UcantCcanU

i guess this is what happens when you drink too much scotch and discover meme generators while simultaneously reading the forums. 
 

i guess this is what happens when you drink too much scotch and discover meme generators while simultaneously reading the forums. 
 

i guess this is what happens when you drink too much scotch and discover meme generators while simultaneously reading the forums. 
 

i guess this is what happens when you drink too much scotch and discover meme generators while simultaneously reading the forums. 
 

i guess this is what happens when you drink too much scotch and discover meme generators while simultaneously reading the forums. 
 

I would like a video showing some alternate uses for towels or products, applicators, etc maybe some "shop tips" with some things you guys do to cars in the shop to do a bit of extra "oomph" on your details!

Well I decided to DIY a cart and make it how I wanted for the space I have. Still working on it but made some great progress.
 

 
 

Here's a little cart I threw together...
 

 
 
I also found some totes that fit the bottles nicely.
 

My favorite time of year Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Deep fried turkey, goose, and ham and all the sides. Watching football with family and friends. And last but not least some localized paint correction on your sister-in-laws mazda 3

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

I have many, many things to be grateful for in my nearly 70 years of life, but one of the things I appreciate the most is the people I've met and friendships I've made through Adam's.  From Adam to Chris and Deb, to Rich and Betsy, Al and Dan and Dave, and so many others, it's been a pleasure. 
I hope all of you had a day spent with family and friends and good food.  Tonight when I lay my head on my pillow I will include you all in my prayers.  
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. 

just a couple of my favorites from the show!!
 
and also OMG the walking 
 

 
I think after everything was said and done my pedometer said I walked about 72 miles in those 4 days 

The Cinco de Mayo Sale was a big one, and our shipping team has been cranking today to get all your orders out the door as fast as possible. The picture below is just a fraction of what went out the door today. Thank you all for your business, and more importantly thank you for your patience as we work to get all your products to you as quickly as possible.

 

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Why choose?  Sealant for longevity AND wax for dripping wet depth.  Worth the small amount of time it takes to apply both.

I wanted to take time to properly document this one b/c its gonna be dramatic.
 
Subject:


2001 Ford F350 belonging to my cousin Josh. This detail is actually a gift to him for his birthday from his wife.
 
Background:


This truck has been only washed via automated car washes since new, spent every single day of its life outdoors, and has been waxed maybe a handful of times.
 
Almost every morning its treated to a spray from the sprinklers (note the SEVERE water spots on the rear bumper and lower panels.
 
 
Exterior Diagnosis:


Even capturing the swirl marks on camera proved to be difficult as the paint is so dull and chalky most light looks more like a dull glow.
 
Numerous scuffs, scratches, and scrapes. If possible American PDR will be called in to address some of the smaller dents while I work (time permitting)
 
Glass all has very hard water spotting and potential etching.
 
All exterior trim (door handles, mirrors, bed caps, grill, etc) are dry, faded, and chalky (as to be expected) and the engine bay is filthy.
 
Wheels have brake dust that has actually begun to rust and appears to be fairly bonded to the aluminum. Undercarriage is dirty as to be expected.
Interior Diagnosis:


Not as bad as the exterior. Some uneven and blotchy sun faded panels, carpets are in overall good condition. Rear seat has what appears to be water stains.
 
 
The Pictures:



















































 
 
 
Interior will be tackled first then Friday thru Sunday will be spent on the exterior with the hopes of delivering the truck back to him when he joins us for the 4th of July.
 
Stay tuned... this is gonna be a good one!!
 
DAY 1 - Thursday:
 
The interior wasn't bad, but due to the lack of care over the years the panels soaked up leather conditioner like nothing. They were just BONE dry, especially after cleaning. It took a couple liberal coats to get everything even.
 
The carpets were worse than they looked... you'll see why below.
 
