-
Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I`m putting together a microfiber order and came across dedicated microfiber glass towels, which I`ve never tried. I`m still using paper towels! Some reviews say they`re too thin, others say they`re too grabby, etc. Then, I found this article:
https://www.detailingspot.com/?page_id=200
He/she mentions surgical or huck towels as being better than microfiber for glass, because they don`t lint. I did several searches through Autopia forums, but couldn`t come up with anything current. Does anyone still prefer huck towels for windows, or have some current microfiber towels progressed to the point where they are superior? If so, what brands do you like?
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I tried a number of different ones based on the positive reports here. None were worth a [darn], not even the "you gotta try these, let me send you some!" ones. I do believe they work fine for some people, but they sure didn`t for me.
Griot`s PFMs for Glass and Griot`s Polypropylene Window Wipes work *perfectly* for me. Zero issues with glass using those with a good Glass Cleaner, made the whole topic a non-issue for me.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
This is one of the areas where there just don`t seem to be a lot of good solutions. I do have some of the Huck(style?) towels, as well as just about every other glass towel ever made. None of them is a perfect solution for me, although I do have some of the TRC PFM-style towels that I haven`t tried yet. I also have a box of the Griot`s disposable glass wipes, based on Accumulator`s recommendation, I do use them but frequently they bunch up on me, which may be a technique issue on my part. They certainly don`t lint.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Setec Astronomy
... I also have a box of the Griot`s disposable glass wipes, based on Accumulator`s recommendation, I do use them but frequently they bunch up on me, which may be a technique issue on my part. They certainly don`t lint.
Always happy to help you spend your money :D
Yeah, depending how how fold/hold/crumple them they can indeed bunch up. I find that crumpling them into a shape that I can grasp firmly generally works better than having them neatly folded/laid flat on the glass. Per usual, I also recommend fogging the surface with one`s breath before the final wipe, helps the Window Wipe move smoothly across the glass.
I`ve been using those things since GG first offered them and they`ve been updated a few times, always with positive results. Part of my enthusiasm for them might be related to years of experience with `em.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I also have a bunch of huck rags. I`ve also got all sorts of MF "glass" towels. None of them perform miracles. They all work OK. Temper your expectations, @jwyfk.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I`ve tried the surgical hucks and, as noted, they didn`t work well at all. Have tried a variety of `glass towels` and the best solution I`ve found are the twisted loop towels like Griots PFM, Gyeon Silk Dryer and similar. Kinda now cleaning windows with Gyeon Silk Mitt, easier for me than towels that bunch up. I`m a complete idiot when it comes to interior stuff so I had to find the `lowest common denominator` method to avoid mental breakdowns when cleaning interior glass.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Accumulator
Always happy to help you spend your money :D
Heck, I don`t need any help with that...and besides it was forever ago. I think the most annoying thing about most (MF) glass towels is the lint...that you don`t realize got left there until those headlights are in your eyes. So, as I said the Griot`s wipes don`t leave any, and the Huck-style towels if they leave lint it`s bigger and it`s not stuck to the glass the way MF lint is.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I have a friend that is a surgical nurse. In the hospital where he works they take a given number of surgical hucks into a surgery depending on the type of procedure. The hucks they don’t use they pitch (your insurance dollars at work) because they’ve been exposed to the surgical atmosphere. He brought me a couple hundred hucks that were brand new blue hucks. I washed them twice and proceeded to clean windows with them. They linted worse than any other product I’ve used. It really concerned me because of the amount of lint. I’m thinking to myself some of this has got to end up in the guy on the table. I would not recommend hucks for windows or perhaps for surgery. ;) They work great for suspension and underhood stuff. Use them once and pitch them.
Now having said all this I have no doubt that there are different brands and quality of hucks but the ones I’ve used are a no go.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Setec Astronomy
.. I think the most annoying thing about most (MF) glass towels is the lint...
Yeah, all of my MFs eventually have done that, even the no-nap Glass Towels. BUT the PFMs for Glass haven`t linted yet. If/when they do they`ll join the others for Household Duty, where linting isn`t as critical an issue. I like them so much that I`ll stick with them even if they need occasional replacement, though I sure wish they`d make them bigger. The tiny size is not at all practical for me, need a scad of `em to get anything significant done.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Accumulator
Yeah, all of my MFs eventually have done that, even the no-nap Glass Towels. BUT the PFMs for Glass haven`t linted yet. If/when they do they`ll join the others for Household Duty, where linting isn`t as critical an issue. I like them so much that I`ll stick with them even if they need occasional replacement, though I sure wish they`d make them bigger. The tiny size is not at all practical for me, need a scad of `em to get anything significant done.
