Lint in Microfiber - Can't get it out

[jsfofec]

I was hoping that somebody could help me. I'm living in the twilight zone of lint. About 2 weeks ago, I washed my microfibers, like I always do, but this time somehow they attracked some lint. The microfibers I washed were some detail city silky smooth, Cobra Super Plush Deluxe, Cobra Super Plush Deluxe Jr and Meguiar's supreme shine microfiber towels. There was probably a total of about 40 towels that were washed.

When I washed them, I used Pinacle Micro Rejuvinator, and then dried them in the drier on delicate without any type of fabric softener.

I've always washed them in the past with no problems at all, now suddenly they are full of lint. I can't figure out how this happened.

Is there anyway to get the lint out? I've washed them 3 times since, trying to wash the lint out, but it's still there. I've washed them with liquid tide and Micro Rejuvinator. Are they ruined? I can handle losing a few, but 40 is a lot of towels, and none of them are more than 3 months old.

 

[CalgaryDetail]

The best way to do this is to boil the clothes. Fill a pot up with boiling water, add the mf and let boil for 20 minutes. Dont worry it wont hurt the MF i promise. Just make sure to stir them evey once ina while so they dont burn on the bottom of the pot. This should clean them up rigth away

 

[jsfofec]

Thanks! I'll give that a try. I've been going crazy the last couple of weeks trying to figure out what to do

 

[CharlesW]

Bummer!
Hopefully you can get rid of the lint.
When you do, try to figure out where it came from. None of the products you used or the washing you did should have caused an accumulation of lint. All the towels you mention are of good quality and I think I have some of all you mentioned. The only time I have ever had any lint problem was when my wife washed a few of my MF towels with her regular wash, thinking she was helping me. Even being washed with some cotton terry towels, there was very little lint and I was able to hand pick it off in short order.
Let us know how the boiling wash works for removing the lint.

Charles

 

[JaredPointer]

Have you tried a lint roller? Just a thought.

 

[crobinso]

I'm guessing that the lint trap in the dryer hadn't been cleaned, or perhaps the washer's lint filter hadn't been cleaned, before use. Another possibility: a drier sheet (if your household uses them) may have been left in the dryer and may have caused lint to be attracted to the cloths.

Charles

 

[joe.p]

I'm guessing that the lint trap in the dryer hadn't been cleaned, or perhaps the washer's lint filter hadn't been cleaned, before use. Another possibility: a drier sheet (if your household uses them) may have been left in the dryer and may have caused lint to be attracted to the cloths.

Charles

I have had lint problems with my sweatshirts from the washer..

I noticed the other day there was lent in the back of the washing machine i wiped it down thinking the lent might get sucked into the washer when it goes to spin out the clothes...i'm not even sure it this is a possiability but it was a desperate attempt to eliminate the problem..

unlike the poster i have had no issues with my MFs..

 

[Beemerboy]

The best way to do this is to boil the clothes. Fill a pot up with boiling water, add the mf and let boil for 20 minutes. Dont worry it wont hurt the MF i promise. Just make sure to stir them evey once ina while so they dont burn on the bottom of the pot. This should clean them up rigth away

I was under the impression that heat was not good for MF towels?

you don't dry them with heat so boiling water would have no effect?


I'm confused now

 

[CalgaryDetail]

I was under the impression that heat was not good for MF towels?

you don't dry them with heat so boiling water would have no effect?


I'm confused now

I always dry my mf in a hot dryer to no ill effect. I have also never found boiling them to be a problem, The heat casues the pores to open up and relase what ever is stuck in them, I have dozens of mf, all of which have been boiled to no ill effect. If you dont belive me i would give it a shot with some of your cheaper (if you have any) mf rags. I dunno i have never had a problem so i will continue to boil my mf.

 

[Beemerboy]

I always dry my mf in a hot dryer to no ill effect. I have also never found boiling them to be a problem, The heat casues the pores to open up and relase what ever is stuck in them, I have dozens of mf, all of which have been boiled to no ill effect. If you dont belive me i would give it a shot with some of your cheaper (if you have any) mf rags. I dunno i have never had a problem so i will continue to boil my mf.

I'm not challenging you in anyway, its just goes against what I thought is all.

