Best MF Towel Strategy: Mike Phillips vs Chemical Guys

[Accumulator]

My dryers never get even *close* to hot enough to negatively affect my MFs even on their highest setting, but I do try to remember to use "low" anyhow.

[SwedishRider]

Yes, for now keep everything simple and toss your glass towels and ww drying towels in the washer with your paint safe towels. As long as you use hot water and an extra rinse cycle you should be fine. Depending on the size of the load, you can add up to a cup of distilled white vinegar to the rinse cycle. The vinegar will help soften and break down any remaining residue. Towels with extra build up can be pre-treat in a bucket of water mixed up with an ounce or two of your microfiber soap. Let the towels soak for a minimum of an hour to overnight before washing.

Just remember to:

• Wash new towels before using them
• Never use bleach, fabric softener, or dryer sheets
• Never dry on high heat
• Never Iron
• Never wash with non-microfiber textiles

Looking forward to your first "show and shine" thread!

I think this is great advice that I will heed. One question though... Mike Phillips recommends drying MF towels on medium to high heat. Here`s the link to his post about it: How many microfiber polishing cloths do I need to detail my car? - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

Why would he advocate for high heat when I`ve read in so many places to only dry with low heat?

[XxBoostinxX]

I do 3 different loads. Whether it is right or wrong is up to you.

1) Paint/Polish
2) Interior/Glass
3) Engine/Wheels

Sometimes I wonder if I create a fourth for metal polishing towels.

And all of my towels vary in color.

[Angus]

I think this is great advice that I will heed. One question though... Mike Phillips recommends drying MF towels on medium to high heat. Here`s the link to his post about it: How many microfiber polishing cloths do I need to detail my car? - Auto Geek Online Auto Detailing Forum

Why would he advocate for high heat when I`ve read in so many places to only dry with low heat?

Its a good observation, and I`m sure Mike has a reason for it. But I`d rather follow his best advise and start by taking the least aggressive approach first. To me that means the lowest heat possible in order to get the job done.

[Bunky]

For me it is mostly keeping the glass and paint drying towels separate from everything else. I do wash the grungy stuff (usually what I do not use on paint) separate too.

[Accumulator]

Drying my Glass MFs with my other towels contaminated them with MF lint that took *FOREVER* to get off `em.

[SwedishRider]

After rereading Mike Phillips` section on microfiber care, and reviewing all your comments, I searched through my unused stuff to see what I could come up with. I ended up creating a system that is pretty close to Mike`s (I figured I`d try to establish good habits now rather than later)... but I have a few questions as I get started. I found a few clean, unused Lowe`s buckets (with lids) that my Grit Guards will not fit. I made up some labels and made each one a "bin" as Mike describes them. The cool thing is, they cost almost nothing, have a lid to keep from further contamination between use and wash, and can be stacked away when not in use for any length of time to preserve floor space.



Then, I re-purposed a few clear Ziploc stack-able containers to sort through Mike`s four basic categories. I labeled them as such, and they also stack out of the way when not in use (and are water and dust resistant, so other activities in the garage will not affect the fabric.



And I already have some CG Microfiber wash, so I`m able to launder my towels with the proper cleaning solution when needed.

The only questions I have are about workflow. My understanding is that I would pull MF and cotton towels from my 4 categories (totes) based on whatever is the most appropriate towel for an application, and then when that towel is dirty enough to stop use, I`d deposit it into the appropriate bin (bucket) for cleaning. I would think window towels and drying towels would go into the water-soluble bin, and interior towels would depend on the chemical used on the towel, correct? And do dirty cotton towels get put into the "everything else bin", and then separated out into a "normal", non-MF load when laundry is being run?

Once laundry is done correctly and dried, I think the method would be to inspect each towel as it comes out of the dryer, and decide which of the four categories it would fall into. So long as the towel was properly laundered, it should be able to be reused for either water-soluble chemicals OR waxes/sealants for its next use, but then need to be put in the appropriate bin after that second use (which may be different than the previous use), correct? Otherwise the towels would have to be further categorized after laundering, and Mike wrote nothing about that. Please feel free to comment on my workflow, as I`m still developing an understanding of the method. If I`m misunderstanding something, please say so. Thanks!

[Accumulator]

SwedishRider- I don`t worry too much about segregating my used towels other than cotton; nasty-stuff MFs; not-nasty-stuff MFs, though keeping the Glass Towels and maybe also the drying ones might be a good idea.

IMO you`ll find out through experience just how careful you (really) have to be about this. It sounds like you`re inclinded to err on the side of caution and there`s nothing wrong with overkilling this as long as you don`t find it a huge hassle.

In my case I`ve just figured out what I can, uhm...get away with over the years.

The big imponderable IMO is how thoroughly they get laundered; that could be where theory and practice could differ if/when you`re not really meticulous. Other than that [repeat lint issue concerns].

[Anthony O.]

Way too much work guys....just do like me and get new towels for each car!

[Accumulator]

Anthony- Hey, good to see you posting!

Heh heh... "just do like me and get new towels for each car!" huh?...we non-Pros can`t pass the cost along to our customers the way you can