Lately I`ve been using dedicated waffle weaves which seem to be better with the lint. BTW, TRC makes a 16" "twisted loop" towel that they recommend for glass, although it doesn`t have the two discrete sides like that Griot`s towel.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Jwyfk --
I just keep it really simple, well worn 100% cotton face towels, that are not too thick.. I refer to the long, rectangular shaped, not too wide, face drying towels..
They are sometimes washed with distilled white vinegar in the rinse cycle too.. And NEVER Dryer Coating Sheets, liquids, pods, etc... Yuck...
They never bunch up or act weird on glass, they always get everything off the glass and they dont lint..
Think about this -- if microfiber is made of some type of material that has any kind of plastic, type, etc., stuff in it, then of course when you drag it across something like glass, it is not going to move easily and it will pull some stuff off of it, no ??
REAL (well as much as we hope it is) cotton is made from plants that do not get "sticky" on glass, in my experiences..
Dan F
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Setec Astronomy
Lately I`ve been using dedicated waffle weaves which seem to be better with the lint..
I still have one WWMF that doesn`t lint on glass, I use it for a quickie pass when drying, before the Serious Glass Work, which isn`t done until the very end.
Quote:
BTW, TRC makes a 16" "twisted loop" towel that they recommend for glass, although it doesn`t have the two discreet sides like that Griot`s towel.
To my surprise, I *like* having the no-nap side on the GG, although it does maybe make that "fog with breath" mandatory.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I`ve been using Huck towels for the past 10 years or more--never had a linting problem. I fined them excellent for cleaning glass of all sorts--the heft (if that`s a word) keep the towel from rolling up as you wipe and the weave of the towel makes removal of the soil easy. Tried every other type of towel and always go back to the Huck towels.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
pwaug
I`ve been using Huck towels for the past 10 years or more--never had a linting problem.. Tried every other type of towel and always go back to the Huck towels.
See how YMMV! I`m just glad that people do find approaches that work for them, even if those approaches don`t work for me.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Premium Korean Microfiber 16 x 16 Blue Glass and Window Towel. I use a mf glass towel like this. No nap or knitted nap it`s called. They excelled even more when I started to wash them seperated. The nap is so grabby that they could draw out mf strands from the other mf towels in the washer. Then getting that lint be put on the glass. The biggest drawback is that they can be some grabby or very grabby when the glass gets clean and the glass cleaner evaporate to fast. And I started to use a little more glass cleaner and work a little faster. Still get spotless glass when the glass cleaner evaporate off streak free. So it`s important for me to use a glass cleaner that don`t evaporate so fast like Sonax Glass Cleaner that you can get here. The best glass cleaner I have used in the cleaning ability is Angelwax Vision. It`s a very potent cleaner for glass and works awesome. The only downside is since it`s so strong it`s also a very high chemical smell from it. So I tend to use it on only outside glass. Then the Sonax is real good and I use on the inside glass. Since it`s a very clinging when sprayed on glass so you don`t have to think of and runny mess. I have also used Scholl Ice glass cleaner with water repellent properties on the inside glass to cars with fog issues. And it`s also like Sonax Glass Cleaner that it`s a clinging effect that works great on interior glass.
I think that I`m going to try out PFM style glass towels. Think it`s going to be the Gyeon Silk towel.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I`ve had great results with the white ww mf glass towels sold on ag/acc pictured below
I only use Poorboys glass cleaner or PA diver. Never had any issues
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0a88e0bc4e.jpg
Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Have used and still use Huck towels regularly for windows. No issues and they work great.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GearHead_1
I have a friend that is a surgical nurse. In the hospital where he works they take a given number of surgical hucks into a surgery depending on the type of procedure. The hucks they don’t use they pitch (your insurance dollars at work) because they’ve been exposed to the surgical atmosphere. He brought me a couple hundred hucks that were brand new blue hucks. I washed them twice and proceeded to clean windows with them. They linted worse than any other product I’ve used. It really concerned me because of the amount of lint. I’m thinking to myself some of this has got to end up in the guy on the table. I would not recommend hucks for windows or perhaps for surgery. ;) They work great for suspension and underhood stuff. Use them once and pitch them.
Now having said all this I have no doubt that there are different brands and quality of hucks but the ones I’ve used are a no go.
