Washing Microfibre Cloths: Temperature, Detergent, Softener

The best way to wash a microfibre cloth is at a low to medium temperature – 30 to 40 °C is common – with a mild liquid detergent and no fabric softener. Wash the cloths separately from cotton and separately by area of use, and let them air-dry or use only a low setting in the tumble dryer. Fabric softener is the most common mistake: it settles in the fibres and takes away exactly the properties you bought the cloth for.

Why microfibre has its own rules

Microfibre consists of synthetic fibres that are finer than a strand of silk. The many tiny gaps pick up dirt and water instead of pushing them across the paint. These very gaps are delicate: if they clog with residue or the fibres harden from too much heat, the cloth absorbs less, leaves streaks and, at worst, can hold on to particles that rub across the paint the next time you use it. Thick, plush cloths with a high GSM value hold a lot and need a correspondingly thorough rinse.

Our product pages therefore all say the same thing: wash cloths before first use and regularly thereafter, without fabric softener, and do not tumble-dry at too high a temperature. For the GLOSSDOC Detailing Microfibre Cloth Pink we expressly recommend a first wash, as it reduces initial linting.

Washing a microfibre cloth: what temperature?

Our product pages do not give a fixed temperature. The care label on the cloth is what counts. In car care, 30 to 40 °C is common for a normal wash. That is enough to remove product residue, dust and water marks, provided the detergent is right.

And 60 degrees? Some people wash heavily soiled cloths, for example from the wheels or engine bay, at a higher temperature. Only do this if the care label allows it. Synthetic fibres tolerate heat less well than cotton. Washed or dried too hot, they become hard and scratchy. A cloth that feels rough after washing no longer belongs on the paint.

Which detergent – and why no fabric softener?

A mild liquid detergent without added softener is well suited. It dissolves completely and leaves less residue in the fibres than some powders. Special microfibre detergents are designed to remove wax and sealant in the glossary residue, but they are not essential. Dose sparingly: too much detergent stays in the fabric and ends up as streaks on the paint next time.

Fabric softener is off limits. It works by laying a film over the fibres. On cotton that makes the laundry soft; on microfibre it clogs the tiny gaps. The cloth absorbs less water and dirt and smears. Also watch out for detergents with additives such as “with softener” or “2-in-1”, and avoid bleach.

Which washing machine programme?

• Programme: easy care, synthetics or delicates at a low temperature.
• Extra rinse: helpful so that no detergent remains in the fibres.
• Load: do not overfill the drum, so the cloths are rinsed through properly.
• Do not wash with cotton: towels, jeans and the like shed lint that lodges in the microfibre and later ends up on the paint.

Separate cloths by use

Not every cloth is equally dirty. If you wash everything together, you spread brake dust in the glossary and grease from wheel cloths onto the cloths for the paint. Separate wash loads make sense, or at least separate laundry bags:

• Paint and finish: cloths such as the GLOSSDOC Detailing Microfibre Cloth Pink for sealants and waxes, or the GLOSSDOC Active Microfibre Cloth Orange for wrapped vehicles and delicate paintwork.
• Drying: the GLOSSDOC Car Drying Towel Twisted Loop Red XXL. It has usually only come into contact with water and should be washed with the paint cloths, not with the wheel cloths.
• Interior: the GLOSSDOC Blue Interieur Microfibre Cloth for plastics, dashboards and displays.
• Wheels, sills, engine bay: dedicated cloths that never touch the paint again afterwards. For our orange cloth, too, we recommend a separate cloth for heavy brake dust.

Fixed colours per area of use make separating easy. You will find a selection in our microfibre cloths category.

Washing a microfibre cloth by hand

For individual cloths or in between, a hand wash is enough:

1. Rinse the cloth in clean water to remove coarse dirt.
2. Soak it in lukewarm water with a little liquid detergent and knead it through.
3. Rinse in clean water until no more foam appears.
4. Squeeze it out rather than wringing hard, and let it air-dry.

For the car drying towel, the product page says: wash out regularly and machine-wash when needed.

Drying and storage

Microfibre cloths dry most gently in the air, as our product pages also state. Avoid radiators and direct sunlight. If you use a tumble dryer, only on a low temperature. Store clean, dry cloths protected from dust in a closed box or bag. A cloth that has fallen on the floor gets washed before it touches the paint again.

Washing a microfibre cloth with vinegar?

Vinegar is often recommended as a home remedy for removing detergent or softener residue from the fibres. A small splash in the rinse water during a hand wash is a common thing to try. Success is not guaranteed: a cloth that has been washed with softener for a long time often will not be as good as new. Before using it in the washing machine, check the manual, as some manufacturers advise against vinegar because of the seals.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I wash microfibre cloths used on the car?

After every use on the paint. A cloth with product or dirt residue can cause streaks or scratches next time. Wash new cloths before first use.

Can I wash microfibre cloths with towels?

Better not. Cotton sheds lint, and the lint lodges in the microfibre. Wash microfibre separately.

What should I do if a cloth was washed with fabric softener?

Wash it several times without softener and with an extra rinse, then test whether it absorbs again. If it still smears, use it for rough jobs instead of on the paint. How cloths and foam work together in a car wash is explained in our guide How to use snow foam properly.