Laundry (MF) confusion!

I don't have a garage where I live so I always do my detailing at my parent's place and for years I've been having problems with my MFs.

After I build up a big pile of dirty MFs I wash them in my parent's 20 or so year old top loading machines on hot with a MF soap like Micro-Restore or Pinnacle. However, when I buy a new towel they quickly decline in effectiveness and water actually will start to bead on them! :yikes:

Recently my parent's washer broke and I brought home my MFs to wash in my brand new front loading machines. Also, I forgot my MF laundry soap and so I just washed them with regular laundry soap on hot. The towels came out like NEW!! I couldn't believe it. They have that "grab-y-ness" back that new towels have and everything. I haven't used them yet but based on the feel I'd say these towels are back baby!

What do you guys think made the big difference? The new machine? The regular laundry soap? :shead:

 

Most likely that 20 year old machine had fabric softener and soap built up in it that was causing the issues.

 

I think its the fabric softener and soap too.

Do you have a friend with a newer one or maybe with a H.E. washer??

 

You might be better to source another machine in which to clean your mf's. In the meantime, try BOILING a few in a big pot and then dump the water (1st..don't remove the mf's through the dirty water) and clean them by hand in a laudry tub and hang to dry. This should remove any and all contaminants on them. Let us know how it works for you.

 

Funny you should mention this as lately, my MF have become "waterproof" as well and I couldn't it out as I only use Microrestore but the wife uses fabric softener in the same machine. Thanks!

 

Had the same issue with my parents washer, now I wash all mine in my apartment that my roomates and I do not use fabric softener. If they are beading water put them in a bucket with some dawn and agitate like washing clothes by hand and rinse them out and put them in the wash. You can also clean the washer by putting some APC in the washer with the water full and let it sit for a bit and drain and rinse.

 

Mine are all waterproof now too... really irks me... makes drying difficult....

 

I think a couple of mine are beginning to not absorb water.

Gotta hand wash them now or something... ugh

 

Streaking or Non-Absorbent Micro fibre

• If a micro fibre towel tends to ‘streak’ or is no longer absorbent; boil the towels in water / distilled white vinegar (1/4-cup) solution for at least 20 minute, this will soften the fibres, and release any wax / polish residue. This will also release any lint, which will actually come to the surface of the water. Pre-soak in a liquid detergent / water and then squeeze out wax/polish with your hands and rinse thoroughly.
• Allow micro fibre towels to boil for twenty (20) minutes (ensure that water does not fully evaporate) you will find that more wax / polish residue comes out even after a towel has been thoroughly washed.
• Empty out the water and then remove the towel, don't do it the other way or you'll re-introduce residue to the towel

 

I'm going to try adding some vinegar and reboil my MF's....

 

I tried boiling MFs once and it takes SUCH a long time as you need something like a pot that you make crabs in to put more than 5 a time in.

Personally, I make a large bucket with hot water and let my MFs soak in there for a few hours with the CG MF Wash, it's amazing how much crap comes out of that. Then, wash them in the washing machine.

Have not had an issue yet!!!

Great thread, thanks for starting it, we can always learn something new!

 

The very first time I prewashed my mf's to get their life back, I was super pissed, and wanted to teach them a lesson. So I filled the sink with HOT water, dawn dish soap, agitated, and soaked them for about an hour. Then I filled a 5 gallon bucket with probably 6-8 oz of Meg's APC, and HOT water, and threw the towels in there for another couple hours. Then put them in the wash. Came out like new

Overkill? Probably. But it worked.

 

Probably not a bad idea, NICE!

 

I boiled my WW Drying towels and then soaked them in micro restore for a few hours then I washed them alone in the washing machine and they STILL won't absorb shit...

 

Soak them in dawn and agitate them like washing clothes by hand a few times and they will start to absorb. I had the same issue and now they are like new.

 

Great thread :thumb:

agpatel: are you agitating them in HOT water? I only have the hydrophobic problem with my WW towels.. not any other.

 

Use them what they're designed for...they're supposed to absorb WATER.:giggle:

 

yes, get some really hot water and put some dawn in it, let them soak for 4-5 min then agitate them, then let them sit again for 5 min and agitate them. You can let it sit a little after that and drain the bucket and rinse off the MFs and wash them like normal.

 

I use Tide HE with hot water to wash my towels on my front loader washing machine. It seems to work fine. Is Micro-Restore or the other microfiber detergents worth it? Does it really make a difference on how the towels feel and absorb?

 

i use very little liquid laundry detergent (tide) as it's very concetrated these days, and use vinegar on the last rinse cycle with an extra rinse. no problems...