My Other Brother, El Gear_Head01 ---
Been reading all these posts.... I am also worried about the FOL ( Full-O-Lint) Hucks your nice friend gave you.. :(
Perhaps those are Chinese Hucks ??? Does it say "Chucks" anywhere on them??? :)
Dan F
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I too use exclusively huck towels. Got em from a friend back in 1997-8 whos wife worked in a hospital. I find them very easy to control, sturdy, and no linting for me either. GREAT imo.
I bought some Griots knock off glass towels and they are a pretty good substitute for the hucks but I wont use them daily until I am either out of huck at the moment or they finally wear out.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Funny to see this thread pop up, I bought 25 Huck Towels in the hopes they would be my dedicated glass towels and they just do not produce streak free glass at all.
I’ve washed them several times, and they still just leave this weird film behind. I can get a window streak free with regular microfiber towels or waffle weaves, then for fun spritz cleaner on the window and wipe it down with a huck towel and it’s immediately covered in ridiculous streaks.
I really wish they worked better, because they glide across glass like fine silk. I was very disappointed when I saw they did a bad job.
If anyone that uses these successfully has any ideas on why they may be doing this; I’m all ears. Otherwise they’ll just be dedicated to something around the house.
Kind of funny we have bad experiences with them when professional window cleaners use them successfully.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I think the reason everyone is having different experiences...I used to think Huck was a manufacturer...but huck is simply a type of fabric: https://www.dictionary.com/browse/huck
So just like any other towel type we buy, it could be made by anyone at any quality level. Not all microfiber towels are the same, and neither are all huck towels.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Setec Astronomy
So just like any other towel type we buy, it could be made by anyone at any quality level. Not all microfiber towels are the same, and neither are all huck towels.
That.
Quote:
Kind of funny we have bad experiences with them when professional window cleaners use them successfully.
I wouldn`t generalize/extrapolate *too* much from what (some) Pro Window Cleaners use, or even make too many assumptions about whether they (all) do decent work. FWIW, the Pros I`ve watched used towels for *very* little of the work; they get most of the Window Cleaner off with a squeegee. The Unger Window Cleaning Tools appear to remain popular with the Pros and IME they are good, but I guess it`s sorta like Polishers and Pro Detailers (some of which deserve scare-quotes)...
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Accumulator
The Unger Window Cleaning Tools appear to remain popular with the Pros and IME they are good
I had to look that up...ErgoTec Ninja! And you can even get a holster for it. Interestingly they also have a lot of DI and RO solutions, which of course makes sense.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Setec Astronomy- Heh heh, yeah...you can learn a bit by watching some of life`s Worker Bees in the Background and asking them about those "lowly manual labor jobs" that usually get done by The Magic Checkbook :D
Lots of Pro Window Guys are using Unger stuff that looks a zillion years old; mine only date to the `80s, but in that time I`ve only broken two pieces of plastic (only one of which needed actual replacement). Not counting new Squeegee Rubbers and razor blades of course..There *IS* of course, a learning curve related to such an approach ;) And what`s best for doing 144 windows before lunch might not be best for a lotta folks.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Accumulator
That.
I wouldn`t generalize/extrapolate *too* much from what (some) Pro Window Cleaners use, or even make too many assumptions about whether they (all) do decent work. FWIW, the Pros I`ve watched used towels for *very* little of the work; they get most of the Window Cleaner off with a squeegee. The Unger Window Cleaning Tools appear to remain popular with the Pros and IME they are good, but I guess it`s sorta like Polishers and Pro Detailers (some of which deserve scare-quotes)...
Accumulator !
Yes !!!
Nothing more efficient or faster for residential, etc., glass than a great, no rinse soap and a squeegee.. Been doing that for around 20 years..
I did not discover Unger but instead found and had great results from their Window Soap and all sizes of brass, or metal squeegees with replacement rubber from a company called Ettore...
Heck when I had that huge Tudor house in Bellevue, WA., I could knock out all the upstairs screens separately, and then the windows from the ground using Ettore extension poles, scrubbers, and squeegees..
To finish, I would put one of those long, rectangular old cotton face towels on the squeegee and get the bottom of the window edge where water just sits there..
This particular soap they make always left me beautiful, streak free glass, no film, just real clarity..
These people also make a water spot remover Ettore Scrub Off, that I used on some glass to remove that film that gets on there after decades of never cleaning them, etc..
Dan F
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
finick
Funny to see this thread pop up, I bought 25 Huck Towels in the hopes they would be my dedicated glass towels and they just do not produce streak free glass at all.
