Static Charged particles after a wax.

[6spdsforme]

Anyone have a good method of getting rid of the little dust particles that accumulate a few hours after a waxing. I want to wax again, fix some swirls, scratches etc, and don't want to have to wash the car again before doing it! I tried a California duster but can see particles in seams, door jams, body panels spaces, so I am thinking they are going to scratch the paint more when I actually am trying to get the paint as perfect as I can. I also haven't been convinced that micro fiber cloths are all that soft on the paint. What do you think?

[Majambo]

Not sure about the abrasion of micro fiber cloth, but I don't think it's that absorbent when drying the vehicle.

[6spdsforme]

Not sure about the abrasion of micro fiber cloth, but I don't think it's that absorbent when drying the vehicle.

[jstrutt]

I'm sure WISHBONE will give you some info on this.

[wickedfastvette]

when you figure it out let me know I have the same dilema right now.

[6spdsforme]

Wishbone, Wishbone, oh where are you Wishbone!

[Desertdawg]

Lightly mist some detail spray onto a clean microfiber towel, and with no pressure lightly wipe the surface to remove dust! Turn the towel frequently!

[wallyworld]

Micro fiber towels come in different grades of abrasiveness. Visit a janitorial supply house such as Waxie in Mesa or Bradys in Phoenix-Tempe or any other and you will find five or six different ones. It is worth the trip. I spent 37 yrs in the cleaning supply bussiness before I retired. Randy

[Desertdawg]

There's also http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/

Local and Rick will help you with any problems you have!

[Buccaneer]

There's also http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/

Local and Rick will help you with any problems you have!

[Guest Sidewinder]

There's also http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/

Local and Rick will help you with any problems you have!

WOW! That's just around the corner from me, thanks Dwayne. Now if I could only find an Adam's dealeer that close that would be perfect.

[Ted Y]

There's also http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/

Local and Rick will help you with any problems you have!

WOW! That's just around the corner from me, thanks Dwayne. Now if I could only find an Adam's dealeer that close that would be perfect.

Tom, last time I tried to find it there was no storefront, phone order only. Could have changed I don't know.

You can email him the order and specify that you want to pick it up. He'll call you when he's in and it's ready!

[6spdsforme]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate it.

[Wishbone]

