The Rag Company Towel Variety Package

Towel maintenance and cleaning is very important. The first thing to do is make sure you wash different types of towels separately. Separate microfiber Paint Towels (used for compound, polish, wax, spray wax, etc.) from All Purpose towels (terry cloth towels, grease towels, etc.) and last but not least Window Towels. All of these towel types should be washed separately to prevent cross contamination. You can even separate your drying towels as a 4th category. Use a dedicated cleaner like our Clean All for washing your towels, or a plain detergent, and wash on cold. Make sure to dry towels on a cool setting (heat will kill absorbency). DO NOT use cleaners with bleach or fabric softener – bleach will cause towels to lint, and fabric softener will kill absorbency. Adding a ½ cup of vinegar will also help!

Professional towels like the ones we carry are meant to withstand several uses and will far outlast towels from the auto parts store of a big box retailer. The towels at the auto parts store are consumer grade and although they will work and aren’t terrible to use, they will be more costly for a detailer because they will not last as long and will need replaced much more frequently. These towels are designed for the average car enthusiast to use on their vehicles a few times per month – NOT for a detailer to use on several cars per day or per week. They will be less expensive up front to purchase, however they will cost more per job because they just won’t last. There are also varying differences in how thick and plush the towels are between professional versus consumer grade.

Towels are a lot like pads when it comes to usage and replacement. They should be cleaned after each use, and the more aggressive you are with them the quicker they will need replaced. Towels that are used for drying, final wipe-downs of dust and fingerprints, spray wax application after a wash, glass cleaning after a wash, etc. will last much longer than towels that are used for scrubbing and cleaning. If you use a towel on an engine and get grease and grime all over it, the replacement time will be much quicker than if you use a towel for applying spray wax to a vehicle that has just been washed. Using the proper cleaning solution (our Clean All OR a laundry detergent free of any bleach/bleach alternative or fabric softener) will also prolong the life of your towels. Of course quality of the towel matters as well but regardless of if you are using professional grade towels like we sell or consumer grade towels, the cleaning of the towel and application you are using the towel will determine how often they need replaced.