I’ve washed them several times, and they still just leave this weird film behind. I can get a window streak free with regular microfiber towels or waffle weaves, then for fun spritz cleaner on the window and wipe it down with a huck towel and it’s immediately covered in ridiculous streaks.
I really wish they worked better, because they glide across glass like fine silk. I was very disappointed when I saw they did a bad job.
If anyone that uses these successfully has any ideas on why they may be doing this; I’m all ears. Otherwise they’ll just be dedicated to something around the house.
Kind of funny we have bad experiences with them when professional window cleaners use them successfully.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Finick ---
Sorry this has not been a great experience with your hucks..
I would wash them in something that is perfectly free of any extra softeners, etc., and fill the rinse reservoir with Distilled White Vinegar, and see if that changes the way they work.. Perhaps even add some Distilled White Vinegar to the Wash Cycle also..
I might even try a specific Microfiber Wash Soap for this or something really strong like Persil...
And please make sure none of those Coating application dryer sheets are anywhere near your hucks in the drying cycle..
Good luck !
Dan F
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I’ve never even heard of Hicks before today. My favorite is a waffle weave towel that was supposed to be a drying towel. I’m pretty sure it came with a bunch of sample towels I receive from AG years ago. It doesn’t work that great as a drying towel, but it gives me streak free, lint free glass. I got to give Nextzett Glass Cleaner some of the credit too.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
My usual go-to window cleaner is the old Einsett Windscreen Clear.
Accumulator would be proud of me- I bought a 10 liter jug about 10 years ago.
Oh,and it`s a concentrate. It makes sixteen,(yes 16) liters of solution. Got it for $40.00 shipped.
I`m still using some of those old blue-waffle weave glass towels I got years ago. Still work great.
On the interior glass,I use the CarPro Fast Glass cleaning cloths I got from Corey,(one of the nicest guys in the business) at Sky`s The Limit. They also work like a dream. Just run them under hot water,(if possible),wring them out and wipe away.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Older- Ah yes, nothing like buying a Lifetime Supply of something that doesn`t go bad :D I oughta try that NZ stuff myself some day..in the unlikely event that I either use up my 3D 50:1 or decide it`s somehow deficient. And I agree with you about Corey, think so highly of him that I can usually overlook the higher prices; hey, at least the products are always good.
Heh heh, I`m envious that your Blue WW MFs are still OK!
Stokdgs- Ah yes#2, the Ettore stuff is 100% good-to-go! Them vs. Unger is sorta like Ferrari vs. Porsche :D
Their yellow rectangular Wash Buckets with their casters are a lot better than the seemingly similar ones that [a certain vendor] is selling now.
And I too wrap old cotton towels around my various pole heads for those nasty jobs where just getting the liquid up is all that really matters.
Oh, and I just did a load of household MFs with Persil, and they came out OK this time! Trying the same thing and expecting different results isn`t (really) always crazy, as I`ve always suspected was the unspoken joke that, uhm...you had to be there to understand in context. Ol` Albert actually did a whole lotta things over and over again, watching for those (seemingly impossible) different results.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Accumulator ---- ""Ol` Albert actually did a whole lotta things over and over again, watching for those (seemingly impossible) different results.""
YES ! And another one - Thomas Edison !!!!! :)
Dan F
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Yeah, lots to learn on that point from Edison too; even if, IMO, he was an utterly despicable human being.
Stokdgs- Funny how so many "Words of Wisdom" are used utterly out of context, devoid of their original references and thus meaning, sometimes being twisted to the opposite message of what was intended...Which gets me thinking how "a little learning is a dangerous thing" ;) Gotta admit it`s a Pet Peeve of mine as I see it contributing to the dumbing-down of our society.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I was away for several days, sorry about the slow response! I really wanted to try huck towels and maybe I will someday. However, as Setec Astronomy mentioned earlier in the thread, the quality of the product is going to vary. The new huck towels I saw on Amazon all had complaints about how thin they were and would fall apart and deteriorate after washing. I`m sure there`s a source for quality towels somewhere online, I just didn`t feel it was worth the trouble.
I decided to buy some dedicated glass towels from The Rag Company. They sell blue Korean towels, as well as green Chinese. The person I spoke to on the phone recommended the Chinese ones because of how thick they are. You also get more than twice as many for about the same price. They take some getting used to because if there`s not enough glass cleaner on the rag, they really grip the glass suddenly and can fall out of your hand if you`re not careful. Coming from someone who has only used paper towels on glass, these are absolutely amazing to me! No streaks and no lint. The only complaint is that the ends curl after washing. I did follow the instructions carefully (wash in warm or cooler, dry on low heat).