Holy smokes, I am off the site for one day and it blows up on me. Lets discuss a little bit about what you have going on here. First and foremost I must warn you looking for perfection is a disease and can downright make you go crazy as people can contest to my methods. Ok, lets talk about your paint and why you get this so called static cling. I hate to say it but it is inevidable to have a static charge and it will not go away unless they go from changing our cars from plastics and fiberglass back to metal. Both plastic and fiberglass do not conduct electricity, however our paints depending upon if your paint job is from factory have metal particles in the paint itself. The paint sits on top of the body panel, but the electrical charge that comes from contact and friction to the body panel. The electrical charge has nowhere to go sense it cannot be grounded to the rest of the car and thats why we tend to see more static after we do a lot of wofk to our cars and not when we are just touching up. Sorry for the bear of bad news. Now onto your paint correction problem. From you post you were describing your steps on taking care of your car. I am going to assume that list was not in order. If you are going to do some paint correction, you will want to strip the car of any and all waxes both synthetic and Cannuba wax's. I like to use a 50/50 mixture of distilled water and alchohal to wipe the car down after I go through wasing the car completly from top to bottom and even include the fender wells and tires which attract a lot of dirt, grime, and dust which can enter into your work. Ok, final notes to touch up on about touching the car and using towels, such as microfiber towels on your car. Believe it or not but true microfiber towels come in different density of piles as well as technical spesifications. Such as size, pile thickness, nylon used for magnetic collection of dirt and dust. The whole pont of a micro fiber towel is all in the science behind it. For one, I like to use different microfiber towels for the different applications that I need to use them for. Here is a list of the types that I have and what they are used for. General medium thickness pile and thread- general wipe down of interior pieces, rims, chrope and any other cleaning done on the car NOT used for paint. Very low pile, high density thickness edgless micro towels- I used these for waxes, sealers, touch up detailing on the spot. High Pile, high density thickness micro towel- used for taking off compounds, cleaners, glazes. NEVER EVER put your micro fiber towels into the drier EVER. A micro fiber towel has nylon weeved together in the thread which plays two roles. 1. keeps the thread standing up to use as a buffer between the painted surface and the dirt sucked up into the towel. 2. the nylon has a chemical compound built into the nylon which attracts dust and dirt to it much like a magnetic charge. Everybody must remember that when using any style of towel you must understand the characteristics to how it is supposed to perform as well as what it is doing when you use it for your particuler application process. Here are a couple of my pet peevs on using micro fiber towels. NEVER EVER do this EVER. Use the same towels that you used for the interior or for your exhaust and or tires and then go around and use them for your paint. I dont care how clean you think you have that towel, once medal particles are inbeaded into the fibers, YOU WILL NEVER GET THEM OUT EVER!!!! Use those towels for those parts of the car,plain and simple. Never drop a towel on the floor then use it back on the car, good job you just started sanding your paint if you did! Never put your towels in the drier EVER! Never Ever apply pressure to get stuck or aggresive bugs off your car, you will only do more damage then leaving the bug on your car. Soaking your car with plenty of water is the easiest method without using any specialized tools. I love to you my power washer which does both things. Uses water as the agent and pressure to knock the bug off the paint. Never EVER use towels with sewn edges and washing tags on your paint, once again you are now sanding your car. Whe taking off compounds and other products for you paint, you should be turning your towels over around ever couple of feet. Have plenty off towels on hand. the last thing you want is to have the micro fiber towel bunch up with resue and compound product stuck in ythe pile of your towel. Now you left no room for any dirt or anything else to go except stay at the top of the towel which would just be as good as wet sanding. I hope everybody finds this to be helpful, call me or PM me if you have and questions or concerns.

[Buccaneer]

There's also http://www.autodetailingsolutions.net/

Local and Rick will help you with any problems you have!

WOW! That's just around the corner from me, thanks Dwayne. Now if I could only find an Adam's dealeer that close that would be perfect.

[Final Effort]

Holy smokes, I am off the site for one day and it blows up on me.

Lets discuss a little bit about what you have going on here.

Ok, lets talk about your paint and why you get this so called static cling. I hate to say it but it is inevidable to have a static charge and it will not go away unless they go from changing our cars from plastics and fiberglass back to metal. Both plastic and fiberglass do not conduct electricity, however our paints depending upon if your paint job is from factory have metal particles in the paint itself. The paint sits on top of the body panel, but the electrical charge that comes from contact and friction to the body panel. The electrical charge has nowhere to go sense it cannot be grounded to the rest of the car and thats why we tend to see more static after we do a lot of wofk to our cars and not when we are just touching up. Sorry for the bear of bad news.

[6spdsforme]

Thanks guys! Totally awesome information!

[fourseventeen]

I buy the yellow micro fiber towels from Costco. Big pack of about 20 towels for around 10 bucks. I will reserve ones ONLY for paint. I will use them 2-3 times (or until they pick up ANYTHING or any signs of dirt and I will toss them to be used for engine cleaning towels and never on paint again. Ill use a new one the next time I wipe my paint down. I will never wash and re use them on my paint. Once they have been retired from paint they will never see the paint again no matter how clean they look after running through the washer. I will use them with a light mist of detailing spray on the micro fiber towel, not on the car...this has always kept my babies lookin nice. I did own an auto detailing business from 1997 until 2006 so I know a little about this stuff ;)

[Wishbone]

