Is it REALLY Micro Fiber ?
12-07-10, 03:15 PM
#2
Generally a rule of thumb is that store bought MF towels are lower quality than the ones you can buy from vendors. Of course, each MF has its own use. I use the lower quality ones for interior/wheels and the high quality ones for paint. I own plenty of MF's and I can tell you that Costco, Target, and Walmart ones don't last very long with the amount of times I've used/washed them. Hence why they are for those duties only
12-07-10, 07:38 PM
#3
Generally a rule of thumb is that store bought MF towels are lower quality than the ones you can buy from vendors. Of course, each MF has its own use. I use the lower quality ones for interior/wheels and the high quality ones for paint. I own plenty of MF's and I can tell you that Costco, Target, and Walmart ones don't last very long with the amount of times I've used/washed them. Hence why they are for those duties only
12-08-10, 07:05 AM
#5
Microfiber ramblings...
I use three types of microfibers. A short nap for glass, a plush for wax and polish removal and a waffle weave for drying. All three come in various quality grades but the most significant thing you can do is to test them with an old CD to see if they cause marring. The CD surface is susceptible to marring from poor quality microfibers as is your paint. To test, rub a dry microfiber across the CD a few times and examine it in the sun or under a bright light. If the MF doesn't mar the CD it should be safe on your paint.
I'd recommend buying your higher quality MFs from a vendor who will stand behind the product. I've had a couple expensive MF's come apart after a single washing. A good vendor will replace it for you.
As already mentioned, it is a good idea to use older or cheap MFs for grunge jobs like your wheels, wells, engine, etc. and keep your quality towels for where it counts.
I wash my MF's separately in a front loading washer using Woolite HE and I use white vinegar in the rinse cycle to maintain absorbency and softness. I dry them in the dryer on a sensor cycle.
Be sure not to wash microfibers with any other material or they will forever leave lint.
I use three types of microfibers. A short nap for glass, a plush for wax and polish removal and a waffle weave for drying. All three come in various quality grades but the most significant thing you can do is to test them with an old CD to see if they cause marring. The CD surface is susceptible to marring from poor quality microfibers as is your paint. To test, rub a dry microfiber across the CD a few times and examine it in the sun or under a bright light. If the MF doesn't mar the CD it should be safe on your paint.
I'd recommend buying your higher quality MFs from a vendor who will stand behind the product. I've had a couple expensive MF's come apart after a single washing. A good vendor will replace it for you.
As already mentioned, it is a good idea to use older or cheap MFs for grunge jobs like your wheels, wells, engine, etc. and keep your quality towels for where it counts.
I wash my MF's separately in a front loading washer using Woolite HE and I use white vinegar in the rinse cycle to maintain absorbency and softness. I dry them in the dryer on a sensor cycle.
Be sure not to wash microfibers with any other material or they will forever leave lint.
12-08-10, 01:56 PM
#7
I typically use M21 or NXT for a sealant and #16 as a carnauba and/or topper and have no removal issue. I do apply these extremely thinly though.
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12-08-10, 04:40 PM
#8
I'm pretty sure you are familiar with the UQW from Megs. Using the MF from our vendors. The 2 sided MF, one side is short nap and other is plush. Using the PLUSH side removing the UQW doesn't work well at all. It will leave a cloudy residue that could be seen especially in the sun.
12-08-10, 11:36 PM
#11
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I bought the blue cookie monster buffing towel and it works like a charm! I even use it for my glasses/screen. They were on promo sale so I bought a bulk load. Oh and they're super soft, true 100 percent cotton mf towel with snipped edges and no tags.
12-09-10, 05:11 AM
#13
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Microfiber
Microfiber is a revolutionary man made fiber that can be processed, woven and finished in a variety of different ways to achieve a specific result. Unprocessed (fibers not split) Microfiber, woven in a flat weave, has very poor water absorption characteristics. In fact, it is used to manufacture water resistant clothing. The same Microfiber thread, processed by splitting the individual threads and weaving in a loop or waffle pattern, is now super absorbent. It will absorb over seven times its weight in fluids!
