Microfiber Towels - Organizing and Maintaining
Maintaining your microfiber towels is one of the easiest ways to avoid swirls and scratches in your paint which are costly to repair. Luckily, proper care is relatively easy - just follow these basic rules and you will always have clean, fresh towels - and defect free paint on your vehicle!
Organize Your Towels
Organizing your towels into basic categories is an easy way to prevent damage, and help you know which towels are safe for paint - and which are not. To keep things simple, we recommended a few basic categories to organize, store, and use your towels:
Paint Towels: These are towels that have been deemed safe for the paint. They should be clean, free of dirt and debris, and designed specifically to be used on paint safely. There are many types of towels for different applications on paint - if you need help deciding, let us know in the comments below or contact us.
Interior Towels: Dirt free, and usually plush towels work great for dusting interiors. Keep in mind that soft piano black trim, touchscreens, and other materials can easily be damaged, so always be gentle and pick the right towel for the right job.
General Purpose: These towels may have some stains, but are typically clean and are used only on materials which cannot be damaged such as engine bay trim, tires, or other non-sensitive materials.
Bonus - Wheels: If you're a wheel cleaner, have dedicated towels just for them. Wheels accumulate a significant amount of grime, tar, and brake dust that would easily damage the paint if the towel was to ever come in contact with it. Keep these towels separate from the rest at all times!
Also keep in mind that any towels you use for washing the vehicle - such as your microfiber wash mitts, drying towels, etc., should also be separated into their own section.
Use Best Judgement
If a towel falls on the ground and comes in contact with dirt, grime, leaves, etc., consider re-purposing it to a general purpose towel after washing. It's easier to take the cautious approach now and save your paint from potential damage that costs much more than the cost of a towel to repair! If the towel appears to be too far gone - it just might be, and replacement is the easiest option.
Washing Your Towels
Washing your towels on a regular basis will keep them clean and debris-free, further preventing damage to the surfaces they touch. Even the smallest of dust particles can cause scratches in soft paint, piano black trim (often found on b-pillars, interior panels), and other sensitive materials. Using these easy steps, you can prevent damage and keep your towels clean:
Wash on warm/warm or warm/cold setting only. Hot water can damage the fibers.
NEVER use fabric softener. This has the opposite effect you actually want, so simply stay away!
Use dedicated microfiber detergent to keep your towels in pristine condition. Don't have access to dedicated detergent, or simply ran out but need to wash some towels in a hurry? Use scent-free detergent in small quantities as a temporary replacement.
Always wash your towels separate from other clothing or materials. Similarly, always wash only one category of towel at a time - for example, you would not want to wash your paint towels and general purpose towels together, as that would cross-contaminate the paint towels.
Drying in the dryer is safe - just be sure to use the LOW HEAT or NO HEAT setting. At our detailing facility, we will use a 15 minute cycle on LOW HEAT to start, then check the towels. If they are still quite wet, we do another 15 minute cycle. If they are just damp, then we tumble them on NO HEAT for 30-45 minutes until dry.
That's it!
Taking care of your towels doesn't have to be a difficult or inconvenient process. Following some simple steps, organizing your towels, and using your best judgement will ensure your towels stay clean and ready to use!
If you have any other questions or are looking for a more personalized answer based on your needs, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to us anytime. We stock a variety of quality microfiber towels and microfiber detergent, and would be happy to help you find the right products for you!