Topic: Saving some nice microfiber cloths that had been washed with fabric softener

[DaleReid]

Microfiber isn't the be all and end all of auto and lens care, but it is pretty good in the right applications.  I find the dry removal of slight surface dust and oil good.

On the other hand, looking at the auto care and detailing videos they all swear by using microfiber to dry your windshields, etc.  I call BS with that experience, and when a friend pointed out most of the material in a microfiber cloth is non-water-absorbent material, it now makes sense.  So I still use god old cotton towels for that process.

Anyway, 'someone' trying to be kind washed a big pile of used auto cloths that I had been waiting to wash all at once, with the intent of making sure no fabric softener was near it, having heard that softener will render a lot of the desirable characteristics of the cloth moot.

Well, it seemed to happen.  And with so many and two that I really like to do the final rub down of the car after cleaning it up, I'd like to try to save them.

Can I just wash them again and then dry without softener?  Do I use a special detergent to try to get the stuff out?

Any suggestions?  Dale

[ConligWX]

just wash them again they should be good to go.   

[CW2274]

I've used microfiber for glass and car care for years and would never go back. Only thing I don't use them for is deep cleaning my vinyl records. Too much super fine lint to dig out. Once you get the microfiber towel soaked and wrung out, it'll clean the car fine without streaking. I always wash them in the washer as well, just never use fabric softener, especially the in-the-dryer kind. Then your towels will streak.

[DaleReid]

CW:
I have never used softener, of course, per instructions.  This just was a kind mistake.

If  you get  your micros wet and wrung out well, don't they leave a water film behind when trying to finish your glass?  That is where I don't like them.  the inside of the front windshield is a pain to get to and when I do that, I have to follow with a good terry cloth towel, super dry, to keep it from filming over after the water evaporates.

[CW2274]

Well, in fairness, washing a car here with RH's in single digits does help with the "leftovers", especially with our concrete hard water here. Either you get it all, or you don't. Streak central. Dark cars are much worse. Guess what color my DD is? Cobalt blue. Sigh....

[rushmere]

Washing them again might at least remove some of the horrible residue that fabric softener creates, but there's no guarantees! The conditioner creates a waterproof waxy coating which can be very difficult to remove.

You should never use fabric softener on anything - it's a waste of money and creates more problems than it solves. It shortens the life of your clothes and your washing machine. If you don't have any fabric conditioner in the house, the problem won't be repeated 

[davidmc36]

Switched about a year ago. Zero regrets.

https://www.alpacaunlimited.com/blog/what-are-alpaca-dryer-balls-and-how-do-they-work/

Other wools seem just as good. We have a half dozen or more.

[CW2274]

Switched about a year ago. Zero regrets.

https://www.alpacaunlimited.com/blog/what-are-alpaca-dryer-balls-and-how-do-they-work/

Other wools seem just as good. We have a half dozen or more.

Looks good! Not only, made in the town where I was born! 

[gszlag]

I used to spend way too much time on the autogeek web site about a decade or so ago.
I thought some of their how-to guides were pretty good.

For glass: https://www.autogeek.net/waterspots.html

Personally, though, I would avoid glass sealing products. Remember Rain-X? Invariably they would cause major streaking.

For glass cleaning, I thought that Stoners Invisible Glass product worked pretty good.
Microfiber on glass for me, was often challenging (water spotting). If you are cleaning with water/detergent you could try cleaning with the wet microfiber followed immediately with a dry microfiber. Air dry is your enemy especially if you are washing outside.

For paint, a life saver for me (black car) was using diluted quick detailer. Wash, spray with quick detailer(yes, on a wet car!) and dry/buff with your highest quality microfiber. When your drying towel becomes too damp, exchange it for a dry one. I didn't use the quick dealer on the windshield but used it on the side and back glass. Certainly makes the glass sparkle!

Sorry to hear about the accidental fabric softener. Good quality microfiber towels are not inexpensive. Fabric softener will definitely leave a waxy residue on your cloths.

If you are trying to rescue them rather than replacing them, you can try those microfiber rejuvinator/restorer products. I haven't tried them but as a last resort might be worth a shot. You can buy special microfiber detergent but found them to be expensive for the small quantity you get. For ordinary washing any "free and clear" type of detergent should work. Maybe soak the cloths in a pail several times and launder in the washing machine?

Microfiber towels should be laundered separately, dried separately(at low heat).

Hopefully you can save them!

[DaleReid]

gszlag:
Thanks for the discussion and your experience over the years.

I will check out the link  you gave.  A few years ago when I had more time and less hand arthritis, I'd spend time watching he videos.  I was a bit disappointed that too many times I realized I knew a lot more than some of the guys making the videos.  And often when it came to doing something like changing a hard to get at fuel line filter, they'd spend ten minutes pontificating and waving their hands in front of the lens while focused on a panel, then cut to a three second attempt to show what they did, and then end up summarizing for another few minutes outside the car again.  Sheesh.

And like arguing for or against additives for gas and oil, there was almost no science and plenty of 'a friend is a mechanic for the last 85 years and he has never seen any wear on an engine he tore down that had TomCatPsss added to the crankcase from the first time it turned over' or some such rhetoric.

I was hoping someone would have a usable trick to remove fabric softener residue from a good cloth, such as a tablespoon of ammonia in a gallon of warm water and soak over night, as an example.

I appreciate the discussion; sort of like a nice thing to hash over to give ideas, experiences and resources, so thanks for all the info.  With much appreciation, Dale.

[DaleReid]

One last thing I was going to ask:
I find after using, say, McGuiar's 3-in-One wax and cleaner or their Tech NX liquid wax (not the ceramic stuff) sorry if I have the names wrong, I have had great luck using a microfiber cloth to buff off the residual dried wax product.

Does this load up the microfiber cloth, too, like the wax type of stuff that fabric softener does, or are they different kinds of wax or size of particles make a difference?

I just wash the cloths in warm water with a simple detergent and they seem to do well.
Dale

[gszlag]

I've never had an issue with these thick compounds - Yes they do load up - .just requires extra soaking, extra detergent and some hand scrubbing. Same applies to the foam pads if you use those specialty dual action polishers.

[DaleReid]

Thanks.  Dale