Microfiber is a man-made product that combines two basic fibers, Polyester and Polyamide (a nylon by-product). These fibers are usually “split” and formed into a woven fabric of 80% Polyester (the scrubbing and cleaning fiber), and 20% Polyamide (the absorbing and quick drying fiber).
These threads are very small in diameter making them super soft. Rated in denier, the unit for measuring fineness of fabric, a strand of cotton has a rating of 200. A human hair has a denier of 20 and a strand of silk has a denier of 8. Microfiber has a denier of 0.01 to 0.02! At minimum, 100 times finer than a human hair. Softer than silk, yet bull-dog tough, split Microfiber cloth attracts dust, grime, oily films and salt residues like a magnet.
The unique surface structure of split Microfiber cloth contain hundreds of thousands of micro fiber “hooks” per square inch! These micro-hooks grab, lift, and hold dust and grime without the need for cleaning solutions. Microfiber cloth can be used damp or dry. Used dry, Microfiber cloth works like a chamois. The super absorbent weaves holds up to seven times its weight in fluid and will not scratch paint, glass, acrylics or plastic window tint films.
What's the difference between a $1.00 Microfiber towel and a $10 or $20 Microfiber towel?
With demand for Microfiber products increasing monthly, factories in Korea and China are now flooding the American market with very cheap "Microfiber" products. There is a huge difference between inexpensive and quality Microfiber:
1. The strands are not split. 70 to 75% of inexpensive Microfiber now coming out of Korea and China is unprocessed, non-split Microfiber. Unless you want a water-resistant material, unprocessed, non-split Microfiber is worthless! Many of you have seen packages showing a drawing of a snowflake-looking fiber with wedges around the perimeter scooping up dust particles. While this looks great it is a picture of non-split, unprocessed Microfiber! Processed, split Microfiber looks like a tangle of spaghetti ends. The reason for the abundance of this fabric is simple. Machines that produce the raw Microfiber thread can be purchased for under $100.000. The machines that do the splitting and processing of the thread into the Microfiber "hooks" cost over $1,000,000. Only the largest fabric producers in Korea can afford these machines and according to industry insiders, few of these machines exist in China.
2. The Microfiber threads are larger. The industry standard for Microfiber is a denier of 0.02 or smaller. We have found some "Microfiber" cloths coming out of China with a denier of 0.5. This is fine but 50 times larger than the best Microfiber thread. Chinese and inexpensive Korean Microfiber products have very poor absorption and scrubbing qualities.
There are also differences between quality, processed and split Microfiber products:
1. The ratio of the blend. While 80% Polyester and 20% Polyamide is typical, a 70/30 blend that contains more Polyamide fibers can be more expensive.
2. The density of the fibers per square inch. At 221,000 fibers per square inch, our Magic Towel contains the maximum density commercially available with today’s technology. This density translates into greater cleaning power. A cloth with 50,000 fibers per square inch can cost less but will not clean as well.
3. The thickness or “plushness” of the towel. The thicker the towel the more it will grab, lift and hold grime and residues.
4. The finish on the cloth. Depending on the specific task the cloth is designed to perform, the fiber ends can be tightly “hooked” (better for grabbing and holding grime and residues), feathered (best for general glass cleaning), or finely polished, like suede (best for cleaning eye glasses and optical glass). Newer weaves include a waffle weave, cross hatch and zigzag weave which are relatively obscure.
5. Quality of construction. Like anything else, it costs more to make a quality Microfiber cloth. The largest Microfiber producers do the final splitting and finishing in clean-room-like environments. These are the finest, lint-free towels.
HOW DO I USE MICROFIBER CLEANING CLOTHS?
Simply wet the cloth with clean water and wring as dry as possible. If the cloth is too wet it will leave streaks. Wipe the cloth over any glass or plastic surface and walk away. Remaining swirl lines and water beads will disappear in seconds! Cleaning solutions are usually not required! Use a dry cloth for dusting, touch-ups or removing oily films. On especially difficult inside windshield films, try using your favorite glass cleaner and wiping the glass with a dry Microfiber cloth. Use a dry cloth to remove polish and wax residues, as a final wipe towel after detailing, or with any spray-and-wipe, quick detail spray.
