Microfiber is the terminology used to describe ultra-fine manufactured fibers and the name given to the technology of developing these fibers.  Fibers made using microfiber technology, produce fibers which weigh less than 0.1 denier.  The fabrics made from these extra-fine fibers provide a superior hand, a gentle drape and incredible softness.
Comparatively, microfibers are two times finer than silk, three times finer than cotton, eight times finer than wool, and one hundred times finer than a human hair.  Currently, there are four types of synthetic microfibers being produced.  These include acrylic, nylon, polyester and rayon.  In this article, I will be discussing the most common blend of microfiber material used in automotive detailing applications; nylon and polyester.

Automotive microfiber is created by combining two DuPont fiber inventions: polyester and polyamide (nylon).  The polyamide is used as the core of the hybrid fiber (generally 20 to 30% of the content) and the polyester is the outer skin (70 to 80%).  Each fiber has specific qualities that, when properly blended, can be used to weave functionally specific fabrics.  For the purposes of this discussion, I’m specifically referring to toweling and other automotive detailing products.

The best way to understand microfiber engineered for cleaning is to look at a cross section of the fiber itself.  As you can see in the diagram below, the fiber is sliced into wedges (polyester) and attached to spokes (polyamide).  Changing the fiber design allows cloth to be woven that scrubs, polishes or absorbs (e.g., functionally specific fabric).  This was not previously possible.  In the design pictured, the polyester wedges have the ability to scrape away microscopic bits of dirt while the polyamide spokes create a wicking action that pulls liquid into the fiber.  Many microfiber yarn manufactures claim their microfiber yarn will absorb seven to eight times its weight in water, nearly double the capacity of cotton.

AUTOMOTIVE MICROFIBER PRODUCTS

There is a diverse offering of microfiber products for automotive detailing, including towels, applicators, gloves, dusters and wash mitts.  In the towels category alone, you will find dozens of different weaves, material weights, fabric blends, colors and sizes.  It’s almost dizzying when you look at the different products side-by-side.  Here’s how I categorize microfiber towels for my own use:

1.  General Purpose – This is typically a microfiber towel (16″ by 16″) with a standard terry cloth weave and an 80/20 blend of polyester and polyamide.  The towel has no specific purpose, and will be equally adept wiping paint, glass, vinyl, plastic and leather.  This towel will have a medium thickness (plush-ness) nap.  If you do a lot of quick detailing on your car, this will be the towel you use most frequently.

2.  Glass & Polishing – Microfiber cloths that work well for polishing and glass cleaning seem to have the same basic characteristics.  First, the towel should be 100% lint free.  In most cases, this means the weave is going to have a shorter nap than a general purpose towel.  Many people believe that a good glass towel will leave as little water as possible so the droplets will evaporate without leaving a spot.  A good glass towel needs scrubbing power to successfully remove the residues that cause streaking.  It’s the same characteristic that makes a good polishing cloth.

3.  Drying – There are two different microfiber toweling weaves that make good drying towels: terry cloth and waffle (Piqué) weave.  I have found that a short terry loop or one of the offset (longer on one side than the other) terry loops work well for drying.  If you choose a microfiber terry cloth with a heavy, plush nap, you won’t be able to wring it out when it gets wet.  My favorite drying towel material is the Piqué fabric that mimics a waffle pattern.  It has the ability to wick up water like nothing else I’ve found or tested.  According to Leo Cerruti, a manufacturer of natural microfiber products, “[Piqué fabric] isn’t more absorbent  than terry but the ridges act as hundreds of little squeegees which push the water up into the cups giving the fabric time to absorb.” As with the terry material, it’s best to find a fabric that’s not too heavy, or you won’t be able to wring it out when it gets saturated.

4.  Cleaning – There are a few microfiber weaves that are marketed specifically as “cleaning towels”.  The nap is very tight and course, and the microfiber strands are not split.  These towels have very little absorbency.  The intended purpose of these towels is janitorial work, not car detailing.  What I have found works best for me are hand towel size waffle weave towels and polishing towels.

5.  Final Buffing – A couple years ago microfiber “suede” fabrics hit the clothing market.  These fabrics crossed over into the automobile detailing arena as final wipe towels and final buffing bonnets.  I have not been overly impressed with the fabric for automotive use.  It is soft, but it does not seem to perform any better on paint (for final buffing) than a general purpose towel.

You may have seen microfiber towels labeled for other uses, but I have not found anything to date that does not fit into the five categories I listed above.

