature.
2. The actual fabric temperature is supposed to be limited to 130 degrees F and I think that in some countries, the 130 degree maximum fabric temperature is required by law.
3. Some fabric temperatures recorded in test dryers seemed to vary from 85 to 105 degrees F.
4. Most ran a pretty consistent 90 degrees for most of the cycle. Near the end of the cycle when the clothes are nearly dry, the temp spikes to 100 to 105 and the dryer heat is shut off.

It seems a little unlikely that a temperature very close to body temperature is going to do much damage to the MF towels.
Even the safety limit high of 130 degrees is less than many/most hot water heaters.

Anyway, hot water, warm water, special MF detergent, my wife's laundry detergent, Charlies Soap, one rinse, two rinses, occasional vinegar rinse, dried in the dryer, sometimes completely dry, sometimes not completely dry, sometimes with dryer balls and the only thing consistent is that my MF towels have survived fine. Some as long 7+ years. (Whenever I first heard about them and I think that was 2002.)
 
LOL, Thanks Charles. It would seem there as many ways to wash and care for the almighty MF as there are detailers who use them :)
 
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