Washing and cross contamination
- Thread starter BMW335i
- Start date
BMW335i said:
I'd dedicate a hamper or laundry bag for those specific towels. I seperate my towels like this:
1. Paint Towels/mf applicators/ww drying towels
2. General purpose towels
3. Terry Cloth towels/applicators
4. Hand Applicators (foam)
I don't use MF or WW on wheels too often, but I dedicate a laundry bag specifically for them.
I separate my towels into 3 categories:
- Terry cloth
- MF for paint
- MF for wheels, underbody
I never, ever co-mingle any of the above when washing. The terry cotton occasionally will shed lint which will get trapped into the MF fibers. So the terry's get their separate treatment; hot wash, liquid detergent, mixed with simple green - no bleach or fabric softener. I throw those in the dryer.
The MF's used for paint - warm/cold wash, liquid detergent, SG & distilled vinegar. I just air dry them. I don't want my MF's in the dryer due to the potential of picking up lint from the dryer.
The MF's for underbody and wheels - I always presoak in a bucket of SG prior to washing. Those towels typically need an extra dose of SG for the degreasing affect. I let it presoak for at least 1/2 day. After pre-soak, I wash them like my MF paints above. Air dry as well.
On another note I like to batch up my washes so I have special containers to hold towels prior to washing. Prior to washing, I store the dirty MF's in separate containers for MF paint towels and underbody(with lids - to eliminate any dirt falling into the container) so that further cross contamination is eliminated. The main reason is I want my MF's for paint to last as long as possible and without fear of having any grit inside those fibers. It's anal, but I just want to do anything it takes to eliminate any kind of swirls coming from my towels - either from bad wiping techniques or, cross contamination.
On a final note, I store each towel (terry, MF paint, MF underbody) in their separate plastic baggie. The terry cloth require larger zip lock bags - Hefty makes a 10 gallon bag so I store like 3 towels in there. Squeeze out the air, and store them on the shelve ready for the next wash.
For the MF's, I just use regular hefty 1 gallon zip lock bags with the pulls. I keep the MF paint towels separated as well as the underbody. I mark the underbody bags with a sharpie pen on the outside label.
Now you will know I am full on nuts. I separate my good MF paints - WW's are in a separate bag, QD towels separate, Polish MF's separate, etc. I take all those bags and store them in a clear plastic container. So when I wash, I get my chemicals, grit guard bucket, mitts and pull out my clear plastic containers with WW's and Terry's. I can do it blind, because I know I store my containers in the same place.
I am starting to ramble, but I do the same procedure for my buffing pads. Each pad get a baggie and stored in a plastic container. So that when a buffing day comes along, I pull out the PC, the container with buffing pads, container with the buffing chemicals and the MF towel container.
And then there are the brushes...never mind you get my point. I am a sick person...
- Terry cloth
- MF for paint
- MF for wheels, underbody
I never, ever co-mingle any of the above when washing. The terry cotton occasionally will shed lint which will get trapped into the MF fibers. So the terry's get their separate treatment; hot wash, liquid detergent, mixed with simple green - no bleach or fabric softener. I throw those in the dryer.
The MF's used for paint - warm/cold wash, liquid detergent, SG & distilled vinegar. I just air dry them. I don't want my MF's in the dryer due to the potential of picking up lint from the dryer.
The MF's for underbody and wheels - I always presoak in a bucket of SG prior to washing. Those towels typically need an extra dose of SG for the degreasing affect. I let it presoak for at least 1/2 day. After pre-soak, I wash them like my MF paints above. Air dry as well.
On another note I like to batch up my washes so I have special containers to hold towels prior to washing. Prior to washing, I store the dirty MF's in separate containers for MF paint towels and underbody(with lids - to eliminate any dirt falling into the container) so that further cross contamination is eliminated. The main reason is I want my MF's for paint to last as long as possible and without fear of having any grit inside those fibers. It's anal, but I just want to do anything it takes to eliminate any kind of swirls coming from my towels - either from bad wiping techniques or, cross contamination.
On a final note, I store each towel (terry, MF paint, MF underbody) in their separate plastic baggie. The terry cloth require larger zip lock bags - Hefty makes a 10 gallon bag so I store like 3 towels in there. Squeeze out the air, and store them on the shelve ready for the next wash.
