Organizing Detailing Towels?

wkasak

New member
So at this point I have many detailing towels...Microfiber, 100% Cotton, and general towels. My question is how do you guys organize your towels? Do you use colors for the type of process...like white for removing polish...blue for detailing spray...etc. I thought about this yesterday after wiping down my wheels that had some brake dust on them and thought even after washing the towel I don't think it would be a good idea to use this on the paint in the future.
 
I seperate mine in bins depending on what they are used for.



Waffle weave/drying towels

Quick Detailing

Wax and Polish Removal

Glass

Cheap (wheels/interiors/engines/etc)



I also found that by rolling the towels that I get much more room in the storate bins then by laying them flat.
 
What about washing/cleaning your towels? Do you take the extra time to wash them separately to avoid cross contamination or just wash them all together? I am leary of washing towels used on wheels with towels used for polishing/drying, but I don't want to spend a lot of time just cleaning towels either...
 
wkasak said:
What about washing/cleaning your towels? Do you take the extra time to wash them separately to avoid cross contamination or just wash them all together? I am leary of washing towels used on wheels with towels used for polishing/drying, but I don't want to spend a lot of time just cleaning towels either...





I am not as seasoned as most on this board but I try to use sound logic when making these decisions.



Considering we here go through great efforts to protect our paints even going to the extent of dedicated towels by application I always separate my towles. Paint towles in one load, Glass/interior towels in another, door sill jams in another, paint in another, wheels / wells in another



I actually even go wash them in that order to even further reduce cross contamination (paint, glass, jams, wheels). I am a firm believer that every step counts.
 
MotorCity said:
I am not as seasoned as most on this board but I try to use sound logic when making these decisions.



Considering we here go through great efforts to protect our paints even going to the extent of dedicated towels by application I always separate my towles. Paint towles in one load, Glass/interior towels in another, door sill jams in another, paint in another, wheels / wells in another



I actually even go wash them in that order to even further reduce cross contamination (paint, glass, jams, wheels). I am a firm believer that every step counts.



Wow...that's attention to detail. I think I will clean in three separate loads. Paint, Glass/Interior, and Door Jams, Wheels/Wells. I need to get a cheap little washer/dryer combo in my garage...
 
Yea, I usually separate my dirty/grunge towels away from my good towels. I don't necessarily use color codes, but I just put them in different boxes. I generally place my door jamb towels together with my drying and detailing (waxing) towels, and I put my grunge/wheel/wheelwell towels somewhere else.



When I wash, I always hand wash. I just wash my good towels first, and progress down to the dirtier towels.



edit: I like the tip about rolling up the towels, Pat. I'll try it next time :)
 
i cant wait until i have a good place to store all my stuff... i need some bins... i never even thought of that
 
mikebai1990 said:
Yea, I usually separate my dirty/grunge towels away from my good towels. I don't necessarily use color codes, but I just put them in different boxes. I generally place my door jamb towels together with my drying and detailing (waxing) towels, and I put my grunge/wheel/wheelwell towels somewhere else.



When I wash, I always hand wash. I just wash my good towels first, and progress down to the dirtier towels.



What type of soap/detergent do you use when you hand wash?
 
wkasak said:
Wow...that's attention to detail. I think I will clean in three separate loads. Paint, Glass/Interior, and Door Jams, Wheels/Wells. I need to get a cheap little washer/dryer combo in my garage...



yeah, some may call it obsessive but with all the efforts taken to avoid swirls during the actual vehicle detail, I'd really hate to negate that effort with sub par cleaning system.



To clean my towels I use a fragrance free, phosphate free, chlorine free, dye free powder dishwashing detergent. I purchase this from Trader Joe's
 
CHAOS said:
i cant wait until i have a good place to store all my stuff... i need some bins...



I use plastic trash cans- Different ones for good cotton; so-so-cotton; crappy-duty cotton; MFs for drying; MFs for polishing; MFs for Glass.



wkasak said:
I need to get a cheap little washer/dryer combo in my garage...
Yeah, you'd find that very handy; I couldn't get by without the garage washer/dryer. I wouldn't go *too* cheap on the washer though, as the car textiles might require more effective washing than your regular laundry. The dryer is a good place to economize as you can pretty much get by with just medium (MF) and hot (cotton) temps and a timed cycle (no need for moisture sensors or fancy "permanent press" type cycles). Be sure to vent the dyer outside or you'll have cotton lint everywhere ;)
 
I will wait until I get a good amount of towels before I wash them. I will wash with like towels and depending on the towels use. I will never wash towels that I use on the interior with towels what I use on the paint. I do not use towels on the door jams. I wash those when I wash the rest of the vehicle. Those are done last.



-The towels that I use on the underbody and engine are washed together.

-Interior towels are washed together.

-And last, the towels I use on the paint and such.



Like I said, I wait till I have a decent amount of towels before I wash. Or Ill wash them if Im out of one certain towel.
 
wkasak said:
What type of soap/detergent do you use when you hand wash?



I use Woolite, sometimes mixed with some Simple Green. I try not to use too much Woolite, just enough to properly clean the towels. I find if I use too much, it take many rinses to get the soap completely out of the towels.
 
I dont like Woolite to wash my MF. I feel that Pinnacle Micro Rejuvenatory leave them feeling better after, but doesnt do a good job cleaning. So Im trying some new stuff. But heres how everything is organized. Guzzlers are washed separately from everything. Then I separate interior and exterior.



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