View Full Version : Good microfiber?
gswearengin
09-09-2009, 04:21 PM
Hiya guys,
Apologies for being uninformed...I did search but with such a vague term it`s a bit of a quagmire. Also, a bit of background: I was very into this kind of thing about 6-8 years ago, but am out of practice and am just getting back into it.
"Back in my day," all MF towels were not created equal. I am sure that is still the case these days, it`s just that now they`re everywhere and they`re so cheap that I am a little gun shy! So, I`m looking for brand recommendations...happy to purchase online. Need just about everything...I`ve only got two of my old green Viper towels left, which I would like to relegate to the interior.
Thanks!
Gary
GoCubsGo
09-09-2009, 04:47 PM
These are my "go to" MFs. Great for everything and not too pricey. If you go with these wash them first since they are a bit linty brand new and they will bleed the first few washes so only wash with dark colors (unless you want your yellow MF`s to turn a nice shade of green ;)).
MONSTER MICROFIBER JUMBO ABSORBER (http://www.chemicalguys.com/MONSTER_MICROFIBER_JUMBO_ABSORBER_p/mic_1100_03.htm).
imported_WhyteWizard
09-09-2009, 05:27 PM
When microfiber first hit the small washcloth sized ones were $15 each. So, now, when Costco sells 36 for $15 that`s the deal of the century. Of course these aren`t the ones you`ll use to impress your customers with how much money you`re willing to spend in the service of their car`s finish, but for the most part they`ll do just fine and you won`t feel bad about throwing them away if you decide to use one with metal polish or drop it into an oil slick on the pavement.
I guess I should point out the obvious. You should have a mix of different microfiber cloths for different jobs. The one you expect to leave the back window of a classic Ferrari perfect is going to be different from the one you soaked with Contractors Solvent to take grease off the transfer case.
robert
MBurnickas
09-09-2009, 05:32 PM
Cobra at Autogeek are real good plush long lasting MF towel, but I say go to costco and buy the Euro`s, and toss them when they get dirty. It just kills you when you buy a towel for 10 bucks and then get it dirty.
ThrillHo
09-09-2009, 10:52 PM
I guess I should point out the obvious. You should have a mix of different microfiber cloths for different jobs. The one you expect to leave the back window of a classic Ferrari perfect is going to be different from the one you soaked with Contractors Solvent to take grease off the transfer case.
robert
Parden the ignorance, but why waste a MF fiber cleaning grease off a transfer case? What`s wrong with a good old Terry Cloth towel?
The Enforcer
09-09-2009, 10:55 PM
lol.....they make shop rags for a reason! i wouldnt even get grease on my terry clothes....i use them on interior surfaces
now about microfibers.....i havent found ONE that worked any better than the other. some are thicker, thinner, larger, etc....but theres no sense in spending a lot of money on the cobra towels when you can get microfiber cheap and its allpretty much the same. just make sure you designate differet ones for different tasks. i just bought 25 towels for $20, and im pretty sure that the cobra ones they sale for a lot more are any better, at least not when you compare the price compared to how they perform!
MBurnickas
09-09-2009, 10:56 PM
Parden the ignorance, but why waste a MF fiber cleaning grease off a transfer case? What`s wrong with a good old Terry Cloth towel?
Night and day difference between using MF and terry for cleaning grease. Terry just doesn`t get it all generally IMO.
imported_WhyteWizard
09-09-2009, 11:14 PM
Parden the ignorance, but why waste a MF fiber cleaning grease off a transfer case? What`s wrong with a good old Terry Cloth towel?
I use new, washed before I use them, microfiber cloths for windows and taking off polish and wax, as they get more used up, they get used for interiors, then door jams, then, when they get really worn out they get used for one last time before I`d be tossing them out anyway. Metal polishing, degreasing and the like.
It`s a matter of what`s cost effective for me. Since I wear cloth out at a pretty steady rate and since I wouldn`t wash re-use a terry towel I`d used for de-greasing, it would make a mess of the washing machine, it would cost more to use a terry cloth than a used up microfiber.
Robert
The Enforcer
09-09-2009, 11:36 PM
do microfibers "hold on" to different types of polishes and nasty stuff that well? i mean....when i wash mine...i pull them out of the washing machine and they all ook good as knew, so i really cant ever tell whcih one was for windows, which had APC, which was for wheels...etc. i just throw them all together and grab one for whichever task im doing. no negatives effects from it yet!
DM101
09-10-2009, 04:21 AM
these are the great towels
These are my "go to" MFs. Great for everything and not too pricey. If you go with these wash them first since they are a bit linty brand new and they will bleed the first few washes so only wash with dark colors (unless you want your yellow MF`s to turn a nice shade of green ;)).
MONSTER MICROFIBER JUMBO ABSORBER (http://www.chemicalguys.com/MONSTER_MICROFIBER_JUMBO_ABSORBER_p/mic_1100_03.htm).
imported_WhyteWizard
09-10-2009, 07:26 AM
do microfibers "hold on" to different types of polishes and nasty stuff that well? i mean....when i wash mine...i pull them out of the washing machine and they all ook good as knew, so i really cant ever tell whcih one was for windows, which had APC, which was for wheels...etc. i just throw them all together and grab one for whichever task im doing. no negatives effects from it yet!
If I worked in a shop where I was the one making sure the floor was clean I wouldn`t be so worried but I work all over the place. I never know what might be on the ground or floor and since a lot of the cars I work on are worth more than my house - I know what you`re thinking, "he must have a really crappy house" - I just don`t want to chance it.
Also, since I take my cloths to a laundromat, I wash them twice. Once for the towels and another for the machine, so it`ll be residue free for the next person. I could probably get away with one wash but again, it`s a risk issue. I don`t want to risk someone else getting wax residue all over their baby clothes.
All the best,
Robert
CocheseUGA
09-10-2009, 07:42 AM
Parden the ignorance, but why waste a MF fiber cleaning grease off a transfer case? What`s wrong with a good old Terry Cloth towel?
I wouldn`t even waste a terry cloth. Use the disposable shop towels.
http://www.homedepot.ca/wcsstore/HomeDepotCanada/images/catalog/ecb64a02-5033-4111-a2cd-e3bb78908838_4.jpg
JimmyCutlass
09-10-2009, 09:30 AM
I exclusively use Meguiar`s Supreme Shine MF`s on my paint. I use cheap ones on nearly everything else.
....I have sourced MF`s from a variety of suppliers/manufacturers and while a few may have no discernible difference from one another (perhaps even just rebranded), the rest had appreciable variations in characteristics in regard to overall performance (linting, abrasiveness, absorption, durability, effectiveness in certain tasks, etc.). Personally, I never buy a bunch of one type of towel until I have had a chance to try them out first. One of the more consistent brands (for me) have been the Cobra line but there are several others that are just as good or better (a search will reveal many posts/threads on the topic). It may just boil down to personal choice but IME, not all MF`s are the same. ....what I choose to use on my paint is not the same I would choose to use on my jambs, wheels, interior, etc.