Have a lint issue with some Adams single and double soft towels... help!

[joeybsyc]

I have about a half dozen (maybe more) Adams towels that have this issue and I've tried just about everything i can think of to stop it.  When I wipe my black car i can see thousands of tiny fibers shedding from the towel and clinging to the body.   My paint is smooth, and I don't have this issue with other towels, nor do I have it with ALL of my Adams towels.  The towels are not stained or worn, I've tried washing them in woolite, Tide, and even plain water... I've tried treating and pre-treating them with Adams revitalizer, tried boiling them for 10-15 min at a time,  tried air drying them, drying them on low heat in the dryer, and even hand washed them, but whenever they dry out and i use them again, i get the exact same issue with the "micro-lint" that seems to static cling to my car and needs to be removed with a different towel.  I'm using them with detail spray, and they have never been used for waxes, chemicals, or anything else that would degrade the fibers prematurely.

 

To clarify this post, I'm not "bashing" Adams products, as i DO have some towels that work fine with no special treatment, but for the life of me I can't seem to get about 6 or 7 of them to stop shedding.  They've done this since new, and as noted above, they still DO look like new, as they've only wiped about one panel before I notice the lint and proceed with the next wash/lint removal attempt.   I'm betting I'm not the only person who's ever had this issue, and am hoping there's an easy fix to it that I'm missing.   Is there a known bad batch of these, or is there a simple solution?    Any help would be appreciated!  -Joe

Edited June 12, 2013 by joeybsyc

[camaro2ssblack]

Nothing will make them stop linting. I sent a few back and the new ones did the same. Like you said, it's not all of them but the majority in my experience. Eventually just moved on to a different brand...

As a general rule, don't wipe liquids with the single or double softs, use them for polish and LSP removal only. Use a waffle weave style towel for your liquids.

Only dark colored cars will notice it...

Edited June 12, 2013 by camaro2ssblack

[joeybsyc]

Not the answer I was hoping for...but kinda what I expected as I think I've just about exhausted every possible washing/drying method for trying to rid them of the shedding problem.    I bought these from an Adams distributor (GPC) and know I don't have the reciept for them anymore... Can I still qualify for a refund or even an exchange for something else?   

[camaro2ssblack]

I can't answer that, but send an email to customer service and they will assist you.

[SwagKilla]

Seems this is an area to improve.

[07RS4]

God I hope the 20 single softs I've had for almost 2 years don't start doing it

 

Kidding aside, but not really, I've never noticed mine linting and have done plenty of dark colored vehicles.  BUT, they where all bought quite awhile ago, maybe it was a QC issue that hasn't been really ID'd yet by the masses?

[SwagKilla]

I have a ton I ordered, so I hope this isn't the issue. If so, then I'll be using that 110% warranty.

[BRZN]

I've had this happen to towels in the past, both Adam's and other high quality brands. Like you, Joe, I tried all kinds of different types of laundry detergents, plain water and boiling with no change to the linting problem.

 

However, since switching to Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer and Brightner it's stopped. This detergent is specifically designed for cleaning out the chemicals we use these towels for, the others just weren't strong enough I'm guessing.

 

Here's how I clean my towels, it may be a bit of overkill, but it works for me:

1.) I pre-treat any spots or heavily soiled areas with a solution of the Microfiber Revitalizer and Brightner cut 70% with distilled water and leave them sit in a bucket, pre-treated, for 30 minutes. On rare occations where the towels are filthy, I'll let the soak in a bucket with 1oz of the detergent overnight prior to washing, but this doesn't happen often. In this carse I'll just wring them out prior to placing them in the washer.

2.) 1oz of the detergent goes into my front load HE washer along with the towels and they are run on the soak cycle. They sit in there for another 30 minutes after the soak cycle has finished.

3.) Another 1oz of detergent goes in the washer and they are washed with hot water.

4.) I run the washer one more time on the hot water normal wash cycle with no detergent, add 1/8 of a cup of distilled white vinegar to the fabric softener dispenser and set the machine to run an extra rinse cycle.

5.) I dry the towels in the dryer on medium heat.

 

A couple other things I do:

1.) I only wash full loads of towels.

2.)The load washed and dried prior to my towels will be a load that no fabric softener has been added to to minimize the chance of any fabric softener residue being left in either machine.

