Microfiber Buffing Towels and Lint

N

nutsackninja

New member
Hi everyone, can someone recommend a microfiber buffing towel that won't leave micro lint all over my car.



I tried a few kinds already and I get these tiny specs of fibers all over the car. You have to look really close to notice them but its still annoying especially after a long detail.



Any suggestions would be appreciated.
 
showroom fx towels are super nice and super cheap!!! i know its off topic but i love their glass towel. and waffle weaves are super super cheap there!!!
 
Have you ever washed your microfibers ? I know it sounds silly, but a lot of people just use them "right out of the packaging". When I buy mine in bulk, they lint like absolutely crazy when I unpack them. I run them through the washing machine twice (just water, no detergent), and then dry them on low heat in the dryer. Gets nearly all the lint off of them.
 
I'm with WAS. The only time I've had any significant linting problems was when I didn't wash them, just used them right out of the package.



I have used Meguiars Ultimate Wipes and currently use Chemical Guys Edgeless Polishing Towels. They work great and no linting (after washing of course).
 
Yeah I washed them a few times already, but I think I did two mistakes which might have ruined them. Firstly used warm water in the wash and set the dryer to warm. That might have something to do with causing them to almost fall apart.



Oh well I guess its live and learn
 
I use warm water (not hot, but warm), and by "warm" for the dryer you mean low, medium or high ? Even on high, if you take them out once they're dry, you should be OK (the problem with overheating them is they could actually somewhat melt). I personally use the low temp setting for the dryer.



More importantly however, did you use any detergent, bleach or dryer (bounce) sheets ? You have to be VERY picky with detergent, something that does NOT have "mixed-in" fabric softener or any scent additives. Ideally, you should use a specialized microfiber detergent. And never EVER use bleach or dryer sheets.
 
I also used bleach and detergent on them with the dyer set on high so I think its game over for this set.



As my dad used to tell me (and still does) stupidity is expensive.



I plan on getting a set of drying towels and buffing trowels from Pakshak. Was reading around the forum and it sounds like they are a safe bet.
 
paintxpert said:
If you dry a micro fibre in the dryer you will TAKE AWAY its intended absorbency..
Click to expand...



How do you figure that?



Using the dryer doesn't do it to mine :nixweiss



That's like saying that leaving MFs in, say...a hot airplane cargo hold or a UPS truck in the summer will ruin them. Cloths dryers don't get that hot, especially on lower temp settings.
 
Too hot of heat can melt the fibers or disfigure them- not the exact science, but easy to understand. They will not perform as well.



Liquid detergent- separate cycle per towel use (wax, glass, etc.), and low heat or air dry.



Temperature--colder temps do not help as well- slower to lift water off surface.



Rob Regan
 
nutsackninja said:
I also used bleach and detergent on them with the dyer set on high so I think its game over for this set.



As my dad used to tell me (and still does) stupidity is expensive.



I plan on getting a set of drying towels and buffing trowels from Pakshak. Was reading around the forum and it sounds like they are a safe bet.
Click to expand...

Yeah bleach would have been the killer, it breaks down the microfibers on a molecular level.



You got the basics now for correct microfiber washing, so you should be good to go for your next set :woot2:
 
WCD said:
Too hot of heat can melt the fibers or disfigure them- not the exact science, but easy to understand. They will not perform as well..
Click to expand...



Do properly-functioning home clothes dryers get that hot? I've never tried drying my MFs on the higher temp options, but I do dry cotton towels on "high" and it never seems like it'd be even close to hot enough to damage MFs.



Not an :argue by any means...as I said I use the low/med temps which are barely warm, but I'd like to know anyhow. I forget what the melting point of MF is, and if there's a "disfigure point" threshold that's lower than that I'd like to have some idea of what it is.
 
A single 'nub' of an MF cloth can have thousands of 10-micron polyester fibers woven together. Polyesters, which I believe are commonly made from a Benzene base, tend to rapidly disfigure or reshape upon exposure to heat. While they should be safe in a low temp dryer environment (try to find any common standard from Dryer mfgs for that setting), the potential for some of the very thin strands to melt together and become a thicker strand is a high risk, reducing the yarn's MF effectiveness. Obviously there is a huge variety of construction for MF cloths these days, so some types and patterns are more resistant than others. I've got a 2001 vintage 3M dusting cloth thats seen every temp setting combination in the washer and dryer, and still performs great. On the other hand, I recently bought some MF towels from Schuck Auto, that are pretty much useless for paint after a single wash -- should work fine on engines and wheels though.



Interestingly enough, its polyester's melting properties that make it an attractive yarn for fire resistant clothing. Certain versions are designed to shrink away from heat so quickly that they self extinguish in the process.
 
make sure to do seperate wash piles, and don't mix the cheaper microfibers with the good ones in the same load. when i wash i use liquid detergent (very little is needed as they are concentrated) in warm water, and on the final rinse i use about 3-5 ounces of vinegar and will do another rinse cycle if needed (i'll open up the washer and see if the water is still soapy). then i put them in the dryer on the lowest heat setting with no dryer sheet/fabric softener. also, make sure to check the lint trap before drying and remove if there is any in there...
 
Mine say in the instruction NOT TO DRY THEM IN THE DRYER....thats what it says. There are lots of different types of towels both microfibre and terry cloth. I use the thicker micro fibre towel and was told by the maker NOT to put them in the dryer. So I DONT. I dont use bleach either. Thanks for your input Mr. Towel man. I do have trouble with my towels when temps are cold. I always air dry my towels
 
I am not sure what the exact temp is, but have talked with our reps and another mf importer- does about 35,000 towels per month to janitorial industry and has given me really sound advice and education.



On a somewhat related note, for those of you that are still skeptical on China MF, I am meeting via Internet conference with a company that has just purchased all German-made machines and they are in China. Very high end stuff and hope to get that going soon.



Thus, it's what and how it's made, not "where" as it would seem.



Rob
 
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