PROPER CARE
If the towel becomes too dirty, it will begin to “streak”. It is then time to wash the towel. This is easily done by just throwing the cloth into any washing machine and washing with any soap or detergent. The only restriction is to NEVER USE any type of FABRIC SOFTENER or BLEACH. The towel will treat the fabric softener as if it was dirt. It will try to store the tiny particles of the softener in the towel fibers. This will clog up the micro fibers and render the towel ineffective.
For best results always wash Microfiber products separate from other towels. They will attract lint in the wash water which can leave lint residues when next used.
You may also dry Microfiber cloths in any dryer, just be sure that the dryer does not dry at temperatures above 235 degrees F., as Microfiber will melt if heated too high.
Microfiber is a revolutionary man made fiber that can be processed, woven and finished in a variety of different ways to achieve a specific result. Unprocessed (fibers not split) Microfiber, woven in a flat weave, has very poor water absorption characteristics. In fact, it is used to manufacture water resistant clothing. The same Microfiber thread, processed by splitting the individual threads and weaving in a loop or waffle pattern, is now super absorbent. It will absorb over seven times its weight in fluids!
Microfiber is a man-made product that combines two basic fibers, Polyester and Polyamide (a nylon by-product). These fibers are usually “split” and formed into a woven fabric of 80% Polyester (the scrubbing and cleaning fiber), and 20% Polyamide (the absorbing and quick drying fiber).
These threads are very small in diameter making them super soft. Rated in denier, the unit for measuring fineness of fabric, a strand of cotton has a rating of 200. A human hair has a denier of 20 and a strand of silk has a denier of 8. Microfiber has a denier of 0.01 to 0.02! At minimum, 100 times finer than a human hair. Softer than silk, yet bull-dog tough, split Microfiber cloth attracts dust, grime, oily films and salt residues like a magnet.
The unique surface structure of split Microfiber cloth contain hundreds of thousands of micro fiber “hooks” per square inch! These micro-hooks grab, lift, and hold dust and grime without the need for cleaning solutions. Microfiber cloth can be used damp or dry. Used dry, Microfiber cloth works like a chamois. The super absorbent weaves holds up to seven times its weight in fluid and will not scratch paint, glass, acrylics or plastic window tint films.
What's the difference between a $1.00 Microfiber towel and a $10 or $20 Microfiber towel?
With demand for Microfiber products increasing monthly, factories in Korea and China are now flooding the American market with very cheap "Microfiber" products. There is a huge difference between inexpensive and quality Microfiber:
1. The strands are not split. 70 to 75% of inexpensive Microfiber now coming out of Korea and China is unprocessed, non-split Microfiber. Unless you want a water-resistant material, unprocessed, non-split Microfiber is worthless! Many of you have seen packages showing a drawing of a snowflake-looking fiber with wedges around the perimeter scooping up dust particles. While this looks great it is a picture of non-split, unprocessed Microfiber! Processed, split Microfiber looks like a tangle of spaghetti ends. The reason for the abundance of this fabric is simple. Machines that produce the raw Microfiber thread can be purchased for under $100.000. The machines that do the splitting and processing of the thread into the Microfiber "hooks" cost over $1,000,000. Only the largest fabric producers in Korea can afford these machines and according to industry insiders, few of these machines exist in China.
2. The Microfiber threads are larger. The industry standard for Microfiber is a denier of 0.02 or smaller. We have found some "Microfiber" cloths coming out of China with a denier of 0.5. This is fine but 50 times larger than the best Microfiber thread. Chinese and inexpensive Korean Microfiber products have very poor absorption and scrubbing qualities.
There are also differences between quality, processed and split Microfiber products:
1. The ratio of the blend. While 80% Polyester and 20% Polyamide is typical, a 70/30 blend that contains more Polyamide fibers can be more expensive.
2. The density of the fibers per square inch. At 221,000 fibers per square inch, our Magic Towel contains the maximum density commercially available with today’s technology. This density translates into greater cleaning power. A cloth with 50,000 fibers per square inch can cost less but will not clean as well.