I also bought some Sprayway glass cleaner that I plan to try next time. I tried Stoner years ago and it didn`t impress me at all. It doesn`t work nearly as well as this stuff I`ve been buying from a local car wash for 20 years. I`m sure they just get it from a detailing supply company and slap their name on it. It`s the best stuff I`ve used, but I hate the smell! Also, I don`t know if it contains ammonia, or even if that matters.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
jwyfk
I was away for several days, sorry about the slow response! I really wanted to try huck towels and maybe I will someday. However, as Setec Astronomy mentioned earlier in the thread, the quality of the product is going to vary. The new huck towels I saw on Amazon all had complaints about how thin they were and would fall apart and deteriorate after washing. I`m sure there`s a source for quality towels somewhere online, I just didn`t feel it was worth the trouble.
I decided to buy some dedicated glass towels from The Rag Company. They sell blue Korean towels, as well as green Chinese. The person I spoke to on the phone recommended the Chinese ones because of how thick they are. You also get more than twice as many for about the same price. They take some getting used to because if there`s not enough glass cleaner on the rag, they really grip the glass suddenly and can fall out of your hand if you`re not careful. Coming from someone who has only used paper towels on glass, these are absolutely amazing to me! No streaks and no lint. The only complaint is that the ends curl after washing. I did follow the instructions carefully (wash in warm or cooler, dry on low heat).
I also bought some Sprayway glass cleaner that I plan to try next time. I tried Stoner years ago and it didn`t impress me at all. It doesn`t work nearly as well as this stuff I`ve been buying from a local car wash for 20 years. I`m sure they just get it from a detailing supply company and slap their name on it. It`s the best stuff I`ve used, but I hate the smell! Also, I don`t know if it contains ammonia, or even if that matters.
"""Also, I don`t know if it contains ammonia, or even if that matters.[/QUOTE]
Well, it may matter if you are washing windows that are tinted..
Dan F
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Yes indeed! My beloved Zep40 can`t be used on a *LOT* of things; it`ll compromise tint films in a heartbeat.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stokdgs
"""Also, I don`t know if it contains ammonia, or even if that matters.
Well, it may matter if you are washing windows that are tinted..
Dan F[/QUOTE]
Good catch and needs to be repeated in any thread talking about window cleaning and cleaners. Most household window cleaners contain ammonia because it’s cheap (and it works), but it is bad on tinted windows. Most of the window cleaners sold here are ammonia free.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Stokdgs
Well, it may matter if you are washing windows that are tinted..
Dan F
I did read something about that, thank you.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
I’ve never had any luck with ammonia infused window cleaners.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Older
I’ve never had any luck with ammonia infused window cleaners.
I won`t generalize based on ammonia/no but the Zep40 and one old variety of Windex are *VERY* effective for me. When it comes to "cutting the crud" type cleaning of glass, those completely outperform my other Glass Cleaners, even the ones I think are really great and prefer using.
But given the potential downsides I guess there`s no real reason to go for the ammonia infused ones...
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Another huck towel user since 2004. Wash them by themselves and they won`t attract lint. My huck towels are the thicker OR type and have never left lint and they last for decades if you take reasonable care of them. My glass has never been cleaner. The newer huck towels that are thin seem to be junk and lint a lot IME. Look for the thicker OR type.
-
Re: Does anyone still use surgical/huck towels for windows?
Just an update:
My Huck Towels are working just fine now.
I was using ONR/WGURW/UWW+, and whatever other rinseless washes I had mixed up. The results were always very mixed.
Well today I was in town and stopped into the store and tabbed an aerosol can of invisible glass.
Came home and grabbed a couple Huck Towels to clean the bathroom mirror. This is usually my first step because it saves me the effort of going outside and contorting inside my freakin car. Huck Towels and invisible glass seemed to do the trick so outside I went.
It was dusk, so I was using a flashlight to inspect as I went around my car cleaning. Two towels, as per usual.
As far as I can tell my windows are crystal freaking clear. Very pleased with the results. Apparently all I needed was to stop trying to use rinseless wash to clean the inside of my windows.
Based on this I may just have to buy a gallon of alcohol based glass cleaner concentrate. Or just buy invisible glass cans, but I’m very partial to the value of concentrates.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk