Micro fibre (Microfiber) Towels
A Microfiber towel is made
from polyester nylon (a scrubbing fibre) and
/polyamide (an absorbing fibre), these microscopic
loops, which form a network of tiny hooks, scrubbing away dirt and grime while
trapping it within the weave, the reason polyester appears to absorb
liquids is the many thousands of micro fibres that collectively encapsulate
liquids
Polyester (fabric)
has a melting point of 509 °F (265 °C), and Polyamide 420°F (216°C), so the
normal washing machine temperatures available will not melt the fibres. Dry
micro fibre towels on a low-heat setting and limit drying time as constant tumbling
will result in static or air-dry them
Be cognizant that although
most of us consider Microfiber to be almost indestructible it needs proper care
to ensure it keeps working the way it should and to maintain its
durability.
The nature of this yarn is
that it is an absorbent; the reason polyester appears to absorb liquids is the
many thousands of micro fibres that collectively encapsulate liquids and
chemicals (solvents, wax, polymers, and etc).
The detergent used to clean
them must be strong enough to remove the chemicals without harming the fibres.
The methods used for towel drying are equally important, high heat plus the
agitation of an automatic dryer can round the edges of the microscopic hooks, rendering
them ineffective
Before using Washing Machine
To ensure that the washing
machine has no residual detergent or fabric softener; rise the machine drum
with a 1:3 solution of washing liquid (with no bleach) / distilled white
vinegar, clean about every 2-3 months
Car care products can get
left behind in the drum; so run a cleaning cycle before and another once you've finished washing your micro fibre towels, using hot water, some liquid
detergent and distilled white vinegar.
(HE) Washing Machine Maintenance
Wash towels on hottest
setting (sanitary cycle, max time, extra rinse) Modern high-efficiency washer’s
use less water and seal more tightly than older, less-efficient machines, these
washers are more prone to residue build-up. To address this issue, Whirlpool
pioneered the development of Affresh tablets, a
simple, powerful and universal solution. All brands of HE washing machines have
the potential for mould and mildew stains if not properly cleaned on a regular
basis.
To ensure maximum performance,
appliance manufacturers recommend a monthly maintenance and cleaning routine.
Many cleaning products currently on the market with ingredients such as bleach
adequately maintain the washer, but results may vary and are not always
consistent.
Used every 4-8 weeks
(dependent upon machine usage) it will prevents odour-causing residues from
accumulating, although heavily soiled washers may require repeated treatments
to remove traces of odour and residue. In this case, Whirlpool recommends
running three successive washer cleaning cycles with an Affresh
tablet in each.
Wash Towels after use
Always wash towels as soon
as possible after use, the longer they sit the more the contaminants will set.
The chemicals used in car care products will negatively affect the fibres
structural integrity and weaken them, shortening their useful life. Residual
chemicals will cause streaking, whereas dried chemicals will cause scratches.
Do not use bleach or high
alkaline cleaning products as they will shorten the life of your micro
fibre. Read the label on the detergent
bottle and use half of what they recommend and use hot water (120.oF)
Do not wash different types
of towels together. And always wash each colour separately; never wash white
towels with colours.
Lint
Nothing removes lint out of
the towel (new or used) better than a few spin dryer cycles. Washing also makes
your new towels softer and more absorbent. A good first wash formula is 1 cup
of distilled white vinegar with a half cup of detergent. This will help release
lint, break towels in, and keep them fresh. It is also useful to soak new
towels in a cup of ammonia and several gallons of warm water.
This will
dissolve any oils or treatments in the fabric that inhibit absorbency. Another
good wash formula is 1 cup of ammonia with a half cup of detergent.
Washer Loading
Do not overload the machine, (55-65%) use just enough for a good medium sized load, and remember that micro fibre
towels hole ~ seven times its weight of water, so by using too many they will
not be cleaned effectively. A large washing machine can usually accommodate 35 – 40 medium sized
towels
Washing / Care Directions
Heat acts as a catalyst
promoting quicker reactions between chemicals and the soil thereby minimizing
dwell time. Warm or hot water helps dissolve grease and oil in soil, agitation
or hand rubbing helps pull the soil free. This concentrated aqueous formula is
a special blend of surfactants, emulsifiers, chelating agents and water
softeners.
Pre-Soak Towels
Micro fibre towels can
"load-up" with residues reducing their effectiveness. Don't let
polish residues dry in the fibres as dried hardened product can cause scratches
and product chemicals can negatively affect the fibres
Once you have finished
detailing with the towel, allow it to soak in a bucket with approx 0.5 oz per
gallon water and a d-limonene (citrus) based cleaner P21S®®
Total Auto Wash. Or use Optimum Power Clean™ diluted 2:1 (or stronger)
with distilled water) or a micro fibre detergent (Micro-Restore).
This will make it easier to
clean and prolong the life of the towel as any chemicals that could potentially
harm the fibres are removed sooner, keep in mind that excessive use of powerful
degreasers may eventually damage the fabric. When you are ready to clean them,
rinse well, machine-wash and leave to air-dry
·
Wash / Rinse after using and before you use a different product
(i.e. don’t use to remove polish and then apply wax) to avoid cross
contamination
·
Always wash towels separately from other fabrics using hot
water, the primary consideration is detergent residue so always use a detergent
that is clean-rinsing
·
Wash drying towels separate from wax/polish towels
·
Washing your towels on a regular basis without allowing them get
too soiled, they will last much longer
·
Some detergents contain enzymes, which don't work well in cold
water.
