Some people have been washing them in hot water and/or adding bleach to the wash cycle. Many members replied that using hot water is not good for the cloth because it breaks down the fiber, and most agreed that adding bleach is never a good idea.
After the lint trap has been emptied, you can place your microfiber towels inside the dryer separately from garments made with natural fibers as they tend to shed. Avoid adding dryer sheets and using high heat settings to dry microfiber towels as this may damage the fibers.
Harsip said that the main reason why microfiber towels are ruined is drying them at high heat. Remember that it's not just bad for microfiber towels to be dried at too high of heat, but it can ruin them completely. Once the damage has been done from heat, it cannot be reversed.
Machine wash a load of microfiber cloths in cold or warm water. Do not use hot water. If using detergent, choose a gentle detergent with no scent or laundry additives. Use a small amount of detergent, no more than one or two teaspoons.
The microfiber washing process
“The manner in which you wash and dry your microfiber towels can deeply impact the effectiveness of the towel.” For starters, microfiber towels should be washed in cold or warm water, advises Sweeney, noting that the temperature should never exceed around 105 degrees Fahrenheit.
Use a dedicated microfiber detergent like Towel & Pad Revitalizer or a dye free/perfume free liquid laundry soap - no powders or granulated. Set washer to a warm water setting. Some heat is required to break down waxes and polishes. Cold settings will not clean towels as effectively.
Before you wash your microfiber cloths, it is important to know that you should never use fabric softener or bleach. Fabric softener will clog the spaces in the fibers and render your cloth useless. Bleach, on the other hand, will erode the fibers.
Prep a separate bucket with VERY HOT clean water and add blue dawn dish soap along with gentle tide. Add towels. Soak towels for roughly 2 hours. If a towel ever becomes so contaminated that it doesn't wash clean, it may be time to retire it to a new job.
Start a hot-water rinse cycle and let it fill up completely. The hot water helps break down chemicals and contaminants on the towels. Add about a cup of white vinegar to the mix, which will further help break down any chemicals that have made your towels less absorbent.
Cleaning guru Penny Nicholas says microfiber couches are notorious for leaving watermarks when cleaned with water and recommends trying a dry cleaning solvent, at Target, instead. 'Apply the solvent to a clean cloth first (not directly on the couch) and gently scrub in circular motions.
Microfiber Care Do's & Don'ts
✅ Wash in cold to warm water (160ºF max). ✅ Use simple detergents with no softeners or optical brighteners. ✅ Dry with no heat, low heat, or permanent press (140ºF max).
Microfiber towels and cloths should be washed at least after every third use with a mild, unscented laundry detergent. If well cared for, a microfiber cloth can last for as many as 500 washings. It will begin to lose some of its effectiveness, after 150 washings, however.
I've used and liked ValetPro Microfibre Reviver. You can also use an off the shelf fabric detergent, provided it is liquid, non-bio, and perfume free. ValetPRO microfibre reviver has a unique effective formulation but, unlike regular detergents, not aggressive, leaving the microfibre towel revived…
Use a Non-Sudsing Dish Liquid– You can use Dawn, Norwex's Dishwashing Liquid, or any other non-sudsing dish liquid to clean your microfiber. I recommend doing this once every other day or so. All you have to do is put a drop of liquid on a wet cloth, rub the cloth together, then rinse with warm water.
Since microfiber sheets are often made from synthetic materials, they are less prone to wrinkling and shrinkage in comparison to natural materials, like linen or cotton.
These cloths should last a while if you follow the recommended care instructions. “If you take care of your microfiber towels and clean them properly, they should last you a few years before needing to be replaced,” says Willatt. Sometimes your reusable cloths will give you a clue that it's time to buy new ones.
Drying your microfiber cloths on high heat will melt the fibers, making them ineffective the next time you try to trap and lock dirt and dust when you're cleaning. Since they also pick up lint, they'll become dirtier in the dryer by collecting lint left behind from a previous wash.
If your water is too hot, it can decrease the life of your towel and also lead to fraying, color bleeding, and shrinkage. The expert recommends opting for a temperature range between 104-140°F for clean towels that will look fresh, wash after wash.
Towels should be washed in the warmest water appropriate for the fabric according to the care label. Generally, warm or hot water is recommended for washing towels. Use a cycle specifically for towels or a normal/regular cycle.