3.) I remove the soap/bleach/fabric softener dispenser and thoroughly wash any residues out of it.

 

Overkill? Perhaps.

Do my Microfiber Towels lint anymore? Nope.

 

 

[man5011]

I too am having the same issue and it has been quite frustrating. I have all this money tied up in these awesome towels and I have found myself reaching for the el-cheapo micro fibers bought from the local wholesale club because I dont feel like dealing with the lint. Hopefully the Adam's crew can weigh in on this.

[kmartind4]

I boiled all my older (2-3 yrs) single softs last night with splash of vinegar as directed on the microfiber care thread then washed with Adams Microfiber cleaner and hang dried. Not sure if there is a recommend time of boiling, but I only left them in there for about 1-2 mins and stirred around. Hopefully, this addresses my linting problem.

[Chewy]

NO amount of boiling has helped mine.  I relegated them to polish duty and use new ones for the removal of the LSP.  AQS seems to be the worst at making them lint for me.

 

Only my 3-4 year old ones do it, so no biggie!

[Feets31]

I treat mine with Adams Microfiber Revitalizer and wash them with Wool Lite and an oz or two of additional Revitalizer. It is not diluted. I then hang dry mine as I figure our dryer is coated in fabric sheets.  I have the pre HE machines. I have not noticed a linting problem yet.  

[BRZN]

I boil my towels for 10 minutes In a three gallon crock adding 1 capful of distilled white vinegar. Just make sure it's a slow boil and they don't stick to the sides of the pan.

 

Woolile is too mild of a detergent to remove; Wax, Polish, Detail Spray, Waterless Wash, etc.. Fine to hand wash your unmentionables but not for nasty detailing towels.

[THE Mook]

I am sorry there seems to be an issue with linting.  Please call into customer service to get this fixed.  Had to laugh...."reaching for costco cheapies so I don't have to deal with lint."

 

Have more fun dealing with all the damage you are inducing.

 

Again, if you are having product issues, please try and get them resolved by giving us a call.

 

Thank You.

[man5011]

I am sorry there seems to be an issue with linting.  Please call into customer service to get this fixed.  Had to laugh...."reaching for costco cheapies so I don't have to deal with lint."

 

Have more fun dealing with all the damage you are inducing.

 

Again, if you are having product issues, please try and get them resolved by giving us a call.

 

Thank You.

Yeah, I guess I set myself up for that one!   But honestly, I had Amercana hazing on the car and I couldnt grab a single soft or double soft that wouldnt lint so I had to finish up with what I had that worked. Not ideal by any means. I actually ordered some Revitalizer which was shipped today with the hopes that it might fix the problem. Currently I wash with  Ecos Free and Clear laundry detergent which does not contain any fabric softeners and cellulose optical brighteners, which protects the texture of the fabric. It is unscented as well. So I dont think it's anything the wash machine is doing to cause this.

[man5011]

 

Have more fun dealing with all the damage you are inducing.

 

So you can sympathize with our frustration. Nothing worse than putting all that time into a full correction and cant grab your good towels to wipe off your polish, sealant, glaze and wax.

 

Just sayin

[THE Mook]

A couple things also come to mind.

 

1.  Are you washing only microfiber together?  Meaning, you aren't washing these with house towels, right?

 

2.  Rolling Boil the towels for no longer than a minute or two.  2oz. of White Vinegar into that pot.

 

3.  I can't say every towel we have ever sold hasn't linted.  These are made by humans, used by humans...sometimes failure happens.  I can say that the entire time I have used Adam's (well before I worked here), I never had one towel lint on me, save for a couple glass towels last month.

[man5011]

I wash my detail towels seperate...or my wife would have my you know what! I actually wash my cheap microfibers seperate from my Adam's towels. I do, however, on occasion wash my single and double softs with my glass towels, great white drying towels and waterless wash towels. Would you consider that to be a No No? should I keep the microfibers completely seperate?

 

Dont get me wrong, I love Adam's and I am complaining jokingly. I understand that nothing lasts for ever and eventually towels need to be replaced. I only jumped o this topic because this linting issue has just recently started with my towels and it was a coincidence that others posted about it.

