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  1. #1
    OCD Detailer!
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    I can have as many as 20 towels used everyday for drying, wiping compound, buffing and engine room.



    How do you guys clean the mf toweles you used for wiping compound and buffing quickly and effectively? What products to use and how (hand wash on warm water or washing machine)?



    Also I hate to clean greasy, oily rags towels I used to wipe engine room. How do you clean these towels efficiently?



    The mf towels for drying and wiping glass are the easiest the clean. I have no problem washing that. Just those above gave my headache to clean.

  2. #2

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    If I have really dirty stuff, I usually prewash it in a bucket with some strong cleaner (wear gloves if applicable). If I have a bunch of different soils (as you do), I start with the "cleanest", remove them and progressively get to the dirtiest (the engine compartment towels). After I have the gross soils removed that way, then I wash them in the washing machine.

  3. #3
    COME AT ME BRO JaredPointer's Avatar
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    Why not just wash them in the washing machine? Segregate the towels by duty, wash them in like groups every couple of days.



    It also helps me to let them soak in a bucket for a while before a wash cycle. I`ve gotten to where I just generally use a dishwashing soap to wash them on the first cycle and rewash them with plain water and add vinegar in a Downy ball for a second wash. Then dry them in the dryer until they`re alomst dry and let them air dry the rest of the way. It works for me.

  4. #4
    OCD Detailer!
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    What detergents do you guys use to wash the mf towels for buffing because they tend to repel water? and

    What do you guys use to wash greasy/oily mf towels for engine compartment?

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by irsankao
    What detergents do you guys use to wash the mf towels for buffing because they tend to repel water? and

    What do you guys use to wash greasy/oily mf towels for engine compartment?


    Hot water and Dawn. Dawn will remove anything in the MF and it rinses clean.

  6. #6
    COME AT ME BRO JaredPointer's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by irsankao
    What detergents do you guys use to wash the mf towels for buffing because they tend to repel water?
    Dawn (or a comparable dishwashing soap. If they are repelling water, it sounds like you`ve used fabric softener - possibly residue from the dryer?







    Quote Originally Posted by irsankao
    What do you guys use to wash greasy/oily mf towels for engine compartment?


    Again, a dishwashing soap. Personally, after a soak in bucket with hot water with either dishwashing soap or an APC.

  7. #7

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    Quote Originally Posted by Anthony A
    Hot water and Dawn. Dawn will remove anything in the MF and it rinses clean.


    After you posted (in that other thread) about Dawn working OK in HE washers, I gave it a try. I sure had to rinse rinse rinse, and rinse some more, but yeah, it appeared to work just as well as "MF detergents". The WWs I washed that way even seemed to soak up water a little better!



    So thanks for posting it...I somehow only did that for "special cases" in the other (agitator-style washer), where regular MFs and cotton towels were unusually grungy, and was thus missing out (and spending a lot on detergent).



    BUT...I gotta figure out the correct, still-effective minimum, amount of Dawn to use. I was using *FAR* less than one ounce (and diluted it with water for uniform dispersal), and I`m not kidding about how I had to repeatedly rinse `em; it wasn`t just four or five warm rinses by a long shot! That was one way that the MF detergents do work better, they rinse out a lot easier.

  8. #8
    Mobile Detailing Services justin30513's Avatar
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    I wash them in the washing machine. I separate them off course. I wash them on warm and rinse twice. I use Arm & Hammer LIQUID laundry detergent and then I add a cup of ZEP`s Industrial Purple degreaser.



    If they are real bad, I`ll let them soak for about 15 minutes. I then dry on LOW heat.

  9. #9

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    1cup simple green, maybe 2cups simple green if they are really bad. Regular All Free Laundry Detergant



    Let soak for an hour



    Wash in hot water and they come out as new as ever

  10. #10

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    Quote Originally Posted by Accumulator
    After you posted (in that other thread) about Dawn working OK in HE washers, I gave it a try. I sure had to rinse rinse rinse, and rinse some more, but yeah, it appeared to work just as well as "MF detergents". The WWs I washed that way even seemed to soak up water a little better!



    So thanks for posting it...I somehow only did that for "special cases" in the other (agitator-style washer), where regular MFs and cotton towels were unusually grungy, and was thus missing out (and spending a lot on detergent).



    BUT...I gotta figure out the correct, still-effective minimum, amount of Dawn to use. I was using *FAR* less than one ounce (and diluted it with water for uniform dispersal), and I`m not kidding about how I had to repeatedly rinse `em; it wasn`t just four or five warm rinses by a long shot! That was one way that the MF detergents do work better, they rinse out a lot easier.


    I`m glad it worked for you but I wasn`t the one that said Dawn worked well in HE washers. I don`t own one so I wouldn`t know if it does. I did say Dawn and hot water will make the MF like new again and I use a top loading washer.



    I don`t have the rinse problem you had. In fact besides the excellent cleaning ability the thing I liked about Dawn was how well it rinsed out. I had a problem with regular detergent not rinsing well and that was one of the reasons I stopped using it a started using Dawn.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by irsankao

    What do you guys use to wash greasy/oily mf towels for engine compartment?


    I`ve seen this posted before and I`ve just got to ask.....Why use MF towels in/on an engine? Why not just standard ol cotton rags.

  12. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by kb2ehj
    I`ve seen this posted before and I`ve just got to ask.....Why use MF towels in/on an engine? Why not just standard ol cotton rags.


    Because you can pick them up in bundles at Sams or Costco for very cheap.

  13. #13

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    wash with dawn in machine run the wash cycle again this time plain water then dry on delicate( no fabric softener or sheets).

  14. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by kb2ehj
    I`ve seen this posted before and I`ve just got to ask.....Why use MF towels in/on an engine? Why not just standard ol cotton rags.


    Because Amazon Zwipes > * when it comes to throw away mf towels



    Amazon.com: Zwipes Microfiber 36-Pack of Cleaning Cloths: Automotive



    36 for $20

  15. #15

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    It is the Dawn with Scrubbers or regular Dawn?



    (Somehow, someone will add how they use Dawn in car washing to strip their car of wax and oils before applying their LSP (Last step Product) of choice. Let`s not go there)
    GB detailer

 

 
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