How to Wash and Care for Microfiber Towels

Good microfiber protects your paint. Dirty or damaged microfiber scratches it. How you wash your towels decides which one you have. Follow the steps below and your towels stay soft, absorbent and safe for years. Towels that last longer also mean less waste.

Sort before you wash

Not every towel meets the same dirt. Wheel towels pick up brake dust and grease. Glass towels stay light. Mixing them moves grit and residue onto towels that touch your paint.

Make separate loads for paint, glass, interior, and wheels or engine bay. Wax and polish residue is the biggest trouble-maker. It can smear into a glass towel and leave streaks every time you use it.

Pick the right detergent

Use a dedicated microfiber wash, or a mild liquid detergent with no dyes or perfumes. Harsh detergents leave towels stiff.

Never use fabric softener, dryer sheets or bleach. Softener coats the fibers and stops them absorbing. Bleach breaks them down.

Use less than you think. Extra detergent leaves residue, and residue leaves streaks.

Set the machine

• Water: warm, not hot. Cooler water protects the fibers and saves energy.
• Cycle: a normal or gentle cycle is enough.
• Load: wash full loads. Fewer cycles use less water and power.
• Filter: microfiber sheds tiny fibers. A laundry filter bag keeps them out of the water supply.

Do not wash microfiber with cotton. Lint from cotton clings to the fibers and ends up on your paint.

Dry them gently

Tumble dry on low, or hang them to air dry. Air drying is the greenest option. High heat melts the fibers. Melted fibers turn stiff and rough, and a stiff towel can scratch.

Shake each towel out before it goes in the dryer. Skip the dryer sheet.

Store them clean

Fold the towels and keep them in a closed cabinet, bin or zip bag, grouped by job. An open shelf collects dust, and dust becomes scratches.

Check each towel before you use it. Retire any that feel stiff, look matted, or have been dropped on the ground. A towel that once touched paint can become a wheel towel, then a shop rag. That is the best use of each one.

Let us handle the detailing instead

Caring for your own towels is satisfying, but it is only a small part of a proper detail. Eco Car Cafe brings professional-grade towels, pads and eco-friendly products to every auto detailing appointment in Bellevue and Seattle. Book your detail and skip the laundry.