Auto Detailing Guide - Microfiber Care

Microfiber overview
Caring for your microfiber
Facts and Tips

Microfiber Overview (Return to Top)

Microfiber is the standard in the auto detailing industry for product removal, drying your vehicle, applying interior dressings and quick detailers and countless other uses on your vehicle, around your house and virtually anywhere you go. The life of your microfiber products will vary on how well you car for them. Microfiber is made up of a unique blend of materials with innovative weave and fiber designs made of ultra fine synthetic yarn made of polyester and nylon. Each strand is approximately 0.2 denier, which is equivalent to 1/20th of a strand of silk or 1/100th of a human hair. The cross section of a microfiber strand resembles an asterisk (*), which allows them to collect and trap dust, debris, and product more effectively than other towels. On dry surfaces the microfiber towels use electro static energy to easily lift and collect large amounts of dust, dirt, oil, liquid and more in the micro wedges of the fiber.

Caring for Microfiber (Return to Top)

To get the absolute most out of your microfiber towels is with each detail, keep a 5 gallon bucket filled half way with water and some microfiber detergent by your side. As you are done with any towel, instead of putting it in a pile to clean later, put it in the bucket to start soaking and releasing product. Doing this will prolong the life of every towel.

When it comes time to wash your towels, group them into at least two types of towels: paint safe microfiber and other microfiber. You want to avoid washing the towel you used to clean your door jamb with your paint safe drying towel. This will help you get the longest life out of the paint safe towels and minimize any potential micro-marring in the future.

When you wash and dry your microfiber, it should be done with only microfiber products, keep other fabrics separate. Using fabric softener will deposit a coating on the microfiber strands that clogs the pores, which reduces absorbency, cleaning ability and can lead to streaking. We recommend using a microfiber detergent, or something like Tide Free, which has no fabric softener, bleach or odor to it. Use about half of what the manufacturer recommends per wash for maximum effectiveness. If you are looking for additional cleaning power, you can add some distilled vinegar during the rinse cycle, roughly 1 tablespoon per towel. You can dry using any setting you wish, but remember, no fabric softener.

After your towels have been washed and dried, it's best practice to store them in labeled Ziploc bags. This will help you remember which towel is used for and keeps dust and debris from settling on your clean towels. If you get in this habit early, your towels life will be extended and your paint will thank you.

Facts and Tips (Return to Top)

Always remove any tags on microfiber products to minimize the risk of marring the paint
Always wash new microfiber towels prior to using them for the first time
Never use fabric softener when washing or drying your towels
Group your towels together, such as paint safe towels, wheel and tire towels, interior towels, etc.
Adding distilled white vinegar to your rinse cycle can help further clean your microfiber
If your towels lose their absorbency, try boiling them to dissolve product and reopen the pores
Store your clean microfiber towels in labeled Ziploc bags
Wash around 25 to 30 towels per load
Always wash your microfiber with microfiber, avoid mixing them with other fabrics