Started like I do with any detail, pulled the matts and got to work with the Metro Vac N' Blo 500. The brush attachment was used on all the vents, door switches, etc to get dust and buildup out of the cracks/crevices

 
Under the matts wasn't much cleaner than the matts themselves

 
I soaked the stains with Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner, I also lightly misted the seats at this time too, then simply blotted them dry with a edgeless utility towel

 
The real challenge was going to be the matts. In addition to just a lot of dirt it looks like something like coffee had been spilled and dried

 
More Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner, but this time I called upon the Bissel Little Green Machine Pro Heat to lend a hand and cut the amount of scrubbing down. 6oz of Cleaner was added to the water tank and all spots were pre-treated with straight Carpet & Upholster Cleaner and an Adam's Carpet Brush




 
Repeated the process for each one



 
After just 2 carpets I was left with some pretty dark water... gross.

 
But the carpets came out fantastic! I set them out in the sun to dry up the last bit of moisture before putting them back in the truck


 
While the rugs are drying it was time to tackle the dirty residue that covered all the interior panels. It was definitely going to take full strength Leather & Interior Cleaner plus the Interior Brush to get the job done:


 
The door sills were nasty as well so I took care of these also using Leather & Interior Cleaner, an Interior Brush, and Edgeless Utility Towel





 
The dash and door panels were cleaned using the same combo, but in tighter spaces or spots where the dirt was more stubborn a trim & lug nut brush sprayed with a little leather & interior cleaner was used. It came in especially handy on the HVAC controls where a combination of skin oils and dust had caked themselves into the grooves



 
Once I was satisfied that everything was clean it was time to condition. All the hard surfaces were treated using Leather & Interior Conditioner on a red foam interior app. The upper sections of the door panels got 2-3 treatments each as did the dash. Other panels weren't as bad.



 
Tight spots were treated to shot of In & Out Spray

 
While conditioning the door panels I hit the inner window seals... they were gray and chalky

 
A quick application of Leather & Interior Conditioner on the red foam interior app made them nice, dark, and moisturized


 
By this time the carpets were dry, and ready to go back in, I placed an open box of Arm & Hammer in the rear to absorb any excess moisture while the truck is parked. It should also help with the slight musty odor of the interior







 
 
 
 
Everything was put back in place, and tomorrow I'll tackle the undercarriage/engine bay, then move to paint cleaning and correction.
 
Forgive me for not updating sooner... after being out in the heat I've been less than motivate to upload pics and continue the writeup. Anyways... heres more to bring you up to speed:
 
 
 
DAY 2 - Friday:
 
I was only going to invest a few hours getting the wheels, tires, engine bay, undercarriage cleaned up so it would save me time on Saturday morning.
 
Got my supplies ready:

Bucket w/ Grit Guard Insert
Green Wheel Cleaner
All Purpose Cleaner
Fender Brush
Wheel Brush
Trim & Lug Nut Brush
Turbo Stick
Edgeless Utility Towel

 

 
I added about 3oz of Green Wheel cleaner & 3oz of APC to the bucket and filled the rest with water. Given the level of contamination on the wheels I wanted a little extra something. The combination foamed up nicely and seemed to aid in cleaning.
 

 
Given the buildup on the wheels and inner fenders I chose to drag out the pressure washer. Started with a thorough blasting to break everything up. The wide angle tip really helped get the 'gunk' out of the lettering and sidewall detail of the tires.
 



 
The wheels were saturated with Green Wheel Cleaner, then scrubbed with the wheel brush, tighter areas were addressed with the lug nut brush


 
After scrubbing away the rust and brake dust buildup the wheels were rinsed

 
Then the tires were soaked with full strength APC which was allowed to dwell, as you can see the cleaner was working, and removed some pretty nasty buildup even before I began scrubbing. After scrubbing with the fender brush they were blasted again with the pressure washer





 
Lastly I turned my attention to the fender linings following the same procedure with APC, Fender Brush, and pressure washer.



 
Since I wasn't intending on cleaning the rest of the truck at the same time, I used the metro blaster sidekick to knock all the water off, then towel dried the remainder with a little detail spray and a waterless wash towel


 
The process was repeated on all 4 wheels/fenders before starting on the engine bay.
I began by hosing everything off using the broadest fan setting on the ultimate fire hose nozzle

 
Everything was then soaked with full strength APC



 
Things like the radiator hose and other heavily soiled parts were given a second treatment


 
Then everything was scrubbed using the wheel brush and tighter spaces were addressed with the trim & lug nut brush


 
Lastly the engine bay was rinsed with the broad fan setting on the ultimate fire hose nozzle, again being sure not to spray directly into any sensitive areas and never using high pressure.


