# Wet micfrofibre absorbs more water



## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Hi folks,

I have been watching the Drive channel and following Drive Clean with Ammo NYC. 

Now he always states that soaking your micfrofibre cloth and rinsing it out so its damp is better as draws more water from the surface.

Today i washed my car and tried it on the wheels and i 'THINK' he is right. It seemed to leave the wheels dry.

Why is this?

Is it due to water being present in the cloth and attracting water for the car surface into the cloth?

Seems back to front haha.

Rob


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## 5doorfish (Aug 8, 2013)

i'll have to give that a go this weekend (weather permitting) 
thanks for the tip!


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## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

5doorfish said:


> i'll have to give that a go this weekend (weather permitting)
> thanks for the tip!


Let us know how you get on with it, my car is white so difficult to see on the body and residue and with the wheels being anthracite also difficult to see but pretty sure they were dry


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## 5doorfish (Aug 8, 2013)

mine is black so very easy to tell
marks will show up instantly


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## Bradders (Mar 2, 2013)

The only logic I could see behind this is that a wet microfibre absorbs water and a dry one repels water (to a certain extent). Just a thought..


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## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Bradders said:


> The only logic I could see behind this is that a wet microfibre absorbs water and a dry one repels water (to a certain extent). Just a thought..


Maybe, strange isnt it haha


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

I'll repeat it again, I'm beginning to feel like a stuck record I've said it so often! 
Never ever use a *dry* MF cloth on paint (see sections 11 and 12) unless you 
are buffing-off pre-wax cleaning, sealant or wax coatings. At all other times you 
should *lightly dampen* microfibre cloths. That's the way that the technology
is designed to work. A dry MF cloth can also cause a lot of unwanted static on 
a painted surface!

Regards,
Steve


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## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

Haha obviously, i normally place the cloth to absorb first lot then wipe i know your suppose to pat it and what not. But this is the first actually soaking the cloth then squeezing and wiping suppose same thing really


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

I have been doing this for years.....LOL dont you guys ever just experiment??


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## rob_vrs (Jan 4, 2012)

nick_mcuk said:


> I have been doing this for years.....LOL dont you guys ever just experiment??


Hahaha, when i started i wouldn't of thought to drench my cloths to wipe up water hahaha


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## WarrenJ (Jul 17, 2013)

I can see how it would work. Capillary action, water tension etc etc. I always work with a damp towel anyway as it softens the fibers.


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

The magic words have just been mentioned.....capillary action.:thumb:

I rarely use a dry MF for buffing either, a slighty damp one nearly always provides a better result.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

rob_vrs said:


> Hahaha, when i started i wouldn't of thought to drench my cloths to wipe up water hahaha


Well I went with the theory of the old chamois leathers they have to be damp to work so why not the same with microfibre??


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## mike41 (Apr 5, 2011)

I always give my drying towels a light spray with water before use as I find it helps them dry the car a lot better.
Mike


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## DocIS200 (Oct 5, 2011)

Very interesting, ive always done it with my drying towel but never thought of why!! So would you guys lighty dampen microfibre cloths for removing say Super Resin Polish or the haze after a compound?


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

DocIS200 said:


> Very interesting, ive always done it with my drying towel but never thought of why!! So would you guys lighty dampen microfibre cloths for removing say Super Resin Polish or the haze after a compound?


Totally.....it does provide a better finish and also if you have a dusty product it will cut down on the dust.

It works well with Waxes/Sealants and AIO type products.

Not sure how it works with the new gen of Ceramic coating as I really am not a fan of them. Give it a bash and find out!


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## puckacostello (Apr 1, 2010)

Hmm may try this, I have a wooly mammoth and a fatty towel tho, 

So my thinking is it would be full of water to the extent I can't ring it out if I dunked it first??


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

puckacostello said:


> Hmm may try this, I have a wooly mammoth and a fatty towel tho,
> 
> So my thinking is it would be full of water to the extent I can't ring it out if I dunked it first??


I dont think it will work with those silly deep and fluffy ones.

Normal shortish pile and waffle weave no drama....remember you have to be able to wring it out to the point its just damp.


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## ianrobbo1 (Feb 13, 2007)

I often wring the MF out as I go round the vehicle, and I certainly don't use those huge things like a Wooly Mammoth though I have a few, I actually use them to lean on if I am doing any engine work, as they don't scratch the paintwork like a dedicated Mechanics cover may do, damp MF is the way to go, :thumb:


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## dillinja999 (Aug 26, 2013)

tried it this morning, wouldnt say it picked more water but spreads whatever water is remaining into tiny droplets that dry quicker and havent left any waterspots :thumb:


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## diesel x (Jul 27, 2013)

I always thought microfiber hold on average 7 times it own weight, if the microfiber is wet already it doesn't hold as much and just pushes it around. You can ring it out but it is still wet or damp and can only absorbs so much. I use a dry mf towel to dry with an aid to prevent marring and when it get to wet to absorb any more switch to another dry mf towels. It pretty much their own perference.


