Warning: Be careful washing Vroom Microfiber Products

Bioman · 02-26-07, 11:20

I bought a Vroom microfiber washing mitt (one with dreadlocks) and Vroom microfiber sponge to wash my brothers car, since I left my Excel Sheepskins (really like them) in my other car far away. So, I go to target because I saw the Vroom products a while back and wanted to try them. They generally get good reviews, so why not?

I get home, wash my brothers car and they work decently. Nothing great, but not bad. The microfiber sponge works well for bugs and tires. If you don't already know, most of the Vroom products are orange or orange'ish in color. The wash mitt and sponge are bright orange. I rinsed them out thoroughly in soap and water before using them. After using them and drying off the car, I throw them in the washer with a couple of WW's and polishing towels. Set the cycle to Hot/Cold with some Charlies Soap. I go back when the cycle is done and open the door...everything is orange. My blue excel WW's and microfibers have turned blueish/orange, my white LC polishing pad is orange and falling apart and my white foam hand pads are orange as well. I guess that dye from the Vroom mitts came out.

Now, this is probably because I used a Hot Wash instead of Cold. But, I've never had a problem with this before on anything. I always use Hot because it tends to get things cleaner. I tried running the dyed towels by themselves using Tide on Hot Cycle again, but no go. On the bright side, my Vroom wash mitts came out clean. So, the moral of this story is be careful when washing the orange Vroom products. This might have happened on warm or cold cycle, who knows.

truzoom · 02-27-07, 12:07

I would venture it happened because the bright orange color used by Vroom is most likely an artificial dye/color and the hot water basically just squeezed it out. No biggie unless you have a fondness for the aesthetic value of your detailing equipment.

LastDetail · 02-27-07, 12:35

Or think of it as now you have unique colored towels?
Same thing happened to me washing my green cobra towels.

ttsoca · 02-27-07, 01:18

When purchasing new fabrics you should wash before use. Because any product that comes from the factory may stain. I always wash stuff that I purchase when I get home jeans, shirts, towels, and all fabrics that may lose its coloring.

JuneBug · 02-27-07, 05:09

You don't do laundry do you? Only wash your whitey tighty's in hot with bleech.

a.k.a. Patrick · 02-27-07, 05:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by ttsoca

When purchasing new fabrics you should wash before use. Because any product that comes from the factory may stain. I always wash stuff that I purchase when I get home jeans, shirts, towels, and all fabrics that may lose its coloring.

Im the same way with clothing, its gotta be washed before worn......MF's? Bah, I abuse em....then wash'em...

Wetstuff · 02-27-07, 06:07

Not unusual - I made clothing for the surf trade for 10yrs and lotsa times fabrics in the 'red' family would bleed. it appears more difficult to set these dyes. Like other said: pre-wash if you're concerned about other stuff getting colored.

3Dog · 02-27-07, 08:09

I always use Dye Catchers with new towels.

ptaylor_9849 · 02-27-07, 10:07

I've got one for ya. I bought a bunch of Dragon Fiber M/F towels from Proper Auto Care for about 8 bucks a piece. Like all of us, I bought these towels for their efficiency and pampering ability. Then I used them while polishing my 05 black vette. They scratched the hell out of my new car. In fact, the towels caused more damage then I was trying to get rid of in the first place! I carefully inspected each towel and found that some of the edges were extremely sharp. The only way to describe it was that they looked like little sharks teeth or a tiny saw blade. After that fiasco, I now check my towels very carefully before I use them and I suggest you do the same.

Patrick

BigAl3 · 02-27-07, 10:19

also by the way... the vroom brand is made by the same people who make microtex products, so if you decide to try the other, now you know...

Custodian · 02-27-07, 07:19

Picked up one of the vroom chenille microfiber (dreadlock) sponges just after xmas. Finally got to hand wash the truck last weekend, and bucket washed the sponge then done. Glad I did not machine wash, thanks for the heads up. One end did break about 1 1/2" of stitching, had to restitch the end when it was dry.

DFTowel · 02-27-07, 08:39

"Warm" colors such as orange, red, and any fluorescents are nearly impossible to make color fast. These colors will bleed off excess much more readily than "cool" colors such as blues and greens. As a rule, always wash any new dyed towels by themselves first.

Just to put your mind at ease though, the running of the colors onto the whites and other towels did no real damage, it shouldn't effect their performance in any way. The damage is purely cosmetic.