How do YOU wash microfiber towels?

[Tempest]

Ever wonder why something that is supposedly designed to clean and rinse away is so viscous out of the bottle? You'd be surprised at how much chemical there is in typical detergents that are designed to stick to clothing. I can tell you for a fact that Tide "Free and Clear" has optical brighteners in it, even though the package says "no dyes".

Put some of your favorite detergent on a surface and let it dry. Hit it with a black light in a dark room. If if fluoresces, then your "cleaner" has dye in it designed to stay on your cloths and make them look bright. Scents and other things are also designed to stick clothing.


As for microfiber towels, I have a bucket with a grit guard on the bottom and put them in there along with water and Oxyclean. Let them soak for at least 8 hours. Then wash on hot water to help open the fibers so as to release dirt better. Currently using 2 oz. of 3D Towel Kleen along with 2 oz of strong degreaser (Simple Green but now Meguiar's D108). 8oz. of distilled white vinegar in the softener bin. This combo will get very dirty towels to 99% as I use white 800gsm for GDWM.

Dry on low heat in the dryer.

Towel Clean seems to work well (along with degreaser), but has color, sent and brighteners which are not ideal. I use Atsko sport wash for my general laundry as it is a true no residue detergent. I'll probably switch to that after the TK is gone.

 

[milkboy]

I wash them twice. First in HOT water with liquid Tide "Free," then with a little Woolite and HOT water with an extra rinse. Hang dry.

I wash them separately from clothes, but I do put wash mitts in with them.

 

[ryanschillinger]

I put only MF items in a hot wash with the All Free detergent and about a half cup of degreaser. Dry them on high heat. Don't mix anything else with the MF wash and dry. I've used oxi clean in the wash as well, no ill effects.

 

[mjoekingz28]

I think high heat is bad for them like it is for cool feeling shirts. It destroys their special properties, I think.


Tumble dry low I think they call for. A clothesline would be nice, but I just put them on a table or such and let them dry fully before folding them. After spinning in the washing machine they are just about dry.

If dryers couldremove humidity at a better rate I think they'd be more effective and efficient.

 

[Vern_in_IL]

I use a glass washboard, a bucket and dawn dish washing soap.


Line dry then fluff in dryer.

 

[ryanschillinger]

I don't remember where I read the instructions for cleaning them, but it includes drying on high heat. I was unsure if it would damage them, so I only did a few to try it. Works just fine and doesn't damage them. I bet if you put too large if a load in the dryer, preventing them from freely tumbling, it would cause damage. The main thing is to never wash or dry them with anything other than microfibers. They will grab up all the lint and then you have to boil them out or throw them away.