The Great Microfiber + Steam Washer Experiment

[Chadg]

I usually post all of my detailing questions/rants on Camaro5.com, which Dylan is a key participant. So for those of you who I have not met yet:

 

Full disclosure - I am obsessive compulsive in all things having to do with my car. My Adam's microfiber towels are the pride of my collection - soft . . . luxurious, they receive care and handling beyond any article of clothing I have (including my suits).

 

I just recently moved from Virginia to California and was forced to buy a new high efficiency steam washer and dryer. While my wife care only about how to launder her lacy and frilly things, I care only about how to properly care for my Adam's microfiber towels.

 

The questions abound when you have over 20 settings and selections to choose from - but I was mostly stumped by whether or not I should use the steam function on my microfibers.

 

What better way to find out than to conduct an experiment. Let me start with the Problem Statement:

 

Is there any advantage to using the Steam Function on your microfiber towels, or will it actually cause harm?

 

Now let me discuss the experimental setup:

 

I will conduct this experiment using two of the following three kinds of Adam's microfiber towels (Double-Soft, Great White Drying, and Waterless Wash).

 

The plush Double-Soft towels will be boiled prior to the experiment as they were exhibiting some linting issues (which were most likely due to user error and overapplication of Machine Super Wax/Quick Sealant).

 

All towels will be laundered with Dreft (the microfiber detergent I bought from Detailer's Domain creates more suds than I am comfortable with using a HE machine - I will test Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer and Brightener in a separate review at a later date). One of each towel will be laundered on the Normal Setting using the Steam function, the other will be laundered using the Delicate setting using warm water.

 

Each type of towel will be compared after laundering and after use in my next major detailing effort (to take place within 1.5 weeks).

 

I will compare the cleanliness, softness and texture of the Double-Soft towels after laundering and how well they perform for polish/sealant removal during detailing.

 

I will compare the cleanliness, softness and texture of the Great White Drying towels after laundering and also their drying performance during detaling.

 

I will compare the cleanliness, softness and texture of the Waterless Wash towels after laundering and also how well they distribute/absorb product during detailing.

 

Preliminary Results:

 

As you can see, in the pictures that follow - the plush towels look quite ugly after boiling (first two images), the fibers are matted and clumped. After the steam wash the double-soft towel came out soft and clean (third image), but did not appear to be any more clean than the regularly washed towel (fourth image). The regularly washed towel; however, felt noticeably softer and more supple than the steam washed towel.

 

There was no discernable difference between the way the steam and regularly washed Great White Drying towels and Waterless Wash towels felt after washing.

 

The true test of how a steam wash effects your microfiber towels will be answered in my upcoming detailing session; however, I will state some assumptions based on these preliminary results.

 

1. The Steam Function doesn't "magically clean" your towels any better than the regular delicate wash cycle.

 

2. If there are detrimental effects to using the Steam cycle on your towels, they will likely get progressively worse over time.

 

I look forward to getting my car back into shape after the 3000 mile drive cross country and will post back with some pictures of the car as well as my final assessment on the problem statement.

 

Enjoy and wish me luck! The last pictures are of the "lab" where the experiment will be taking place.

Edited July 18, 2012 by Chadg
Adding Attachments

[LFairbanks]

I just recently moved from Virginia to California and was forced to buy a new high efficiency steam washer and dryer. While my wife care only about how to launder her lacy and frilly things, I care only about how to properly care for my Adam's microfiber towels.

 

As you can see, in the pictures that follow - the plush towels look quite ugly after boiling (first two images), the fibers are matted and clumped. After the steam wash the double-soft towel came out soft and clean (third image), but did not appear to be any more clean than the regularly washed towel (fourth image). The regularly washed towel; however, felt noticeably softer and more supple than the steam washed towel.

 

I had to laugh at the first paragraph. But I posted in regards to the second. Where are the pictures? Nevermind. I see them now.

[Chadg]

I had to laugh at the first paragraph. But I posted in regards to the second. Where are the pictures? Nevermind. I see them now.

 

Just fixed it, something weird happened and I timed out.

[RByers91]

It may be my eyes deceiving me but it looks to me the steam cleaned one has a whiter look to it. Could just be the pictures. Great test by the way! Would love to see the outcome when using the revitalizer.