After buying and using microfiber products for more than 1 year now, I have made some interesting observations:

1.  Look and feel is deceptive.  You cannot judge how a microfiber product will perform by its look or feel alone.  You must test.  Some towels that look and feel very soft and plush may, in reality, leave micro marring on a delicate paint finish.

2.  Color makes a significant difference.  Dark colors will not feel as soft as light colors.  You can take towels of the exact same fabric that are dyed different colors and the darker towel will not feel as plush or soft.

3.  Edge binding makes the most significant difference in towel safety (as a detailing towel).  Towels surge bound with heavy polyester thread or improperly cut by a hot wire are more likely to cause micro marring on your paintwork.

4.  The weave determines the best function of the towel, not the material blend or weight.  While it’s true that polyamide is more absorbent than polyester, a towel made from a blend of 70% polyester and 30% polyamide is not necessarily a better drying towel than an 80/20 blend (respectively).  The weave and fiber treatment (splitting) will determine the wicking ability of the towel as much or more than the material blend.

When comparing quality microfiber towels, here’s what you need to know to make an intelligent buying decision:

1.  Towel density is important.  Density is a measure of fibers per square inch of fabric.  The range for quality microfiber is 90,000 to 225,000 fibers per square inch.  Generally speaking, the higher the fiber count the better the towel will absorb water and clean.

2.  The ratio of the polyester and polyamide blend is important.  While 80% polyester and 20% polyamide is typical, a 70/30 blend will absorb water faster.  As polyamide is much more expensive than polyester, you can expect to pay more for a 70/30 blend.

3.  Make sure you look at the weave and fabric thickness (plush-ness) of the towel.  Depending on the specific task the cloth is designed to perform, the fiber ends may be hooked (for cleaning), feathered (for polishing and glass cleaning), or tufted (for drying).

4.  We all know the saying; it costs more to make quality.  Microfiber is no different.  Quality construction is not always obvious, so let me share some observations.  The biggest complaint with automotive microfiber is that towels with cheap edging scratch your paint.  There are two possible reasons.  First, the factory uses a hot wire system to cut their towels.  If not properly adjusted, or if a cheap machine is used, the hot wire will melt the fabric.  When polyester and nylon melt, they turn into hard plastic.  The second complaint is that the towel creates excessive lint.  Microfiber lint is caused by towels with a high pile or a broad weave using a fiber split that’s inappropriate.  The high pile or loose weave allow the fibers to break off, creating lint.  The same split fiber used in a towel with a higher fabric density will lint less or not at all.  Don’t assume that a towel that does not lint is a high quality towel.  The cheapest towels don’t lint because they do not have split fibers.

MAINTAINING MICROFIBER

I’ve read a lot of tips on how to clean and care for microfiber.  People seem to be all over the map with their recommendations.  It’s really very simple.

The best general purpose cleaner is a liquid detergent.  It’s better to use too little than too much.  Liquid is recommended over powder because some powders do not completely dissolve and the granules will lodge in the toweling.

Wash in cold water only.  Warm water can be tolerated, but hot water cannot.  Polyester and polyamide both shrink in hot water.  If you wash in hot water the fibers will shrink and the towel will not perform as intended.

Do not use fabric softeners of any kind.  The softener will become lodged in the microfiber reducing its ability to absorb water, clean and pick up dirt.  In short, you’ll have a soft towel that’s useless.

Do not dry above medium heat.  Treat microfiber towels the same as you would your delicate clothing.  Drying with high heat is worse that washing in hot water.

At Sonus, we have created a special detergent specifically designed for washing detailing products out of microfiber and foam detailing accessories. Sonus Der Wunder Wasche  is a highly concentrated liquid detergent that a cleaning solution was developed specifically for cleaning microfiber towels.  Sonus Der Wunder Wasche is an active cleaner designed to restore microfiber towels, wash mitts, applicators and foam buffing pads to their as-new condition. Der Wunder Wasche is an engineered blend of micro cleaning agents designed to lift, emulsify and suspend waxes, polish residue, oils, proteins, silicones and soil for complete removal in the rinse water.

The Der Wunder Wasche formula cleans without bleach and softens through natural fiber lifting. With regular use, Der Wunder Washe extends the life of all microfiber textiles and foam pads.

The future of this wonderful technology is very bright.  Manufacturers are developing unique ways to deal with towel bindings to eliminate potential paint scratching problems.  Competition from the low-cost providers is keeping the quality towel prices in check.  We should expect to see better fabrics with new weaves and even higher thread counts in the near future