 
The hood was then closed and the truck was allowed to idle in order to help dry everything out before dressing. At this point it was a tad uncomfortable outside

 
Water break was nice, but it didn't feel right detailing without a brew

 
AHHHHHH! Thats better!

 
Popped the hood and the heat from the engine did a good job of drying almost everything up, what remained was addressed with the blaster sidekick, waterless wash, and waterless wash towels.





 
 
Time to make it shine... the engine bay was treated with a combination of In & Out Spray, Super VRT, and block sponges


 
The finished results were awesome! Not bad for a truck sporting 6 digits on the odometer!! Not everything came back good as new, but I was more than happy with the turn around.





 
I called it a day at this point, lots of rest needed for an early Saturday morning with lots of paint correction!!
 
DAY 3 - Saturday:
 
The day starts with a decision to use a mixture of APC and Car Wash for the first round of decontamination. After inspecting the paint closely there are all manner of issues, including what appears to be tar or sap dried in various areas. Also wanting to strip the trim and plastics of any oily dressings it seemed like a good choice.
 
In my Foam gun I went with a mixture that included about 6oz of All Purpose Cleaner, combined with 2oz of Car Wash to give the foam some lubricity. The mixture was very effective at stripping and foamed extremely well.
 
Taking the pH level out of balance with the APC ensured it would completely strip everything in one shot. Just needed to be sure not to allow the mix to dry on the paint or risk damage.
 


 
Opting for the pressure washer again I started by rinsing everything very well.


 
Next the truck was foamed using my APC/Car Wash mixture

 
2 bucket wash method was followed, and 3 wash pads were used. 1 Jumbo for the upper 2/3rds, a standard for the lower 1/3rd, and a separate mit for the front end/grill which was heavily contaminated with bugs

 
Switching over to the ultimate fire hose nozzle everything was rinsed

 
I quickly towel and Detail Spray dried the truck and got to work with the clay. The shade was shrinking quickly and the temps were climbing.


 
From just one test spot you can see this paint was NASTY!!

 
Back to the hose and 2 bucket wash to get the clay residue off of the paint. So much junk was pulled off that I was not going to risk going over the top of the residue. 2 new wash pads were used for this wash to avoid cross contamination from the APC mixture in the strip wash.
 
Started with a good rinsing

 
Then foamed using a mixture of 4oz Adam's Car Wash Shampoo



 
Separate mit was used for the lower sections again

 
One last good rinsing with the ultimate fire hose nozzle, then the truck was sheet rinsed to eliminated standing water


 
With shade rapidly disappearing the E-Z up was deployed while I got the water out of all the trim, cracks and crevices with the Blaster Sidekick

 
The remaining water was towel dried with a great white drying towel and waterless wash as a drying agent.
 
The door jambs were wiped down using waterless wash and a edgeless utility towel

 
Knowing the trim was already going to take multiple applications of Super VRT to restore I opted to apply the first coat before beginning paint correction. This step also helps save me time later as I wont need to tape off.
 
Treating trim BEFORE polishing or waxing creates a sort of barrier that wax/polish residue won't stick to, making it easier to wipe away. Also I could get sloppy with the application. If any Super VRT residue was left on the paint or glass it would be removed during the polishing stages.



 
The tops of the bed rails were especially dry and chalky... Super VRT restored them to a nice sheen




 
 
With the trim dressed it was time to start on the paint. Being that there were so many areas in need of focus pad work I started there first, going around the truck and attacking each of the deeper scratches and scuffs with the green 4" pad and Severe Swirl Remover on my cordless drill. Each area was then hit with the orange 4" pad and Swirl & Haze Remover.

 
Once I was satisfied that I had reduced the major defects to a point that the flex could handle the remainder or a scratch was too deep to be completely corrected I designated the drivers door as my test panel. This part of the truck seemed to have the worst of the water etching and swirl marks.
 
