Great White Drying Towel life span?

[Rains]

I know this conversation has been touched before but I was wondering if any of you were getting good life out of your Great Whites after three years. I have a couple that I have had for 3 years and seems to me there loosing there life. I also feel maybe there contributing some minor scratches. Anyone heard of older Great Whites leaving scratches? They have never been dropped on the ground and Im pretty picking about care for them.

 

Thanks ahead of time!

[camaro2ssblack]

I would say your lucky that they lasted three years. I barely got three washes. They now make excellent shelf liners on my detailing cart. And yes old towels will scratch.

[Rains]

I would say your lucky that they lasted three years. I barely got three washes. They now make excellent shelf liners on my detailing cart. And yes old towels will scratch.

Thats crazy!!

[SYMAWD]

My almost year old great white still dries like new.  However, it does have some pulls from getting caught on trim pieces.

[Gen9Rolla]

I have one that's going on its third year that I don't really feel comfortable using on the paint anymore. My other one was bought in the middle of the summer last year and its still going strong

[Natch02]

I replace mine once a year. The old one becomes a around the house microfiber. I figure its a cheap price to pay once a year!!

[Rains]

alrighty then! sounds like a just got a few towels to dry the dog off!!

[Feets31]

I have several and rotate them.  A lot of it depends on how often you use one. 

[CMDChase]

I have 8 of them and rotate them as well. I still use the first ones I bought in. 2009.

[DaveVY]

Have you tried boiling the towels? I have a few of the GWs and am still happy with them after almost 3 years. When towels start to feel a little worn or "nappy" the boiling seems to soften them up, or maybe it is just in my head. ????

Edited March 11, 2014 by DaveVY

[rwisejr]

Mine last forever  ever since I purchased a master Blaster !!!!   Very little left to dry >

[Team Adam's]

It's tough to put an exact timeline on how long any towel will last, as it's largely dictated by how many times it gets used and how it's stored/cared for.

 

A towel that is only used 3-4 times per year will obviously last much longer than one that gets used every weekend.  Rotation is the key to extending the life of your towels, no matter what type.

 

That being said, boiling them as Dave mentioned is a good practice with aging towels, but honestly, if it's 3 years old and it's your ONLY one, I'd spring for some new ones to be on the safe side.  Saving them for dog drying is a perfect use for them. 

[Chewy]

I've NEVER tossed a drying towel since buying them in 2008.  Now, I don't clean my cars every week like many here do, but I take care of my towels and wash them with Adams detergent and air dry them. 

 

Chris

[Feets31]

Saving them for dog drying is a perfect use for them. 

But my wife won't let me get a dog.  

[Ricky Bobby]

If cleaned and stored properly I can see towels being used for years.  Sure you might get some stains or discoloration over the years but I dont think there is a finite lifespan for microfiber if cared for properly.

[Chewy]

Mine are all pink!  Still work like new too!  

 

As for drying dogs...  Absorbers work GREAT for that.  I have yet to find something better on my Golden Retriever.  

 

Chris

[rimz808]

Anyone try washing it with vinegar and then washing it again with baking soda? I do that with my bath towels. Vinegar to clean the stains and baking soda to rejuvenate the fibers in the towel.

 

Maybe that will bring back some life into it if you feel it's not drying as well?

 

Just a thought 

[Chewy]

The only issue I'd see with using baking soda is if some of it stayed in the towel.  It would scratch the paint.  

 

It's the same reason powdered detergent isn't recommended. 

[Ricky Bobby]

Ryan I wash with the MFR&B equivalent detergent (1 oz for normal loads, hot wash cycle, 2 oz for filled to the brim loads), and add about a half to full cup of white vinegar in there to make them extra clean.  Works well for me!

[Marylander]

Honestly, I have 3 or 4 of them and I've had them in rotation for years and never really thought about any of them losing their effectiveness or being a risk to the paint. I always keep them clean, wash them after every use, and that's about it. 

[eric@thompsonracing.us]

I still have my original one from 2006.  It is reserved for door jams now, but still holding up.  I have a stack of about 6 or seven at my house and about the same at the shop.  If you take care of them, they will last.  I have a couple that have been stained, but they work just as well.  They should last more than a year.

[Rains]

I still have my original one from 2006.  It is reserved for door jams now, but still holding up.  I have a stack of about 6 or seven at my house and about the same at the shop.  If you take care of them, they will last.  I have a couple that have been stained, but they work just as well.  They should last more than a year.

wow those are some oldies! Glad to hear. Think I will use mine for the same purpose. Thanks!

[Hot_Wheel]

The MFR&B really works well.  I typically soak all of my towels in an APC solution, agitate them really well and wring them out, and then wash them in MFR&B with an extra rinse cycle.  The come out great.  The double-softs I'm using for the rinse-less come out looking brand new.

[GerryC]

I have two GWDT's and would estimate that I use each of them 12-15 times a year (alternate each wash). In my experience, with proper care and storage they typically last about two years before they start to feel "grabby" and are demoted to door jamb and other duties. I wash them after each use, by hand, warm water and Revitalizer. Sometimes I add a drop of Woolite if they picked up dirt or have DS stains. Never had issues with scratching, and my G8's clear is basically made out of candle wax.

[Chewy]

I use MFR in a spray bottle and hit the dirty spots if there are some before putting them in the wash.  As a pretreater yes! 

 

Then I pull the sprayer off and add some to the tray in the washer.

 

I have also been known to bleach my GWT's before. 

[Chris@Adams]

I have had great success with my Great Whites holding up......like mentioned before they are a little stained but they still work great!