I was under the impression that because MF is a poly blend that heat would ruin the nap or weave if you will of the towel..that's all

 

[joe.p]

I always dry my mf in a hot dryer to no ill effect. I have also never found boiling them to be a problem, The heat casues the pores to open up and relase what ever is stuck in them, I have dozens of mf, all of which have been boiled to no ill effect. If you dont belive me i would give it a shot with some of your cheaper (if you have any) mf rags. I dunno i have never had a problem so i will continue to boil my mf.

I had to boil my MFs because of some dryer sheets left in the dryer .. after boiing the MFs i let them soak on prewash with vinegar then i put them thru a seperate wash..so like Calagary i have had no ill effect while boiling my MFs....I think joyride boiled his too..

I don't like to dry them in the dryer on high heat because of the static electricity in the towels..if possible i'll hang the towels out to dry ..

 

[Beemerboy]

I just read about a special soap that is designed to clean MF towels better than regular detergent...hype or not?

 

[CalgaryDetail]

I just read about a special soap that is designed to clean MF towels better than regular detergent...hype or not?

Do you know what its called, I know micro-restore works really well. It probley wont get the lint out but it is great at cleaning out juncked up mf

 

[Beemerboy]

Do you know what its called, I know micro-restore works really well. It probley wont get the lint out but it is great at cleaning out juncked up mf

There where a couple but DP was the one that I read about, found it on autogeek

 

[Beemerboy]

Looking for anything on care for MF is impossible as the word microfiber brings up only towels and little on care for them

Here is an interesting article on them.


Microfibers: Functional Beauty, HYG-5546-96


This was taken from Superior Auto Care

2. Use Low or No Heat. Extreme temperatures aren’t something you want to expose many products to, but when it comes to microfiber, it is especially important to keep them safe from dangerous heat. When it comes time to dry your towels, tumble them dry on low or no heat. Neglecting this advice can result in the melting of your precious product, and possibly damaging your dryer. The exact amount of heat a microfiber product can withstand varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, so play it safe and expose it to nothing over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

[Jen@autogeek]

If you have some wide width tape like packaging tape you can cut off a piece and fold it back on itself to make the sticky side all on the outside. Stick your hand in there and anchor the tape in place by spreading your fingers wide to keep the tape on your hand and then rub it back and forth over the MF's. When the tape gets full cut yourself a new piece. It will be time consuming, but it will remove all of your lint. In the future you can try using dryer balls with your microfibers. It is supposed to cut down on static and lint.

 

[DFTowel]

Neither hot water nor household dryer heat will do any damage. Obviosuly for cotton there is never a problem. The melting point of Polyester is 500F, Nylon is 505F, a household dryer may reach 200F at most. The reason manufacturers say to use low heat is they are afraid of malfunctioning dryers creating hot spots. If you have a malfunctioning dryer I'd be more worried about the house burning down than a few towels! To date I have never seen polyester melt in a dryer, never heard of anyone else seeing it either.

 

[Beemerboy]

Neither hot water nor household dryer heat will do any damage. Obviosuly for cotton there is never a problem. The melting point of Polyester is 500F, Nylon is 505F, a household dryer may reach 200F at most. The reason manufacturers say to use low heat is they are afraid of malfunctioning dryers creating hot spots. If you have a malfunctioning dryer I'd be more worried about the house burning down than a few towels! To date I have never seen polyester melt in a dryer, never heard of anyone else seeing it either.

From everything that I have read today about this and it seems more than I needed to ...hot water heat should not effect the nap of the MF but heat from a dryer depending on the temp, can....will a household dryer do this??...that I don't know but I don't take any chances, I've got to much invested in these towels to run the risk experimenting.

 

[jsfofec]

I tried to remove the lint with a lint roller thing, and I did see some lint on the roller, but when I tested the towel out, it still left a lot of lint on the car.

So I just got done boiling my towels. The towels seem to have come out fine, although in one batch I had a blue and purple cobra towel in the same pot, and the blue color ran into the purple towel.

I tested out a couple of towels by using PB spray and wipe on the hood, then I cleaned the windshield with NXT window cleaner and the lint is still there. It looks like I'll have to start buying new towels...maybe there will be a sale soon.

I still can't figure out the cause. Before I wash and dry them, I always go through the washer and dryer, making sure their isn't anything left behind from a previous wash.

 

[Mikeyc]

Just to make sure there is no lint what so ever, I always vacuum my lint trap before I put my MFs in the dryer. ;-)