I began by taping off a section so I could monitor my progress

 
The section was then hit with the Green Flex Pad + Severe Swirl Remover, followed by 2 passes of Orange Flex Pad + Swirl & Haze Remover, and finished with the White Flex Pad and Fine Machine Polish:


 
The metallics made it difficult to capture all the defects, but the diffusion of the flash alone shows what a difference the process made in clarifying the paint.


 
Satisfied I had identified my process I proceeded to polish the entire truck, panel by panel using the same method.

 
The difference in paint clarity was very obvious once I completed a section of the hood


 
 
Temps rapidly climbing to triple digits I moved the truck fully into the garage and continued working. To counteract the heat of the panels and the machine I sprayed each panel with distilled ice water and wiped with a clean single soft towel before polishing. This slowed the speed at which the polish dried out and allowed me to work with less dusting.
 
Knowing I was asking a lot of the flex to work so hard, for so long, in these temps I had an icechest nearby with cold packs inside. When the machine began to get too hot and transfer that heat to the pads I would shut it off and allow it to sit closed in the icechest for a few minutes to reduce the temps.
 
Also working under my 500w halogen made it easier to monitor progress as I worked.
 

 
Smaller sections like the pillars, around badges, and the front grill were polished using the 4" pads on the porter cable



 
Once the paint was completed it was time to turn my attention to the chrome bumpers. Both had SEVERELY bad water staining that the claybar didn't help much. A mixture of vinegar was tried as well with little result.
 
Using a couple of old 4" white pads on the PC I used Metal Polish #1 followed by Metal Polish #2 and the bumpers came out perfect

 
A clear 50/50 shot of the before and after

 
After polishing with both steps I removed the residue with a fresh edgeless utility towel

 
At this point I had been working on the truck for 11 hours... time to call it a night, and enjoy some time with my wife and son. Another early start awaits me on Sunday if I'm gonna finish this thing!!
 
DAY 4 - Sunday:
 
When my alarm went off at 5:45 I had a "what have I started?" moment. A cup of coffee and I was ready to get going.
 
Since the truck had been inside overnight it was still clean, but to be sure I started with a Waterless Wash/Waterless Towel wipe down to get any dust that may have settled off of the surface

 
While doing the waterless wipe down I noticed some areas where the Fine Machine Polish had not come off cleanly. I've experienced this in the past when trying to correct paint in high heat. My solution is to use a Grey Porter Cable Waxing pad with Revive Polish. The paint cleaning properties of Revive clean up any leftover Fine Machine Polish and everything removes from the paint easily with a single soft towel


 
Now I'm starting to see that reflection I'm after!!


 
Paint as I wanted it (again) I picked up where I left off the day before - the bumpers. Again with a pair of spare 4" white pads and the porter cable I put Metal Polish #1 and Metal Polish #2 thru their paces... I was even more blown away by the results on the rear bumper. Keep in mind this is an area that had been washed, clayed, and wiped with vinegar to remove the water spots prior to this, but MP 1 & 2 got the job done!
 


 
Next was the glass... the water spots (like the on the bumpers) were unaffected by clay and vinegar... so the 4" orange pad went onto the porter cable and the windows were all buffed with Swirl & Haze Remover which worked perfectly.



 
The rear window only had some hazing and small spots, the orange hex grip applicator with Swirl & Haze Remover did the job there

 
Interior and exterior windows got a wipe down with Adam's Glass Cleaner and a microfiber glass towel


 
All the polishing had left some polish dust in various areas, I used the blaster sidekick to blow the dust from the finish and out of the crevices.

 
Time for the tires and undercarriage... a heavy dose of Super VRT on a pro tire app handled the rubber, invisible undercarriage spray turned the chalky fenders dark black
 




 
 
Time to unveil a little something I've been working on... but first the paint needed to be BARE. I wanted no residual polishing oils or anything on the surface so I wiped the paint down with isopropyl alcohol and a single soft towel.

 
 
You know that spray sealant I've been hinting at?? Well here it is... code-name Adam's Speed Sealant. We're still in testing phases, but its getting closer to being a finished product.
 