I buy the yellow micro fiber towels from Costco. Big pack of about 20 towels for around 10 bucks. I will reserve ones ONLY for paint. I will use them 2-3 times (or until they pick up ANYTHING or any signs of dirt and I will toss them to be used for engine cleaning towels and never on paint again. Ill use a new one the next time I wipe my paint down. I will never wash and re use them on my paint. Once they have been retired from paint they will never see the paint again no matter how clean they look after running through the washer. I will use them with a light mist of detailing spray on the micro fiber towel, not on the car...this has always kept my babies lookin nice. I did own an auto detailing business from 1997 until 2006 so I know a little about this stuff ;)

Instead of doing a complete right up with my own words which I dont have time to do, I copied and pasted from a site I use to purchase my micro fiber towels as well as AUTOGEEK.NET. This should give people a better understanding of just how much science goes into a micro fiber towel. I have spent hundreds of dollars on MF towels and have found severe differences between COSTCO Towels and good quality MF TOWELS. I spend anywhere from $3-$10 for a single towel. I have given training on how to properly use, clean and detail with MF towels. There is no way that I would use any of my MF towels once or twice then throw them away or use them for other detail projects.

I have probably 6-7 different types of MF styles to meet the jobs needs. Obviously the more expensive towels for paint. Please read this completely as you will find detailed information about the chemical make up as well as the science behind why a MF towel is just that good. Every tool has it's pro's and con's as well as it's limitations and the MF towel is no different. I hope this helps and if you have any questions please feel free to PM me or come to a detail session,thanks.

Microfiber - What's the big deal?

Microfiber - What is it?

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 $2.00 Microfiber towel and a $15 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.

Why do some Microfiber towels leave a trail of fine, lint-like fibers?

The best Microfiber towels are split to produce millions and millions of tiny fiber "hooks" on the surface of the towel. If the weave is too broad or the pile is too high, some of these fibers break off when the towel is used. This can be excessive if the manufacturer is trying to produce an inexpensive, split towel and is using a wide weave to reduce the amount of Microfiber in the towel. Unfortunately it is a common practice among mills to try and increase their profits by skimping on the amount of Microfiber used in the weave. We have rejected thousands and thousands of towels when we find our towels have an excessive lint problem. Our suppliers now know that we are very picky so they rarely try to get something past us.

In some cases, like our Viper Detailing Cloths, the weave and pile that works best for polishing and buffing has a tendency to shed some fibers. We keep this to a minimum by increasing the density of the weave which adds to the cost of the towel. The few fibers that come off are not a problem when the towel is used for general detailing and we do not recommend these towels be used to clean glass.

Ironically, the least expensive, un-split Microfiber towels do not leave a fiber trail because the fibers are not split! Just because a towel is lint free does not mean it is a quality towel!

Lastly, some lint can be picked up in the manufacturing process because the air at the factory is saturated with fine Microfiber particles. This can be completely eliminated by doing the splitting and finishing in a special clean room but this also adds to the cost of the finished product.

HOW DO I CHOOSE THE MICROFIBER CLOTH BEST FOR ME?

We have evaluated dozens and dozens of Microfiber cloths and selected three that fill specific detailing requirements:

The Microfiber Magic Towel. This is the highest quality, plushest, Microfiber towel we could find. It is a 70% blend of Polyester and a 30% blend of Polyamide. The Magic Towel absorbs over seven (7) times it’s weight in water yet dries in 1/3 the time of ordinary cleaning towels. With 221,000 fibers per square inch, The Magic Towel will clean virtually any stain from any surface. It wipes most glass streak-free with just water, quickly removes polish residues and buffs wax to a brilliant shine. If you want one Microfiber towel for a variety of tasks, this is the one to choose.

The Viper Microfiber Glass Cleaning Cloth. This is a high grade, 80/20 blend of Polyester and Polyamide specially designed to clean glass. Standard Microfiber cloths use fibers that are “hooked” on the ends. These hooks actually “scrape” across the surface grabbing and holding dirt particles and surface films. The Viper Glass Cleaning Cloth’s fibers are “feathered” on the end, not “hooked”. This produces a cloth with substantially greater absorption. Grime and oily films are vacuumed off the surface by capillary action.