·
Woolite® is intended for delicate
fabrics and fine washables such as lingerie and cashmere sweaters, so it
won’t remove polish or car care products
·
Soak towels in Sodium carbonate (also
known as washing soda or soda crystals) or Optimum
Power Clean™ as it effectively
removes oil and grease
·
As a pre-spotter: dilute 1 part concentrates with 3 parts hot
water, apply to stain and launder as usual.
·
Do not overload washer or dryer; it causes your towels’ fibres
to weaken and lint
·
Waxes and polymer sealants are not water soluble; they dry and adhere
to the towels fibres. Cold water will simply allow them to remain in a solid
state and not completely wash off.
·
Hot water, however, allows them to soften and loosen from the threads
and allows the detergent to act as it should and lift the contaminants from the
fabric. Use medium heat, 104 .oF (40.o C) and add 1-2 ounces to a standard size (8
gallon) load, for larger loads or heavily soiled laundry
·
Use a liquid detergent (or a speciality product like Micro-Restore
high efficiency (HE)
washer safe) without softener, bleach, whiteners.
·
If possible buy the versions that are perfume and additive free
as all these do is chemically coat the fabric and reduce its efficiency.
·
Using half the washing detergents manufacturers suggested amount
is usually sufficient
·
During the rinse cycle add 1-tsb per towel white distilled
vinegar (acetic acid that once diluted
with water, the acid content is approximately 3-4% of the total solutions) this
will help dissolve detergent and hard water minerals. Vinegar (Acetic acid,
pH=2) works well in the rinse cycle to make your towels softer. Detergent is an
alkaline (pH=12, the opposite of acidic on the pH scale).
When
you wash your towels (or anything for that matter) there are small amounts of
detergent left behind, when your add Vinegar it balances the pH of the solution
and helps removes the excess detergent from the wash.
·
Do not use fabric softeners (includes both liquid and dryer
sheet type fabric softeners) as they deposit chemicals (silicone, etc) on
the fabric and render them ineffective. These chemicals will
also transfer to whatever you are cleaning or polishing with the towel.
·
Clean the lint screen before and after every wash session
Over time you may find your
micro fibre’s effectiveness decreases, despite following all of the above
guidelines, this may be due to wax / polish build-up.
To remedy try one of the following -
To remedy try one of the following -
1.
Wash the microfiber for one full wash cycle normally. Then wash
again, except this time open the lid and let it soak overnight. In the morning,
close the lid and let the cycle finish.
2.
Wash the microfiber for one full wash cycle normally. Then wash
again, but instead of laundry detergent, add 1/2 cup of white vinegar to the
load (assuming a medium to full size load). Run the cycle normally
3.
If your towels lose their absorbency, try boiling them to
dissolve product and release the fibres. Drain the water before removing the
towel(s) otherwise residues will be re-deposited (see also melting point Polymer /
Polyester).
Micro-Restore
- because most detergents
and laundry soaps have some form of optical fabric brighteners (Z)-Stilbene or
fabric softener included in their formulas. Over time bleach breaks down the
micro-fibres, and fabric softeners clog the microscopic pours that make
microfiber so effective, rendering the microfiber product less effective with
each washing.
Micro-Restore
is superior for treating, cleaning and preparing microfibers because it is a
powerful degreaser strong detergent with the absence of bleach and fabric
softeners, it also breaks down heavy wax, oil and grease.
It will extend
the life of your microfiber, due to its special blend of chelating agents,
surfactants, and builders will more effectively remove the heavy residue (wax,
oil, grease, break dust, and other chemicals) that becomes implanted in
microfiber products. This product doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals that
could be detrimental to HE washing machines
Directions: Add 2 ounces to standard size (8 gallon)
loads. For larger loads or heavily soiled laundry, add 3-6 ounces. As a
pre-spotter; us a 1:3 distilled water solution.
Periodically - clean them with distilled white vinegar
(no washing liquids) Wash these towels with 1/4 cup of white vinegar - nothing
else. Any kind of laundry soap will leave residue that remains in the
micro-fibre, which will then leave streaks, smears or haze. After washing them in vinegar, re-wash with
just clean water ... just to be 100% sure there's no soap residue in the
micro-fibres
Rinsing – use baking soda (Arm & Hammer™) add
1/2 cup to the rinse cycle to freshen towels
Drying - machine drying fabrics makes them softer to
the touch as it straightens the fibres allowing the fibres to separate and reform
to their original position. Spin drying also helps to remove any lint reside
from the towels. The down side is that they may pick up fabric softener residue
from the machine
I
would like to think that these articles become an asset to anyone who is new to
detailing and to professionals alike, as well as industry experts who seek to
advance their knowledge.
I hope the above article was
informative. By having some understanding of the ‘What’ and ‘Why’ as well as
the ‘How’ along with a little science to help you understand how the chemicals
we use react, you can achieve the results you desire.
I would appreciate it if you
would share this article as it helps other detailers further their knowledge.
Questions and/ or constructive
comments are always appreciated.
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