 
The product is unique in that its a high tech micro polymer that begins to form a very hard bond as soon as it hits the paint, for proper atomization it needs to be in a compressed aerosol can and will be the first product of its kind.
 
Its simply sprayed onto ANY surface (paint, glass, chrome, plastic trim, etc)

 
Then spread with a foam applicator, I prefer the Americana apps

 
Its an optically clear sealant, so it can be applied across decal edges without any buildup



 
After removing the residue with a double soft microfiber towel the sealant reveals a super reflective, bright shine. I moved the truck partially out into the light to inspect the results




 
The bumpers were also treated with the prototype sealant


 
The entire truck was treated to a coating of the new sealant, including the glass. At which point I looked up to see the thermometer topping 103*.
 
Took a break and waited for the temps to get back into the low 90's... when they did I returned to the garage for a final coat of Americana Paste Wax double soft, snapped a couple of quick pics and tucked it in for the night before watching my Halos beat the Dodgers again.
 
Plan is to wake up tomorrow, pull it out, give it a final inspection, get some good full sun pics and hopefully by then the owner should be here to see it. I'm excited to see what he thinks
 

 

 

 
Some badass dropped Avalanche kept showing up in the reflections

 

 

 

 

 

 
I'll post the final shots tomorrow when I have a chance to upload them. Hope everyone has a good 4th of July! Thanks for looking.
 
 
 
DAY 5 - THE CONCLUSION:
 
Backed the beast out of the garage (no small task with the angle my garage sits) and gave it a visual inspection. Some spots were wiped down with Detail Spray and yet another clean Double Soft towel.
 
The windows were touched up with Glass Cleaner and Glass Towel to get some streaks that hadn't been visible in the garage.
 
A couple areas around the front tow hooks were hit again with In & Out Spray that I had missed earlier.
 
I even went so far as to polish the antenna that had been removed so I could clear the garage door before I put it back on.
 

 

 

 
 
 
Drove it down the street to a local park where I usually take my after shots. The lighting is good and theres room to get around the truck at various angles. Even at 9am the light was already harsh.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Catching a reflection of the tree, the street light, part of the mirror and even the interior off the hood. Not too bad!!

 
Engine bay still looking pretty

 
 
Remember those dry, chalky, faded cowl pieces and mirrors?



 
The wheels, cleaned, polished, and sealed

 
The glass, now spot and streak free, with a coat of sealant

 
 
Trying to capture the lack of swirls proved a little difficult given the harshness of the light and the amount of metallic flake in the paint. A couple of these shots I tweaked the exposure slightly to show the condition of the paint - no swirls!
 
 







 
 
Sitting back at the house now, waiting for my cousin to come pick it up. Thanks for reading this marathon of a detail thread. Hope it was entertaining and educational... Now I'm gonna enjoy my last day of the 3 day weekend.
 

Plush to waffle weave, glass towels to wash pads, and even more recently polishing pads, microfiber has forever changed how shine freaks keep their cars looking great and how detailers correct, protect, and care for customers cars. The argument could be made that no single advancement in the world of car care has had a larger impact in the last decade than microfiber. Professionals and enthusiasts alike all keep a hefty supply of a wide variety of towels on hand at all times, but despite its omnipresence in the care care world there is still a fair amount of mis-information and mis-understanding as to how they should be cared for.
 
In this FAQ article I'll be covering the basics of cleaning and care for your microfiber towels and a little bit of background on what makes them the preferred choice of detailers.
 
WHAT IS MICROFIBER?
What good is it to get into all the minutia of microfiber if you don't first have an understanding of the materials composition and history?
 
Microfiber can be composed of many parts, most commonly in the detailing / car care industry we use a combination of polyesters and polyamides. These microscopic laboratory born fibers are around 1/100th the diameter of a human hair, this ultra fine thread is what gives microfiber its delicate touch and super soft feel. To put that size into perspective, if you were to think of a regulation basketball as the equivalent of the diameter of a human hair, an individual strand of microfiber would be smaller than an M&M chocolate candy!
 