3. The thickness or “plushness” of the towel. The thicker the towel the more it will grab, lift and hold grime and residues.
4. The finish on the cloth. Depending on the specific task the cloth is designed to perform, the fiber ends can be tightly “hooked” (better for grabbing and holding grime and residues), feathered (best for general glass cleaning), or finely polished, like suede (best for cleaning eye glasses and optical glass). Newer weaves include a waffle weave, cross hatch and zigzag weave which are relatively obscure.
5. Quality of construction. Like anything else, it costs more to make a quality Microfiber cloth. The largest Microfiber producers do the final splitting and finishing in clean-room-like environments. These are the finest, lint-free towels.
HOW DO I USE MICROFIBER CLEANING CLOTHS?
Simply wet the cloth with clean water and wring as dry as possible. If the cloth is too wet it will leave streaks. Wipe the cloth over any glass or plastic surface and walk away. Remaining swirl lines and water beads will disappear in seconds! Cleaning solutions are usually not required! Use a dry cloth for dusting, touch-ups or removing oily films. On especially difficult inside windshield films, try using your favorite glass cleaner and wiping the glass with a dry Microfiber cloth. Use a dry cloth to remove polish and wax residues, as a final wipe towel after detailing, or with any spray-and-wipe, quick detail spray.
PROPER CARE
If the towel becomes too dirty, it will begin to “streak”. It is then time to wash the towel. This is easily done by just throwing the cloth into any washing machine and washing with any soap or detergent. The only restriction is to NEVER USE any type of FABRIC SOFTENER or BLEACH. The towel will treat the fabric softener as if it was dirt. It will try to store the tiny particles of the softener in the towel fibers. This will clog up the micro fibers and render the towel ineffective.
For best results always wash Microfiber products separate from other towels. They will attract lint in the wash water which can leave lint residues when next used.
You may also dry Microfiber cloths in any dryer, just be sure that the dryer does not dry at temperatures above 235 degrees F., as Microfiber will melt if heated too high.
12-09-10, 05:20 AM
#14
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Our Dragon Fiber Magic Towel is still the best!
We were one of the first, if not the first, company to introduce car care enthusiasts to a revolutionary new material called Microfiber. That was back in the early 1990's. Our first cloth was fairly thin and cost $12.95 yet it cleaned, polished, buffed and shined like no other cloth on the planet. As the Microfiber industry evolved, so did our Magic Towel. It went from an 80/20 blend of Polyester and Polyamide to a 70/30 blend for increased absorbency, became plusher and the fiber count went from 50,000 fibers per square inch to over 221,000 per square inch!
Our Dragon Fiber Glass Cleaning Cloth
Used with your favorite glass cleaner, or just a little water, the Dragon Fiber Glass & Plastic Cleaning Cloth wipes away oily films and vinyl haze with ease. This is a 70/30 blend of Polyester and Polyamide. Polyamide is the absorbing and quick-drying fiber.
The edging is a silk microfiber, super-soft edge to eliminate scratching soft plastics like instrument panels, motorcycle windscreens, helmet face shields, etc. This towel doesn't have sewn-in or stick-on tags to deal with.
Our Perfect Shine Microfiber Buffing Cloth
Our Dragon Fiber Perfect Shine Buffing Cloth is a 70/30 blend of Polyester and Polyamide with over 221,000 fibers per square inch but it looks, feels and performs like no other Microfiber cloth.
This cloth features a very tight, dense, loop structure woven over a thick Microfiber core. You can feel the difference as soon as you pick it up. This patented structure creates a very plush towel with exceptional polishing and buffing characteristics. It quickly removes polish, wax and sealant residues without "caking" and leaves the surface mirror-bright. Unique, scratch proof,
silk, Microfiber hem.
For the ultimate in surface safety, we created a unique, silk, Microfiber hem. This completely eliminates the risk of scratching caused from polyester threads used in hem stitching.
