Microfiber towels

The manner in which a carwash washes and dries microfiber can deeply impact the effectiveness of the towels’ performance Microfiber is machine washable and can be cleaned with regular detergent. Much like terry towels, bleach and fabric softener should not be used on microfiber. Fabric softener will clog the small, wedge-shaped filaments of the microfiber and render it useless. Bleach will take the color out of the towel.

Next, microfiber towels need to be washed in cold or warm water. The water temperature should never exceed 105 degrees F. Also, microfiber needs to be washed with detergent, Even if the cloth was used with window cleaner, a separate washing detergent must be added to the wash. “The soap is what holds the dirt and removes it from the towel. Without soap, the dirt will go back onto the cloth.”

More importantly, microfiber needs to be dried on the coolest setting, either permanent press or air fluff . Also, employees must allow time for a dryer to cool off if the previous load was hot, which it normally is. Because microfiber is made of polyester and nylon, high heat will cause melting, which will close the material’s wedge-shaped fibers.

Lastly, microfiber towels should never be washed with other laundry, especially cotton terry towels. Sweeney says that the lint from the other towels will stick to the microfiber, and it is difficult to remove. To keep the microfiber’s wedges intact, it is best to wash microfiber towels in a full load to ensure less wear and tear.

towel care factors a carwash owner should always consider:

Time
Temperature
Agitation
Chemical formulation.
“All play a role in the care of your towels. It is important to know that once you adjust one of these, you will need to compensate somewhere else.”