Why is this important? While you might see a fluffy towel with your naked eye on a microscopic level there is a very tiny, but very uniform and durable strand there. Almost all microfiber will share an identical fiber structure, regardless of weave or pattern. How the fibers are laid out will impart different characteristics to the material (plush for delicate surfaces, waffle weave for drying, flat for glass, suede for coatings, etc)
 
Each individual strand has a star-like structure and all strands are virtually identical across the entire surface of a towel. If you could pull a fiber from one towel, and another from a different towel of similar quality and cross section them you'd likely not be able to tell them apart.  This leads to a uniformly soft towel that performs the same regardless of fold or what portion is in contact with the surface. This is in stark contrast to the wild inconsistency of cotton fibers which can vary in shape and size from one strand to the next. (see the image below)
 
The star shaped structure on each strand allow microfiber to trap small particles, dirt, moisture and debris making them very effective for cleaning. Compared to the inconsistent, tube-like, shape of cotton which is absorbent, but not ideal for cleaning microfiber has a clear advantage.
 

 
WHERE DID MICROFIBER COME FROM?
These tiny man made textiles were actually being produced back as early as the 1950's though the applications were extremely limited. Technology at the time had its limitations and it was next to impossible to produce long continuous strands in a consistent manner making it not only very expensive, but also very time consuming to produce. Technology began to catch up in the late 1960's when a team of Japanese researchers were able to produce microfibers in long continuous strands. This breakthrough lead to the adoption of microfiber for a variety of applications in the 1970's in the textiles industry. By the 1990's microfiber would gain popularity in the cleaning products market, but mostly in the janitorial and hospitality industries due to its sanitary properties and low tendency to shed or lint.
 
In the early 2000's I personally had my first experience with this new 'micro towel' a friend of mine had gotten his hands on. It was softer than the cotton diapers we were all used to using in those days and in the coming years we began to see more and more variety in towels available. A good friend and fellow detailer actually began importing these towels as a side business around 2002 and instantly the SoCal detail market began to change. Everyone wanted these incredible new towels.
 
In the years after that microfiber would explode and become widely accepted as the best option for any kind of detailing. The towels continued to improve and find new configurations - waffle weave, glass towels, foam core towels, applicators, and most recently the microfiber buffing pads. Its funny to think back on a time before microfiber, when a cotton diaper was the best option now, and even stranger to think that it wasn't all that long ago.
 
WHAT DOES 'WEIGHT' MEAN?
 
GSM or "Grams Per Square Meter" or "g/m2" is also referred to as the towels "weight". This measurement dictates the materials fiber density. In other words the relation between the mass of a towel and how much space or volume it takes up. Usually the higher the GSM the softer the towel. Plush towels for use on delicate surfaces should be at least 360gsm, but I personally prefer towels at least 460gsm or higher. Towels in the 200-350gsm range are best suited for non-delicate surfaces and tasks, like scrubbing leather seats or wiping off things under the hood.
 
Now, the GSM rating isn't always the best way to define a towel. For example a waffle weave towel may have a lower GSM, but thats due to the way its constructed not as much due to the quality of the material.

To be safe always buy your towels from a reputable source, and before jumping in with both feet test it in a small area to make sure its delicate enough for the job you're about to do. If you use a low GSM towel all over your car without first testing you'll have a lot of paint correcting to do!
 
USE THE RIGHT TOWEL FOR THE JOB
Because microfiber marks such a substantial investment in your detailing collection its important to do your best to preserve them to get the most use from them before they are retired. To this end its always a good idea to segment your towels into various types.
 
Plush or deep fibers are generally best for extremely delicate jobs, like wiping or polishing clear coat, while shorter or looped fibers have superior scrubbing and cleaning power. Waffle weaves offer the best absorbancy gram for gram and flat weave towels are ideal for non-delicate surfaces where streak free performance is paramount.
 
But don't just section your towels off by type! Sort your towels out in your collection for the jobs they're best suited for. Don't waste a good towel on a dirty job like wiping a door hinge or polishing metal. Preserve your best towels and retire old or stained towels to less important jobs.
 