The Viper Glass Cleaning Cloth cleans glass and plastic surfaces better than any other Microfiber product except the Magic Towel and leaves less droplet residues. The cloth can be used wet, with just water, or dry with your favorite glass cleaning solution. This cloth should not be used for general detailing or removing wax or polish residues. This would clog the fiber ends and damage the cloth’s effectiveness.

Viper Microfiber Detailing Cloths. This is the best $5.00 Microfiber towel you can buy with over 190,000 micro fibers per square inch. These are separate strands, 100 times finer than a human hair, not just the split-end count other manufacturers advertise! Our Viper Microfiber Cloths are an 80/20 blend of Polyester and Polyamide with “hooked” ends for grabbing and holding residues and grime.

These are great towels for applying polish and one step cleaner/protectants (like Klasse) and for removing wax and polish residues. They leave a polished, streak-free surface with a mirror-bright shine. Use our Viper Cloths with spray-and-wipe “quick detail” products. Even black cars will come out haze and steak free! Used dry, they will wipe the dash, instrument panel, console, seats and interior panels clean and lint free.

These are not the best towels to use on glass and clear plastic. We chose a weave and finish best suited for polishing and removing residues. These towels may leave a slight fiber trail if used on glass.

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.

REMEMBER: WET - WRING - WIPE!

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.

Need assistance? Speak with one of our specialists

at 800-628-7596 or send us an email.

Get detailing tips, new product information and shopping rewards via

email by joining our Proper Auto Care Club News Letter.

Copyright©, 1999-2003, Classic Motoring Accessories -- All Rights Reserved

[fourseventeen]

I have personally purchased towels that were 3.00-4.00 each when purchased in bulk (24 or more) when I had my detail biz and I personally liked the Costco ones better. The Costco ones I use are super super soft and the others I used that were more expensive felt harder. The more expensive ones I have also seem to attract link much easier. I will look later today to see if any of my blue or purple MF have tags on them still so I can tell you what they are. My thing....find the one that works best for you and your application and go with it. Wishbone...since your practically my neighbor we will have to meet up and compare some towels so I can see what it is your using.

[Wishbone]

I have personally purchased towels that were 3.00-4.00 each when purchased in bulk (24 or more) when I had my detail biz and I personally liked the Costco ones better. The Costco ones I use are super super soft and the others I used that were more expensive felt harder. The more expensive ones I have also seem to attract link much easier. I will look later today to see if any of my blue or purple MF have tags on them still so I can tell you what they are.

My thing....find the one that works best for you and your application and go with it.

Wishbone...since your practically my neighbor we will have to meet up and compare some towels so I can see what it is your using.

Hey no problem brother, I would love to get together, two detailers in the same location is awesome. I value new knowledge and in know way claim to hold all knowledge or that anybody has to use my methods. I love to learn new tools and techniques as well as learn new methods from other detailers. Lets look at our towels up close and we can share our wisdom with others in the club. By the way I do buy those same towels and you will see I have them in my tool bag of detail equipment.

[Buccaneer]

Nice post!

[wickedfastvette]

So Robert in your oppinion do you think the MF towels from Costco are good enough for your paint or just for none paint uses.

[fourseventeen]

Sounds good Wishbone. Im a former detailer ;) I got sick of doing it for over 10 years and moved on to other things ;) I had to clean my Z06 today for the first time and hated it! LOL. Not nearly as bad as my lifted 2007 Avalanche though.

[Hawkeye]

Micro fiber towels come in different grades of abrasiveness. Visit a janitorial supply house such as Waxie in Mesa or Bradys in Phoenix-Tempe or any other and you will find five or six different ones. It is worth the trip. I spent 37 yrs in the cleaning supply bussiness before I retired.

Randy

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Do you know the Brand name and maybe a link to somewhere a person could buy the most soft Microfiber towels. How are they rated so that someone would know which is less abrasive than others that are sold.

Hawkeye