I'm sure everyone will agree, this stuff is great! So here's a bit of a story...
(Pardon Postzilla here, por favor.)
The Setup
I've got about 7 soft microfiber towels in my possession: one new single-soft, two newish double-soft, two older double-soft I had retired due to linting, and two classic true-blue that I had also retired due to linting.
The newish double-softs had finally started to lint lightly on me depending on which side of the towel I used, and I was a bit disappointed considering they were one of my last options for buffing. For my recent round of polishing, I ended up leaning heavily on my new single-soft. The newish double-softs had also begun to smear around any detail spray that I spritzed on the car, rather than absorbing it.
Care has been machine wash cold with liquid detergent (Tide or Tide Coldwater), then tumble dry low or air dry. (I love my new Samsung dryer, by the by. It has an extra low setting that is so low, I can tumble two double-softs together for 40 minutes and they still come out damp.)
The Experiment
So since the towels were on their way out, I decided to go for broke. Rather than boiling them, I'd try a washing machine equivalent: hot water, pre-wash with Revive/Restore, plus the wash cycle, then double rinse to ensure all product was removed. Remove, tumble dry low or extra low.
The Result?
Absorbency restored! They'll actually absorb detail spray again! The linting? Reduced, but not eliminated. The towels are back in service, partially.
I decided to also try my older towels. Amazingly, similar results! In fact, the true blues don't lint any more! I recently used one of them to buff off Revive polish on my wheels. No lint, at ALL.
So here's my theory.
In this case, I know that the lack of absorbency was caused by saturation with product. I think I may be using too much Americana when I wax the vehicle (a problem for a separate thread), so the towels get caked over a few uses and the wax prevents proper absorption.
But I think the wax buildup is also what causes linting.
Rather than picking up fibers from my washer or dryer, I think the fibers that come off on the paint are the fibers of the towel itself releasing as the towel ages and wears. This would explain why the old true blue fibers were longer when they linted, besides being ... blue.
Normally, the fibers release in the washer and dryer, or come out harmlessly during use without adhering to the car. But the same wax that coats the fibers and prevent absorption also binds the loose fibers into the towel, preventing them from releasing during wash and dry. Instead, when the towel is dragged across paint, the friction pulls the fibers out and the same wax buildup that adhered them to the towel now adheres them to the car's paint. If it were simply static attraction, a wipe with another towel should do the trick to release them. But the way the linting fibers stick to the car and actually require a cleaner to remove makes me think something on the fibers is causing the adhesion.
It also kind of explains the recovery of the true blue towels, which have a looser nap than the double softs and would more readily release any caked product.
That's all my theory, anyway.
So to try to recover the towels fully...
I washed my newest double-softs with the new single-soft last night, then ran a tumble dry extra-low for half an hour. The single-soft came out fully dry and soft (can't tell if it's any rougher; I'll try the CD test to be safe), while the double-softs came out nice and plush and still a bit damp. This morning, I felt them a bit and the double-softs still feel a bit... gummy, perhaps, deeper into the towel. Not sure if it's still moisture left, but I'm wondering if there's still product in the towels.
So maybe a bucket with warm water, some Revive/Restore, let them soak overnight and agitate occasionally, then wash again?
Either way...
...care is now wash warm with MRR, double rinse, tumble dry low. It keeps the soft towels nice and ... soft.
The GWDTs seem more appreciative of air drying, though. Then again, I think my current towels are toast from being dried in the dryer back at my old house. On that thing, low was still scorching.
Only Complaint?
I think my only complaint about the Revive/Restore so far is that each of the two 16 oz. repurposed Adams bottles I've put it in have developed cracks! The first was admittedly a 2-year-old SHR bottle, but the second is an APC bottle that's less than a year old! So either I'm batting 0 on finding bottles for this stuff, or it actually makes the plastic brittle!
Question
Eidolon
I'm sure everyone will agree, this stuff is great! So here's a bit of a story...
(Pardon Postzilla here, por favor.)
The Setup
I've got about 7 soft microfiber towels in my possession: one new single-soft, two newish double-soft, two older double-soft I had retired due to linting, and two classic true-blue that I had also retired due to linting.
The newish double-softs had finally started to lint lightly on me depending on which side of the towel I used, and I was a bit disappointed considering they were one of my last options for buffing. For my recent round of polishing, I ended up leaning heavily on my new single-soft. The newish double-softs had also begun to smear around any detail spray that I spritzed on the car, rather than absorbing it.
Care has been machine wash cold with liquid detergent (Tide or Tide Coldwater), then tumble dry low or air dry. (I love my new Samsung dryer, by the by. It has an extra low setting that is so low, I can tumble two double-softs together for 40 minutes and they still come out damp.)
The Experiment
So since the towels were on their way out, I decided to go for broke. Rather than boiling them, I'd try a washing machine equivalent: hot water, pre-wash with Revive/Restore, plus the wash cycle, then double rinse to ensure all product was removed. Remove, tumble dry low or extra low.
The Result?
Absorbency restored! They'll actually absorb detail spray again! The linting? Reduced, but not eliminated. The towels are back in service, partially.
I decided to also try my older towels. Amazingly, similar results! In fact, the true blues don't lint any more! I recently used one of them to buff off Revive polish on my wheels. No lint, at ALL.
So here's my theory.
In this case, I know that the lack of absorbency was caused by saturation with product. I think I may be using too much Americana when I wax the vehicle (a problem for a separate thread), so the towels get caked over a few uses and the wax prevents proper absorption.
But I think the wax buildup is also what causes linting.
Rather than picking up fibers from my washer or dryer, I think the fibers that come off on the paint are the fibers of the towel itself releasing as the towel ages and wears. This would explain why the old true blue fibers were longer when they linted, besides being ... blue.
Normally, the fibers release in the washer and dryer, or come out harmlessly during use without adhering to the car. But the same wax that coats the fibers and prevent absorption also binds the loose fibers into the towel, preventing them from releasing during wash and dry. Instead, when the towel is dragged across paint, the friction pulls the fibers out and the same wax buildup that adhered them to the towel now adheres them to the car's paint. If it were simply static attraction, a wipe with another towel should do the trick to release them. But the way the linting fibers stick to the car and actually require a cleaner to remove makes me think something on the fibers is causing the adhesion.
It also kind of explains the recovery of the true blue towels, which have a looser nap than the double softs and would more readily release any caked product.
That's all my theory, anyway.
So to try to recover the towels fully...
I washed my newest double-softs with the new single-soft last night, then ran a tumble dry extra-low for half an hour. The single-soft came out fully dry and soft (can't tell if it's any rougher; I'll try the CD test to be safe), while the double-softs came out nice and plush and still a bit damp. This morning, I felt them a bit and the double-softs still feel a bit... gummy, perhaps, deeper into the towel. Not sure if it's still moisture left, but I'm wondering if there's still product in the towels.
So maybe a bucket with warm water, some Revive/Restore, let them soak overnight and agitate occasionally, then wash again?
Either way...
...care is now wash warm with MRR, double rinse, tumble dry low. It keeps the soft towels nice and ... soft.
The GWDTs seem more appreciative of air drying, though. Then again, I think my current towels are toast from being dried in the dryer back at my old house. On that thing, low was still scorching.
Only Complaint?
I think my only complaint about the Revive/Restore so far is that each of the two 16 oz. repurposed Adams bottles I've put it in have developed cracks! The first was admittedly a 2-year-old SHR bottle, but the second is an APC bottle that's less than a year old! So either I'm batting 0 on finding bottles for this stuff, or it actually makes the plastic brittle!
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