Restoring Microfiber Towels To "Like New"

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I use the yellow towels like from Costco, to clean computer screens and clean eyeglasses. But after awhile they stop cleaning and start smearing.

Throw them in with the wash and they come out working even worse. These critters aren't cheap. There must be a way...

Time to experiment...

• Run a bunch of towels solo through the washing machine
• Set on hot wash, warm rinse
• No laundry soap I used enough DAWN to make suds
• Spin dry and extract
• Air dry towels
• Heat up a gallon or two of commercial purified or distilled water on stove
• Just at the boiling point shut off heat
• Drop in towels and stir. Let them sit an hour
• Stir again and fish towels out (or let the water cool)
• Air dry
• Towels lose a bit of color but they work like new

Obviously this would be a waste when done with just a few towels. I do a dozen at a time. Yeah - yeah, the water ain't free. Most commercial water dispensers charge .35 gallon. I found distilled water in Wal-Mart for .59 gallon.

Removing soap, softeners, and minerals is the key. Washing with Dawn cleans and gets rid of laundry soap softeners and perfume.

And all this would be a pure waste of time for anything but glass cleaning towels IMHO.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Washing eyeglasses with dish soap in a sink also takes off the smeary film.

[fj12ryder]

Hate micro-fiber cloth. Won't touch 'em unless there isn't any other towels around. Like a lady told me once: "They're the work of the devil."

[ICamel]

Hand wash your microfiber towels(or lens cleaning cloth) in a solution of 95% white vinegar + 5% rubbing alcohol. Wring dry and then let air dry. Save and reuse the liquid if you want.

[time2roll]

For finer things like computer screens and eyeglasses I prefer cotton.

I save the microfiber for oil, grease, plaster, caulk, metal shavings and other general mayhem and just toss them out when too full to be of additional use.

[dtappy3353]

fabric softener coats the cloth fibers causing smearing.

Try 1/4 cup of white vinegar in the machine fabric softener dispenser or just dump it in the regular wash. White vinegar replaces fabric softener without residue and is healthy for clothes.

Nope....laundry won't smell like vinegar either.

Try it...you'll like it!

[dons2346]

I just throw them in the washer with some regular soap when the wife isn't looking

[path1]

Microfiber can be electrostatically charged for special purposes like filtration.

Microfiber doesn't get the attention it deserves. Guess it needs a special interest lobby.