How to wash microfiber towels (and make them last for years)

A good microfiber towel can last for years, or turn stiff and useless after a few washes. The difference is how you wash it. The ultra-fine fibres work because they are open and clean: anything that clogs or soils them reduces absorbency and can scratch the paint.

The 6 rules

1. 40 °C maximum. High temperatures can harden and “melt” the fibre tips.
2. No fabric softener. Enemy number one: it coats the fibres with a film and the towel stops absorbing.
3. No bleach or harsh detergents. Use a small amount of mild liquid detergent or a dedicated microfiber wash.
4. Wash them alone or with other microfibers. Cotton sheds lint that gets trapped in the microfiber and ends up on the paint.
5. Separate by how dirty they are. Towels used on wheels and lower panels go in a different wash from paint and drying towels.
6. Air dry or tumble dry on low heat. Never on a radiator or in strong sun.

Before washing

If the towel is very dirty (for example after the wheels), rinse it by hand in lukewarm water to remove the worst of the dirt before it goes in the machine.

After washing

Store clean microfibers in a bag or closed box: garage dust settles on them and ends up on the paint. If a towel falls on the ground while you work, put it aside and wash it before using it again.

Your towel no longer absorbs?

It is almost always fabric softener or detergent residue. Try a 40 °C wash with water only and a double rinse: that often opens the fibres up again. If the towel is still stiff or rough, it is time to replace it, or to demote it to wheels and lower panels.

In short: 40 °C, little detergent, zero softener, no cotton in the machine, gentle drying.

Our MIRASIC DRYMAX 1000 is built to last: follow these rules and it keeps its absorbency wash after wash. And here is how to use it: how to dry your car without streaks.