Microfibre Care

Our top tips: Caring for your microfibre cloths and drying towels

The fact of the matter is you can't properly detail your car without the correct tools. Yes, shampoos, waxes, shine enhancers, are all well and good, but what about the things you're applying these wonderful products with? If you want your microfibre wash cloths and towels to last more than one wash, they will need looking after! We've received a few questions asking the best ways to look after these items, so thought we'd compile a few tips and tricks to help make them last longer, as well as keep them in the best condition for the job.

Here are our top tips on how to help your microfibre cloths last longer:

Wash before use - We know when you receive something in the post you just want to open it and give it a whirl. Well, don't! It's always best to wash new microfibre cloths before your first use. Microfibre cloths and towels should come lint-free straight out of the bag, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Not only is there a finish to the microfibre from new, it has been known that (depending on the manufacturing process) fibres or dust can remain with the cloths until the first wash.

How to wash them - cold water should be used, alongside a liquid detergent or wash. Never use powdered fabric washes as these particles will be absorbed by the cloths. Fabric softener is a no go, and (this probably goes without saying) no bleach. Also, always make sure you wash your microfibre cloths separately - microfibre cloths, by their very nature, are designed to pick up everything so it's not wise to wash them together with other items (ones, for example, that aren't lint-free). Make sure to wash after every use, if possible.

How to dry them - NEVER tumble dry! The delicate nature of these cloths is exactly the reason why we use them on our paintwork, so why on earth would it be ok to put them through such high temperatures? They should be spun dry and not tumble dried. Spin drying rapidly spins the cloth around to force the water out, while tumble drying uses heat. Microfibre cloths are made up of a blend of synthetic yarn, usually made up of 70-80% polyester, with 20-30% polyamide. The polyester has a low melting point, which is why they should never be dried with heat.Our tip to finding out whether your microfibre cloths are damaged is to hold your cloth flat and tip a little water onto it; if the water stays sat on top of the material rather than soaking in then you must throw it out - this shows that the fibres have fused together beyond repair. Never leave your towels laying around damp - bacteria will form in the fibres and probably end up smelling vile, as well as slowly destroying your cloth.

*TOP TIP* Pure white vinegar - A splash of pure white vinegar in with your washing liquid will help to remove any potential build-up of oil from your cloths. You can buy microfibre rejuvenators or washes, but we advise that these can often possess a few too many chemicals, so it's best to use something you know to be natural. If you've used your microfibre cloth to apply polish or waxes, then we suggest soaking it in the vinegar for a while before finishing off with a machine wash.

Store air tight, if possible - if you can, try and store your microfibre cloths in an air-tight container, or at least one which will allow the microfibre to keep in a dust-free space.

Now, what to do if you happen to drop your microfibre towel… We've all seen it, someone drops their cloth on the floor and picks it up and continues working on their car like nothing happened. Erm, well we're afraid the only answer is bin it! Unless you have the patience to tweezer out all of the particles it will have picked up. Paintwork is delicate and any little bits will mark it, faint or not - anything less than perfect paint is not what we're aiming for here. It's up to you to assess the damage, but assess the damage you must do.

Generally, if you follow these few basic tips, you'll find that you're not constantly replacing your cloths, unless you're constantly dropping them on the floor… Our tips should prolong their life, as well as making sure they're working to their fullest potential. There's nothing worse than undoing all your hard work washing your car, to put in more swirl marks by the end of it!

Any questions, drop us a line at info@autofinesse.co.uk. Also, if there's any tutorials you want to see, or simple tips on best practice let us know and we'll see what we can do!

Recommended products include: Aqua deluxe drying towel £12.95. Micro tweed microfibre cloth £3.95. Primo plush microfibre cloth £4.95.