Washing Towels Etc

[Hopper]

Second Q of the day....how does everyone wash their towels and mitts etc? My neighbor actually takes his to a local laundromat, his better half doesn't want those chemicals in their washer/dryer?

 

I'm not sure I want to spend an hour and half washing towels, any recs? Do people toss out old towels used for detailing spray etc?

 

I was debating washing them in a bucket once prior to washing them in the washer dryer...thoughts? Advice?

 

H

[bbf2530]

Second Q of the day....how does everyone wash their towels and mitts etc? My neighbor actually takes his to a local laundromat, his better half doesn't want those chemicals in their washer/dryer?

 

I'm not sure I want to spend an hour and half washing towels, any recs? Do people toss out old towels used for detailing spray etc?

 

I was debating washing them in a bucket once prior to washing them in the washer dryer...thoughts? Advice?

 

H

 

Hi H. :D I wash and dry my car towels and wash mitts in our home washer and dryer. I use a good quality regular liquid washing machine soap (Tide, All, Arm and Hammer etc.) with the washer set to the "heavy duty' wash cycle. Use the soap sparingly, to minimize excess soap residue in the towels after the rinse cycle. Do not use fabric softener in the washing machine or softener sheets in the dryer, as they leave a residue on the towels that can leave streaks/smearing on the car. I dry the cotton towels on high in the dryer, but I let my wash mitts air dry.

 

Your neighbors wife is overreacting a bit. However, of course you should wash the car towels/mitts etc. in a separate load from any other clothing, household towels etc..

 

I cycle all of my towels through their natural life cycle. When in good condition, they are used for the paint. As they wear, they move to the wheels, then the wheel wells/tires etc., then garbage.

 

And I do wash the towels used for detailing spray, as the ones I use for detailing spray are good towels with plenty of nap left (to avoid paint scratching). So as long as they are still in good condition, they get washed and reused. Once they are excessively worn, greasy or oily, they don't go in the washer anymore. They are used as shop towels then into the garbage.

 

Hope this information helps.

 

Good luck. :beerchug:

Edited February 8, 2011 by bbf2530

[AmyLovesHerEdge]

Second Q of the day....how does everyone wash their towels and mitts etc? My neighbor actually takes his to a local laundromat, his better half doesn't want those chemicals in their washer/dryer?

 

I'm not sure I want to spend an hour and half washing towels, any recs? Do people toss out old towels used for detailing spray etc?

 

I was debating washing them in a bucket once prior to washing them in the washer dryer...thoughts? Advice?

 

H

 

I agree with bbf2530. I use the home washer/dryer for the towels that are used for cleaning the car. Wash them separate through the complete wash and rinse(s) cycle. I use Tide.

 

For insurance.... After I wash the towels in the washer, my next washer load is a basket of work clothes that won't matter if there was any residue left over in the washer from the detailing towels.

 

Mechanical rags that have heavy oil or grease get trashed. I never rewash them. At least not in my washer.

 

Amy

[CanuckG35]

Second Q of the day....how does everyone wash their towels and mitts etc? My neighbor actually takes his to a local laundromat, his better half doesn't want those chemicals in their washer/dryer?

 

I'm not sure I want to spend an hour and half washing towels, any recs? Do people toss out old towels used for detailing spray etc?

 

I was debating washing them in a bucket once prior to washing them in the washer dryer...thoughts? Advice?

 

H

 

For all of my MF towels and MF mitts, I use Chemical Guys MF Wash Cleaning Detergent. Using an actual MF cleaning detergent will greatly prolong the life of your MF towels as it removes was and other residues much better than a regular detergent. I would highly recommend picking up one to prolong the life of your MF products.

[richy]

When my mf's are really dirty, I pre-soak them in some Zep Citrus mixture. I then rinse them out in the laundry tub. When I wash them I use a regular detergent but only about 1/2 the quantity it calls for. I also add a few ounces of white vinegar to the rinse cycle to help break down any remaining soap. If you find you have a few that are still not soft and have wax or whatever in them, you can also boil them. Let them boil for a few minutes and then dump the water out. That will help restore them. Never use bleach with mf's and as stated above, never use fabric softener either. Some use a dryer, some don't. I have tried it both ways. I use a dryer but don't get them super hot. I have also tried a specific mf wash and found it no more effective than the laundry soap. I have a front load and need HE soap anyway so I'm not going to risk using a mf soap in that expensive machine.