The hem threads are 100% Microfiber and can not scratch. Because of the cloth's inner Microfiber core, the edge will always return to a crisp, straight line. Even after repeated washings, it will not fuzz or fray.
Micro Restore Microfiber Cleaner
Micro-Restore removes all manner of greasy, oily stains while keeping the individual Microfibers soft and flexible. Cloths, towels, mitts and applicators emerge clean, soft and fluffy, wash after wash.
One last note. Micro-Restore will also clean and revitalize cotton towels, natural and synthetic chamois. (Always wash Microfiber products by themselves.)
We were one of the first, if not the first, company to introduce car care enthusiasts to a revolutionary new material called Microfiber. That was back in the early 1990's. Our first cloth was fairly thin and cost $12.95 yet it cleaned, polished, buffed and shined like no other cloth on the planet. As the Microfiber industry evolved, so did our Magic Towel. It went from an 80/20 blend of Polyester and Polyamide to a 70/30 blend for increased absorbency, became plusher and the fiber count went from 50,000 fibers per square inch to over 221,000 per square inch!
Our Dragon Fiber Glass Cleaning Cloth
Used with your favorite glass cleaner, or just a little water, the Dragon Fiber Glass & Plastic Cleaning Cloth wipes away oily films and vinyl haze with ease. This is a 70/30 blend of Polyester and Polyamide. Polyamide is the absorbing and quick-drying fiber.
The edging is a silk microfiber, super-soft edge to eliminate scratching soft plastics like instrument panels, motorcycle windscreens, helmet face shields, etc. This towel doesn't have sewn-in or stick-on tags to deal with.
Our Perfect Shine Microfiber Buffing Cloth
Our Dragon Fiber Perfect Shine Buffing Cloth is a 70/30 blend of Polyester and Polyamide with over 221,000 fibers per square inch but it looks, feels and performs like no other Microfiber cloth.
This cloth features a very tight, dense, loop structure woven over a thick Microfiber core. You can feel the difference as soon as you pick it up. This patented structure creates a very plush towel with exceptional polishing and buffing characteristics. It quickly removes polish, wax and sealant residues without "caking" and leaves the surface mirror-bright. Unique, scratch proof,
silk, Microfiber hem.
For the ultimate in surface safety, we created a unique, silk, Microfiber hem. This completely eliminates the risk of scratching caused from polyester threads used in hem stitching.
The hem threads are 100% Microfiber and can not scratch. Because of the cloth's inner Microfiber core, the edge will always return to a crisp, straight line. Even after repeated washings, it will not fuzz or fray.
Micro Restore Microfiber Cleaner
Micro-Restore removes all manner of greasy, oily stains while keeping the individual Microfibers soft and flexible. Cloths, towels, mitts and applicators emerge clean, soft and fluffy, wash after wash.
One last note. Micro-Restore will also clean and revitalize cotton towels, natural and synthetic chamois. (Always wash Microfiber products by themselves.)
12-09-10, 05:46 AM
#15
Nice write up Angelo.
I note with interest that a few years ago there was a guy making the rounds on some other forums pushing his 100% cotton towels as the best "Microfiber" towel around. I pointed out to him that the cotton fiber was to large to be classified a microfiber and he got pretty irate. I bought a couple towels to examine and while it was a well made cotton towel, it was not a microfiber and didn't work like one.
IMO, nothing works as well as a quality microfiber for cleaning, detailing and drying and not just for us car detailer junkies. They are also tops for use around the home.
Thanks for taking the time to explain, in detail, just what makes microfiber work so well. Your post would make a good sticky. (Admin?)
I note with interest that a few years ago there was a guy making the rounds on some other forums pushing his 100% cotton towels as the best "Microfiber" towel around. I pointed out to him that the cotton fiber was to large to be classified a microfiber and he got pretty irate. I bought a couple towels to examine and while it was a well made cotton towel, it was not a microfiber and didn't work like one.
IMO, nothing works as well as a quality microfiber for cleaning, detailing and drying and not just for us car detailer junkies. They are also tops for use around the home.
Thanks for taking the time to explain, in detail, just what makes microfiber work so well. Your post would make a good sticky. (Admin?)
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