WHATS CONTAMINATING YOUR TOWEL MAKES A DIFFERENCE
When you think about the contamination thats in your towels after a use you're talking about a pretty thick cocktail of polymers, waxes, oils, and other stubborn residues that need strong detergents to remove. For example waxes and sealants are products that BY DESIGN resist removal from detergents, water, heat, etc on your paint. A "good durable" wax or sealant is defined by its ability to resist detergents thru more than a few washes. These products behave no differently when buried deep within the fibers of your towels. Anyone whos tried to strip wash a sealant knows that sometimes it takes a pretty aggressive mix of All Purpose Cleaner to get it completely removed.

So knowing what kind of fight these products put up on your paint, why assume they'd be so much more easy going when bonded to a towel fiber? They aren't. This is why a stronger detergent or dedicated microfiber cleaner like Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer & Brightener is key to maintaining your towels. Removing product residues is just as important to your microfiber as any other part of their care and MFR&B was designed specifically to break down the things most commonly found in detailing towels.
 
The types of contamination found in automotive detailing towels will be far different than the soil, food, and grime found in other towels around your home. While a dish towel might have a combination of last nights spaghetti sauce and that mystery food goo from the fridge, your detailing towels will be full of polish, wax, and sealant residues. Because of this the type of detergent you choose is important.
 
Regular laundry soaps are still an effective option - most good detergents can remove most anything you find, or at the very least break them up enough to be effective. We've all seen the TV commercials where brand X removes grass stains, wine stains, ground in dirt - but I haven't seen one yet that says it'll remove carnauba wax and polymer sealants. Removing a grass stain from your socks is a much different proposition to removing a sealant from your towels.
 

 
The option to avoid, and one incorrectly recommended by amateurs all over the web, are 'delicate' detergents like woolite. Products in this category are lacking in the areas needed to really remove all the residues found in your towels. Sure, if you need to clean a silk shirt or delicate unmentionables by all means reach for your woolite, but we're dealing with tough residues embedded deep into very tiny fibers - use a detergent capable of getting the job done. While microfiber is important, and should be cared for appropriately, it is fairly durable stuff and can handle stronger detergents to make sure they are 100% clean. Weaker detergents will continually leave behind a small amount of detailing contamination, leading to a slow buildup and eventually hampered performance.
 
 
REGULAR CLEANING:
Your microfiber should be cleaned after every use. While it might be tempting to let that drying towel sit and use it again next weekend you run the risk of contamination causing swirls or letting something set into the towels that will be more difficult to remove later. Cleaning microfiber is usually the least enjoyable part of a detail, but in the end staying on top of your laundry just ensures that your towels will be at their best and ready when you are.
 
CLEANING TOWELS
Always separate your dirtiest towels, like those used to clean wheels or for metal polishing, from your 'good' plush and drying towels to avoid cross contamination and wash them in separate loads. Keep cotton and other materials out of the wash loads. Wash microfiber only with other microfiber. Use a dedicated microfiber detergent like Microfiber Revitalizer or a dye free/perfume free liquid laundry soap - no powders or granulated. Set washer to a warm water setting. Some heat is required to break down waxes and polishes. Cold settings will not clean towels as effectively. If your washer is equipped with an extra rinse cycle, use it. This will make sure as much of the contamination and remaining soap is removed from the towels as possible. Microfiber can be machine dried if you prefer, use a low heat setting and NO FABRIC SOFTENER. Air or line drying is also an option, be sure to do this somewhere the towels cannot be contaminated with dust or lint.  
MICROFIBER PADS & APPLICATORS
Just like with towels, separate any extremely dirty or contaminated pads from the group and wash separately to avoid cross contamination. Wash pads and applicators separate from towels. The foam backing and velcro can become snagged and damaged during agitation by a towel in the same load. Use a brush to break up heavy, caked in, polish residues on pads before washing. Microfiber Revitalizer is preferred, but if using regular laundry soap make sure its dye/perfume free. Set washer to a warm setting, not hot. Pads have a glue membrane that is sensitive to high heat so stick to warm wash water settings. Air dry all pads and applicators on a wire rack to maximize airflow and expedite drying.
HEAVY STAINS AND CONTAMINATION:
No matter what there is going to be occasions where a towel becomes extremely contaminated or stained from either something you removed from a vehicle (grease, oil, tar, etc) or it becomes saturated with a product to the point there is some discoloration. In these situations pre-treating or at the very minimum pre-soaking the microfiber to keep these stains from setting in is key. Obviously, you can't stop mid-detail and clean your microfiber accessories, so here are some quick tips to help with heavier contamination on the fly.
Pre-treat any towel that becomes heavily soiled with grease, oil, brake dust, etc - spray liberally with All Purpose Cleaner or Microfiber Revitalizer. Soak the heaviest contamination and rub the towel against itself to agitate, then set aside for cleaning later. Pre-soak towels to help start the cleaning process long before you get around to doing your detail laundry. Prep a separate bucket with clean water and add 2-3oz of Microfiber Revitalizer. As towels become too dirty to continue using toss them into the pre-soak bucket. Place a grit guard, upside down and ON TOP of the towels after they've been put in the mix to hold them in the solution as they try to float to the top. For microfiber polishing pads or applicators use a stiff brush, like the pad conditioning brush, to break up residues before they harden and set in. Pads can also be added to your pre-soak bucket if desired. If a towel ever becomes so contaminated that it doesn't wash clean, it may be time to retire it to a new job. Rotate towels that have been heavily stained to less delicate tasks.
 MICROFIBER STORAGE:
Where your towels are kept when they are not in use is just as important as how they are cared for, so make sure you have a solution for keeping your towels out of harms way and dust free between uses. Plastic storage totes are an inexpensive solution - the lid will keep your towels from collecting dust in an area like a garage and will also minimize the amount of crawly insects that might find a new home buried in all that plush softness.
 