[Chadg]

It may be my eyes deceiving me but it looks to me the steam cleaned one has a whiter look to it. Could just be the pictures. Great test by the way! Would love to see the outcome when using the revitalizer.

 

That could be due to the pictures being taken at different times of the day, side by side they are nearly identical. By the way, the steam cycle with only 1 towel in the washer took nearly 2.5 hours . . .

[70'sChevyGirl]

Well a test on towels? Interesting.

 

I will always wash the towels the way I always have with much success. Woolite or Dreft, by themselves so while they are whirling around my washer they can touch one another and no steam.

[Rich]

Did you use the Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer when you did this?

To me, they all look like mine always do no matter how I wash them. If it took you 2.5 hours to steam them...................then you have waaaayyy too much time on your hands. I don't. I'm with Teresa. I'll just keep on washing them my usual way and using the Revitalizer. I like the results I get using that stuff.

[Tim]

I've done this as well. 2.5 hours - put them the washer when you finish up (usually around 10PM for me), set the timer on the washer so that it starts in 5 hours and will finish up at 5:30 AM. No time wasted at all.

[Chadg]

Did you use the Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer when you did this?

To me, they all look like mine always do no matter how I wash them. If it took you 2.5 hours to steam them...................then you have waaaayyy too much time on your hands. I don't. I'm with Teresa. I'll just keep on washing them my usual way and using the Revitalizer. I like the results I get using that stuff.

 

I've done this as well. 2.5 hours - put them the washer when you finish up (usually around 10PM for me), set the timer on the washer so that it starts in 5 hours and will finish up at 5:30 AM. No time wasted at all.

 

When you run it overnight and let it continue to tumble the towels (the "Wrinkle Guard" feature on Kenmores) you don't waste any time and won't harm the towels by letting them sit in the washer overnight. It's not like I start the wash and then stare through the window for 2.5 hours!

[Chadg]

The Great White Drying towel experiment results are in!

 

As you will be able to see in the first two pictures both sides of the hood of my wife's car were equally wet after rinsing.

 

In picture three you will see that I have the Great White Drying towel that was steamed on the driver's side of the hood (right side of the picture with the bag marked "S") and the regularly washed towel on the passenger's side of the hood.

 

I then slowly drug each towel across the hood to the front of the vehicle to test drying performance - no detail spray was used.

 

As you should be able to see in the fourth and fifth pictures, the drying performance of the steamed towel was noticeably less than that of the regularly washed towel (if you can't see it, blame my photography skills) even though the texture, softness and appearance of both of the towels was identical.

 

In conclusion I DO NOT recommend steam washing your drying towels for any reason. If heavily soiled treat spots with APC and wash in a delicate cycle with AT MOST warm water using Dreft/Woolite/Microfiber Revitalizer.

 

The verdict is still out on the waterless wash and double-plush towels - I will use them this weekend on my Camaro.

 

As noted before the steamed double-plush towel felt noticeably stiffer and less soft than the regularly washed one. There appeared to be no difference between the steamed and regularly washed waterless wash towels but as demonstrated with the Great White Drying towels it may not necessarily correlate to their performance. More to follow next week after my Camaro is done!

[Chadg]

Experiment complete:

 

I just worked for 20 hours over two days detailing the Camaro (and I'm still not completely satisfied with my results) and didn't have time to take pictures so you will have to take my word at the moment.

 

Waterless wash towels: There was no discernible difference between the steamed and regularly washed waterless wash towels. I used them for an isopropyl alcohol wipe-down, detail spray, and sealant removal. Both towels felt and performed identically. This at least proves there is no benefit to steam washing vs washing on delicate cycle with cold water.

 

Double-Soft Microfiber towels: I used these towels for both polish and sealant removal. As stated earlier, all towels were exhibiting linting issues and were boiled prior to the experiment. All towels continued to exhibit linting issues for both polish and sealant removal, and the steam washed towel did not seem to lint any more or less than the regularly washed towels even though it did feel slightly less soft.

 

Overall I think it was easily shown that there is no direct benefit to steam washing your microfiber towels, and over time will most likely damage the towel. Steam cleaning will not magically solve any linting issues, nor will it get your towels noticeably cleaner than spot treating with APC and washing normally on Delicate cycle with cold water.

 

If you have any questions or comments - or would like to see something specific tested please reply or PM me to let me know.

[DaveVY]

Thanks for the write up!

 

[Osok]

Great job detailing this!