Here's Why Microfiber Cloths Should Be Washed Before Using

Many people asked me if they could use microfiber towels as soon as they buy them or if they should wash them first. In this post, I’ll show you why it’s important to wash microfiber towels prior to using them to detail your vehicle. Actually, before using them for any purpose.

Key Takeaways:

All microfiber towels should be washed before using them.
Washing microfiber towels after buying removes loosened lint from fibers.
If you use a new microfiber towel straight away, your car will be full of lint.
High-quality microfiber cloths tend to leave less lint, even if they’ve never been washed.

Why Washing Microfiber Towels Is Important

There are several reasons why you should wash microfiber towels just after buying them.

Here are the most important ones:

Washing microfiber cloths after buying them will remove lint from the fabrics.
New microfiber towels aren’t always 100% clean, and washing them will make them ready for any auto detailing task.
You’ll get rid of that “new” microfiber smell, which isn’t always nice.
Microfiber cloths will become softer after washing, which is important if you use them on the car’s paint.

Does Every Microfiber Towel Leave Lint?

Well, there are higher and lower quality microfiber cloths. I always prefer to buy some higher quality, even if I have to pay double the price.

The reason why I always buy a better (more expensive) one is because there is less chance that it will leave lint. Also, the higher quality ones will absorb water better, which helps me a lot when cleaning the car.

No matter for what purpose you use it – water soaking, cleaning, washing, etc. The better the microfiber cloth is, the better results you’ll get.

Remember, no matter how expensive and quality the microfiber cloth is, there is always a big chance that it will leave lint. That’s the reason why you should wash them all before first use.

Yes, you will hear some people who didn’t wash it, and it didn’t leave lint, but I always suggest you do that.

Prevention is the key! A few days ago, I didn’t have time to wash it first and started detailing my car dashboard (I used green microfiber), and it left green lint on my black dashboard. I was angry as f***.

Sorry for the rude words, but you would get the same feeling if that happened to you – that’s the reason why I’m writing this article.

Where To Find High-Quality Microfiber Cloths?

Well, there are many different stores to get microfiber cloth, but I always prefer to find them online. The main con of buying something online is that you can always see other people’s reviews. If you don’t want to struggle to find high-quality microfiber towels, check my recommended microfiber towels for auto detailing.

The best place you can buy microfiber towels is Amazon. You all know it, and there are plenty of high-quality microfibers for a reasonable price.

However, if you will go to the local store, be sure to ask the lady in the shop which one she prefers the most – women will mostly know because they also use microfiber cloth for house cleanings!

How To Wash Microfiber Cloths

It’s pretty simple to wash microfiber towels, and I’m going to show you a few easy steps when washing.

Step 1: Put the towels in the washing machine
Step 2: Choose the hot water option on the machine (not the hottest, just the one below)
Step 3: Turn the speed of the machine to regular or heavy-duty.
Step 4: Add detergent
Step 5: Start the machine!

Remember: Never use the fabric softeners when washing microfiber cloths!

When washing them correctly, it’s very important to dry them the right way as well. Another thing I’d like to mention is that you should ensure to avoid typical mistakes when washing microfiber cloths.

If you’d like to check a more thorough guide on washing microfiber towels, I suggest checking out the video below.

Drying The Microfiber Towels

There are two options for drying the microfiber towels:

Leave them out on the air
Dry them in the dryer

Many of us today are using the drying machine, and yes, it’s great since we get a dry fabric in under an hour no matter what’s the weather like outside.

However, when drying microfiber cloths in the drying machine, you need to know that the heat is bad for a microfiber cloth. Too much heat will melt the fibers, and the microfiber cloth will lose its performance.

On your dryer, choose the air fluff or air dry option. Do not use any heat options!

Start the dryer, and when it is finished – YOU’RE DONE! You’ve got your microfiber towels ready for car cleaning – or whatever other purposes you will use them.