Always be sure your microfiber is completely dry before storage. Mildew will form on towels in some climates if they are even slightly damp. This is especially true of microfiber applicators and pads. The foam backing and cores is a magnet for moisture avoid using air tight containers for anything with a foam core or backing unless you are completely confident it is dry all the way through.
 
BOILING YOUR TOWELS:
Over time your microfiber may become contaminated past the point it can be completely cleaned using traditional methods. Typically this will present itself during use - drying towels will begin to feel less absorbent. Plush towels may lint slightly or smear products more than remove them. This is an indication that the fibers are 'full' either from residues deposited during use or things like fabric softener accidentally introduced during cleaning.

In any event, if your towels begin to loose their performance or just don't feel as good as they did new boiling is the solution, the last resort, to bring them back. NOTE: this process applies only to towels and microfiber without foam cores or backing. Never boil pads or applicators. 
Fill a large cooking pot approximately 2/3rd full of water and bring to a boil Add approximately 1-2oz of distilled white vinegar per gallon of water and stir Place a few of the towels to be treated into the pot, maintaining a slow boil Stir continuously with a large spoon, avoid letting the towels rest against the bottom or sides for too long After about 60-90 seconds in the boil, remove the towels using tongs and rinse under cool water Wash using the "Regular Cleaning" guidelines outlined earlier and they should be as good as new. NOTE: Should boiling fail to bring absorbancy to a towel or the towel continues to lint then you are most likely dealing with a towel at the end of its lifespan. Retire the towel to less important tasks and replace with a new one for future use.
 
HOW LONG WILL A TOWEL LAST?
There really is no set answer to that question. Depending on how frequently they are used, how well they are cared for, and the types of products they're used with a towel can last for a very short or very long time. On average a towel should last the average user at least a year or two. Understand that no towels are good forever, they wear out eventually like any other product that sees frequent use. 

If you experience diminished performance after some time and try the recommended boiling method it might be time to retire that towel and replace it with a new one. Your vehicle is a big investment and towels by comparison are a relatively small price in making sure it stays looking nice.
 
One thing is for certain - the better care you take of your microfiber towels and accessories, the better they'll do at caring for your vehicles.

We had done great weather this past weekend here in Wichita. I had the wagon out and snapped a few pictures.

Those RS-D's would look sick on your car!! I have been saving my pennies for some Forgestar F14s

I'm not even gonna lie, that is a sexy car! It came out really well. How much do those work wheels weigh? less than stock?

Lol, Oh don't judge, its a sickness and you all have it too.  You KNOW you're checking the forum everyday to see what Adam's will do next!