 

One of the things I love about Adam's is that you guys are actively on this forum answering questions and troubleshooting with us. I think I speak for everyone when I say we truly appreciate your day to day involvement on the forum!

[THE Mook]

We LOVE feedback!  Does it suck just a little when the feedback isn't glowing?  Well, yes, but we don't want that either.  The beauty of this place is 10,000 Members all with experience using Adam's.  We all see together, the ups, the downs, and everything in between.  

 

The only thing I will do extra, separation wise, is put the heavy soiled ones together.  I don't wash the old Black Towels with anything.

 

Mook

[JHL88]

I wash my detail towels seperate...or my wife would have my you know what! I actually wash my cheap microfibers seperate from my Adam's towels. I do, however, on occasion wash my single and double softs with my glass towels, great white drying towels and waterless wash towels. Would you consider that to be a No No? should I keep the microfibers completely seperate?

 

Dont get me wrong, I love Adam's and I am complaining jokingly. I understand that nothing lasts for ever and eventually towels need to be replaced. I only jumped o this topic because this linting issue has just recently started with my towels and it was a coincidence that others posted about it.

 

One of the things I love about Adam's is that you guys are actively on this forum answering questions and troubleshooting with us. I think I speak for everyone when I say we truly appreciate your day to day involvement on the forum!

 

i do wash my single and double softs together but nothing else in that mix.  glass towels seperate.  WW and GW towels together.  edgeless MF towels seperate.  Metal polishing towels seperate.  you get the idea.  I try to take as many percautions as i can and know, its just a safe practice IMO

[IrishCurse]

OK, I boiled my linting towels a week or two ago and haven't had a chance to try them out yet.  I boiled them each alone, and a couple minutes one by one.  I did not use vinegar.  I then washed them with R&B.  I usually wash them cold or warm because I thought you were to only wash them warm at the most.  I never use fabric softener with micro fiber, and I never wash them with anything other than microfiber.  I only wash Adams with Adams, and never wash Walmart shop microfiber with Adams primo microfiber.  I have linting, but the towels are 2-3 years old.  Am I to assume Adams is responsible for this because I followed proper washing/use procedure.  I love a company that stands behind its products, but I can't in good faith raise the warranty flag on this.  I buy a ton of towels and have a rotating stock... if the linting doen't stop after I implement some of Brazn's suggestions, the existing double and single softs in rotation will become dirty duty or other ghastly deed towels and I'll open some plastic bags from the Harry Potter closet to replace them.

[THE Mook]

Has anyone besides me got into a regular pattern of using washing machine cleaner?

[IrishCurse]

Yeah.... I used to manage home service technicians... 35 of them actually for a south-eastern district of a national chain store.  They swore by Washer Magic.  I have 4 bottles of it in my laundry room right now.

[JHL88]

Has anyone besides me got into a regular pattern of using washing machine cleaner?

 

what do you use?  

 

I usually let the washer run for about 30 seconds and let it fill, while filling a bottle of water and dumping it out while letting the water run down the sides of the washer in case there is buildup and rub it with my hands.  I put it on the spin cycle to drain the remaining water, then i throw in my towels to be washed. 

[07RS4]

Has anyone besides me got into a regular pattern of using washing machine cleaner?

Holy, crap I didn't know there was this many ways to wash towels....so, I'll add mine, haha.

 

1. Pre-Soak, bucket, >12 hrs....hotest water you can muster, 1 oz MF cleaner or APC

 

2.  Washing machine after weekly load of whites w/bleach

 

---->Setting, HOT, HOT, HOT, Pre-soak, extra rinse

 

3. IPA wipedown dryer, tumble dry low 30 minutes full load/45 minutes if it's SS & Double Softs

 

Myths....

 

Hot water will damage towels...no, it won't......

 

Hot air is good to dry with....no, it isn't......

Edited June 13, 2013 by 07RS4

[IrishCurse]

I believe Mook is referring to off the shelf products that clean the tub and inner workings of the washing machine such as the pump, etc. Using them is a very good idea as the car detailing chemicals are very, shall we say, robust, and resistant to the wash/rinse process. They are often left in the tub, gasket, drain, and seals if the washer over time. Using washer cleaners removes these products, waxes, polymers, leads to better cleaning of clothes/supplies, and prolong use washer service life.