For the MF's, I just use regular hefty 1 gallon zip lock bags with the pulls. I keep the MF paint towels separated as well as the underbody. I mark the underbody bags with a sharpie pen on the outside label.
Now you will know I am full on nuts. I separate my good MF paints - WW's are in a separate bag, QD towels separate, Polish MF's separate, etc. I take all those bags and store them in a clear plastic container. So when I wash, I get my chemicals, grit guard bucket, mitts and pull out my clear plastic containers with WW's and Terry's. I can do it blind, because I know I store my containers in the same place.
I am starting to ramble, but I do the same procedure for my buffing pads. Each pad get a baggie and stored in a plastic container. So that when a buffing day comes along, I pull out the PC, the container with buffing pads, container with the buffing chemicals and the MF towel container.
And then there are the brushes...never mind you get my point. I am a sick person...
Thanks^^, how does this sound:
Interior MF towels
Exterior paint MF towels (drying WW's/plush MF's/applicators/glass MF towels)
Exterior jamb/wheel MF towels
BTW, anybody know of any sturdy, spacious, upright cabinets? Like the plastic see-through ones that you can put in your garage to store all your MF's in, and maybe even your detailing bottles/sprays.
Interior MF towels
Exterior paint MF towels (drying WW's/plush MF's/applicators/glass MF towels)
Exterior jamb/wheel MF towels
BTW, anybody know of any sturdy, spacious, upright cabinets? Like the plastic see-through ones that you can put in your garage to store all your MF's in, and maybe even your detailing bottles/sprays.
BMW335i said:
Yes!!! You are getting the picture - in regards to categories vs. contamination. You have to keep the swirls minimized by introducing no contamination from the towels.
As far as storage, any cabinet will do. I store my towels in the cabinet in separate plastic containers such as you find for storing DVD's or CD's. They are clear and you can see the contents. I have separate plastic containers for:
- washing (WW's, Polishing, wax removal)
- QD MF's (along with Glass MF's)
- Pads
- Applicators
- etc.
That way according to task I pull the appropriate container off the shelf in the cabinet.
In addition, I keep the used towels in a bin that separates the underbody towels from the paint towels until wash day. Never cross contaminating those towels. The goal is to never introduce swirling from a wash, a QD, to a full blown detail.
Besides keeping my towels separated, I also separate towels and applicators used for products containing silicone, from the others. Silicone is supposed to be the worst in regards to cross-contamination.
I had to simplify my categories a bit from what they were, in order to be easier to use in my shop:
1. Good quality MF's, WW's, applicators
2. General MF's for wheels, jambs, and interior
3. MF's and applicators used for silicone based products
4. Terry cloth towels
These are all kept separate in washing, and in storing.
I'm trying to replace most silicone based products with non-silicone ones, as I find this to be a real hassle to keep track of. Often I just use an old rag to wipe of e.g. a silicone based dressing, and then throw it out afterwards.
I had to simplify my categories a bit from what they were, in order to be easier to use in my shop:
1. Good quality MF's, WW's, applicators
2. General MF's for wheels, jambs, and interior
3. MF's and applicators used for silicone based products
4. Terry cloth towels
These are all kept separate in washing, and in storing.
I'm trying to replace most silicone based products with non-silicone ones, as I find this to be a real hassle to keep track of. Often I just use an old rag to wipe of e.g. a silicone based dressing, and then throw it out afterwards.
Eliot Ness
Active member
Also do a pre-soak on your grungy towels like those in a bucket with some Dawn or APC and then rinse before tossing them in the washer.BMW335i said:
As for cabinets I'd check out Wal-Mart or Target. I think I picked up my large three drawer unit at Target a couple of years back. They are stackable if you want more than one and they also came with wheels if you want to move them around.
Accumulator
Well-known member
I take Sergei's approach to even greater extremes, washing my WWs separately to avoid the possibility of MF-lint contamination. I even wash my WWs for glass separate from the WWs for paint 
though I realize that this is probably unnecessary.
though I realize that this is probably unnecessary.Milestones
New member
I wash, dry and store mine by the following 3 categories:
1) terry cloth
2) MF towels and applicators for exterior paint (applying and removing polish, wax, QD, etc.)
3) MF towels and and applicators for interior, door jambs, wheels and glass.
1) terry cloth
2) MF towels and applicators for exterior paint (applying and removing polish, wax, QD, etc.)
3) MF towels and and applicators for interior, door jambs, wheels and glass.