Maintaining that "new MF towel" feel?

pheerix

pheerix

New member
Just got a new batch of eagles and I noticed they are a lot softer and fluffier than the ones I've had for a few months. I think my wash methods are sound. I wash with Micro Restore in a HE machine with only MF towels, vinegar on 2nd rinse, and machine dry on ultra low heat. Do MF towels just lose their softness and fluffiness after while? Could it be the super hard water here?
 
I use HD/3D Towel Kleen, do a second rinse with no vinegar and dry on low heat and haven't found any significant change in my towels. Any towels that are very soiled get a presoak in Dawn for a couple of hours.
 
pheerix- IME MFs *do* eventually degrade and lose that "new MF feel". But maybe washing with hotter water and doing more rinses might help.

My HE machine is simply [crappy] with regard to getting soiled stuff clean, but if I wash 'em first in my conventional washer and then run them through the HE *with no detergent* on the "Sanitary" cycle with vinegar in the *first* rinse but not the final one, they do come out better. Heh heh, I guess they *oughta* what with all that washing/rising!!

I do wonder if your hard water is contributing to your issues, I have softeners for both the house and shop water systems and IMO they make a big diff.
 
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Here's what I'm talking about. The old batch on the left and the new on the right. Both piles are 4 towels high. Notice the loss of height in the old batch and generally not as fluffy. Just normal wear and tear?
 

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Normal for about 6 months of use washed about 1-2 times a week so less than 100 washes? Thought MF towels were supposed to withstand hundreds of washes. Am I washing them too aggressively or is machine drying accelerating wear? Every time I line dry the towels become rock hard from the hard water.
 
I think anything once used is gonna be a bit less than when compared side by side with new. That said, there are things we can do (like with the ride itself) to preserve the newness as long as possible. I'll include some thoughts in no particular order...

1) The purchase. You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. Better towels will likely be better longer...and price is not always a good indicator or a great towel.

2) Dedication. It's always best to dedicate towels for particular service. For example I have some WW towels I use only for no rinse washes, some only for glass, some only for wax/sealant carrier removal.

3) Washing. Optional presoak, then wash 'n double rinse using an additive free detergent. I was using Era, but have been trialing Persil lately. As mentioned, some may benefit from a water softener additive. Although some have suggested special drying, I've always just dried just like the regular laundry.
 
1. These are quality towels for sure. 70/30 split Korean made. Maybe the edgeless design and the fact that they're so fluffy makes them a bit fragile.
2. These are only used for rinseless and waterless washes
3. I suspect washing and drying causes most of the breakdown. Hard to strike a balance between cleaning the towels thoroughly and preserving them. I'll try a gentler cycle and maybe hang drying but the towels become stiff from the hard water.
 
pheerix- If you do a no-detergent wash with hot water, does the water stay clear? I'm wondering if they're still a bit loaded with detergent or rinseless wash product. Or even minerals from your hard water.
 
I'm sure they get loaded with minerals. If I line dry them they become stiff like cardboard. They probably have residual rinseless because they do smell a bit like it afterwards. I'll have to keep experimenting with wash cycles.
 
Line Drying in Towels, FWIW. Don't line dry too long. Just enough so they are dry.
If you leave them out to bake, they get hard
 
pingable said:
Line Drying in Towels, FWIW. Don't line dry too long. Just enough so they are dry.
If you leave them out to bake, they get hard
Click to expand...

I agree about not over drying - always dry on lowest heat and barely dry.

The moisture trapped in the fibers contribute to softness just like over drying cotton can make them feel hard.
 
I too have to machine-dry stuff (not just detailing towels) to avoid that stiffness. No problems if I "overdry".

pheerix- I'd start with adding a presoak using APC or a MF detergent. Getting the Rinseless out might be tougher than laundering away the dirt.
 
Hmm I actually make a presoak bucket with about 2 gallons of water and 1/2 oz of MicroRestore and throw my rinseless towels in there immediately after using them. Maybe I need to soak longer. Is it ridiculous to want another washing machine just for MF towels?
 
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