Microfiber Linting Problem

Kean said:
... In my case, the towels were shedding after the first wash.. Hopefully they will clean up after the next wash or two.
Click to expand...



My really plush "shamrock" MFs linted a *LOT* for the first few washes but this seems to have dropped off.
 
Accumulator said:
My really plush "shamrock" MFs linted a *LOT* for the first few washes but this seems to have dropped off.
Click to expand...
....yep. I rarely have issues with my "good" towels that I purchase and use exclusively on my paint, but these OTC Vroom ones were a different story. ....they are the thicker 16x16(?) orange ones (I believe they also come in grey). On the flip side, the thinner ones that come in a 12pk(?) don't seem to have an issue. I'm going to give them a go in the wash a few more times to see if the shedding diminishes.
 
Over the weekend I added a teaspoon of vinegar to the wash cycle as suggested. I also used the vacuum cleaner to suck out any lint build-up inside the dryers lint receptable to insure that it was working its best.



Some of my MF's did improve and the linting was tolerable. My plushest MF continues to lint excessively. This MF has been relegated to wiping down the rocker panels on the car where the lint can't be seen, really disappointing.



I will continue to add vinegar to the wash cycle since it also seems to have softened the MF's which is nice.
 
MBZ 500E- Well, at least it sounds like you're making *some* progress. My plushest ones continue to lint too...yeah, it's a drag as I use them for full-vehicle wipedowns.



I too use the vinegar. I've heard that it can sometimes have a detrimental impact on the MF's adsorbtion so if you're using them to dry, and start having problems, then consider that.



I dunno...I can understand how certain softeners affect cotton, but I don't get how vinegar could cause this problem with MF :nixweiss Still, I've heard about it.
 
MBZ 500E said:
Over the weekend I added a teaspoon of vinegar to the wash cycle as suggested.
Click to expand...



I thought it's best to add vinegar to the rinse cycle, not the wash cycle. The vinegar is supposed to clean the detergent off the towels?
 
itb76 said:
I thought it's best to add vinegar to the rinse cycle, not the wash cycle. The vinegar is supposed to clean the detergent off the towels?
Click to expand...



Good point, I am not certain if adding to the wash cycle is correct.



It did help but I'm not sure if it is best to wait for the rinse cycle.



Suggestions?
 
itb76 said:
I thought it's best to add vinegar to the rinse cycle, not the wash cycle. The vinegar is supposed to clean the detergent off the towels?
Click to expand...



Yeah, that's the way I do it. I figure the vinegar will compromise the effectiveness of the detergent.



I don't really know about this stuff, but I suspect the detergents are slightly alkaline (like many APCs) and that adding an acid to them wouldn't be beneficial.
 
Kean said:
....I picked up some Vroom (orange) towels from Target...Even though these are part of my "general" towel collection, I'm hoping that the lint will at least dissipate after the next wash.
Click to expand...

Kean, the Vroom towels are only going to get worse. Mine didn't start to lint until after a few washes. They're my wheel and doorjamb towels now.
 
itb76 said:
Kean, the Vroom towels are only going to get worse. Mine didn't start to lint until after a few washes. They're my wheel and doorjamb towels now.
Click to expand...
....yeah. I didn't notice much of an improvement after the first wash. I bought these gen. duty towels since I have nicer ones for paint. However, "linting" really limits what task they will be useful for (i.e. jambs, engine, wheels, etc.). ....forget about glass, interior or anywhere else the lint will stand out.



btw, I also bought some of their cheaper, thinner white and grey towels that come in a bundle of 12(?). Those had very little lint initially and cleaned up well. In fact, they seem to work good as glass towels for me so far. Whichever car I'm driving, I like to keep the glass clean on a regular basis (the outside is wiped down daily). I keep MF's in each car with a small spray bottle of dist water/IPA. ....I can't stand dirty windows.
 
I use all Vroom products and was having some linting problems with the Orange towels (most used). I had been using a crappy washer and dryer that had minimal settings (i.e. only 1 heat setting for the dryer). I recently moved and now have a good washer/dryer set. Since using those the lint has all but disappeared.



My method is to wash them on Cold/Cold with Woolite (under the recommended amount for clothes) and rinse them 2x. Before I put them in the dryer on low heat, I clean the lint trap and run the dryer for a few minutes to clear out any lint that is in there from prior washes or from cleaning the lint trap. I'm happy with the results.
 
Just an fyi.... In my case my washer and dryer are not the problem. My orange Vroom towels simply shed. Whether this will get better over time, I guess we'll see. In either case, they are just my general purpose towels. I have higher quality MF's (that don't shed) that I use for the paint. However, I found the thinner white and gray towels to be relatively lint free and I've been experimenting with them on my glass.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top