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

nick_mcuk said:


> ...remember you have to be able to wring it out to the point its just damp.





diesel x said:


> It pretty much their own perference.


Ummm, no - you don't have to dunk it and wring it out. If you use a drying 
aid, what you do is "lightly dampen" the face of towel with a few squirts too. 
What the drying aid does is evaporate away the tiny droplets so no water-spots
will form.

I'll repeat, if you want to remain swirl free and indeed reduce static, never put 
a _dry_ MF towel onto your paint! The _only_ exceptions to this are if you're 
buffing-off potions. Even then, if a potion takes more than a very light buffing 
to remove, lightly dampen the MF surface with a QD first. Damp is how this 
technology was _designed_ to do its work best.

Regards,
Steve


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

For me the perfect damp mf is one that is fresh out the washing machine after a fast spin cycle, for this reason I usually wash my mf's just prior to using them on a detail.


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## AKA (Jun 20, 2012)

This makes so much sense, don't know why i never thought of it earlier! Thanks for the tips guys


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

Lowiepete said:


> Ummm, no - you don't have to dunk it and wring it out. If you use a drying
> aid, what you do is "lightly dampen" the face of towel with a few squirts too.
> What the drying aid does is evaporate away the tiny droplets so no water-spots will form.


"UMMMMMM NO" yourself thank you!!

We are not talking about using a QD/ONR to wet the surface of the MF we are talking about a properly damp MF cloth or drying towel....maybe watch the video the original poster was talking about.
Video Link: Go to 9 mins 25 seconds and you will see what the OP is on about

I know you are fairly knowledgeable (and you do some great reviews) but you really do come over fairly arrogant and impertinent sometimes Steve.

I can personally confirm that using a damp MF/Drying towel does not leave any water spots or damage the pain any more that using a dry MF/towel or a MF/towel with a QD.

I have tested this over the last 4-5 years on my own personal cars one being my Solid-Black Audi-A6 and previous to that my Solid-Black A4-Avant.....so please dont assume that you are are the "oracle" of all things car cleaning because trust me you are not!


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

nick_mcuk said:


> We are not talking about using a QD/ONR to wet the surface of the MF we are talking about a properly damp MF cloth or drying towel....


Where have I mentioned ONR? Dunking a thick MF towel and wringing it out
to a point of light dampness is darned hard work - all I was pointing out is that 
it isn't necessary! What, pray tell, is arrogant about that..?

Regards,
Steve


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## S63 (Jan 5, 2007)

Lowiepete said:


> Where have I mentioned ONR? Dunking a thick MF towel and wringing it out
> to a point of light dampness is darned hard work - all I was pointing out is that
> it isn't necessary! What, pray tell, is arrogant about that..?
> 
> ...


Worst aspect of Internet talk. Sometimes the way we type things can come across in a way you never intended them to, I don't know you personally but I don't imagine you to be an arrogant person. You are both seasoned members here with contributions that benefit DW greatly, arguing about the dampness of a cloth..... I put it down to a change in the weather.


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

I wasn't arguing I was making exactly that point S63....Steve's post came across very arrogant and impertinent as if he knows it all and I know nothing.....completely dismissing my point of view.

I will leave it at that but Steve, maybe think about how you word things chap.... 

Oh and I only mentioned ONR as you are always banging on about it like its the best thing since the invention of the world :lol:


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## Lowiepete (Mar 29, 2009)

Oh, so if someone disagrees with you, even slightly, that gives you the right 
to publicly damn them with faint praise? The "no" also referred to the idea 
that using a _dry_ MF cloth was safe, and that it's safe either way. That's 
not just poor advice; in car cleaning terms, it is dangerous advice! The drying 
stage is probably the number one most risky activity when it comes to 
causing swirls. 

Anyone who does their research on MF cloth technology will see that the 
common authoratitive view is that they work at their best when dampened
or wet. In car cleaning terms that is also when they are at their safest!

Going back to the really thick MF towels, I would not only disagree with you
about dunking them, but also point out that trying to wring them out to a 
point of light dampness is a risky activity. Many of these cloths are actually 
sewn together back to back; the act of wringing them out can cause such 
stresses that the seams will split. Far better to lightly spray them, eh?

As for my references to ONR, I tend to limit my inputs to where it's proven to 
be one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of solving a problem. If
it's going to save the enquirer some work and time, as far as I'm aware, I'm 
at perfect liberty to do that. If a product is so versatile, then that can only 
count in its favour.


Regards,
Steve


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## TOGWT (Oct 26, 2005)

Lowiepete said:


> I'll repeat it again, I'm beginning to feel like a stuck record I've said it so often!
> Never ever use a *dry* MF cloth on paint (see sections 11 and 12) unless you
> are buffing-off pre-wax cleaning, sealant or wax coatings. At all other times you
> should *lightly dampen* microfibre cloths. That's the way that the technology
> ...


Micro fibre came about by combining two DuPont inventions: hydrophobic Polyester (a scrubbing fibre) which also gives the material strength and durability and a hydrophilic Polyamide (an absorbing fibre) that uses capillary action making it is tremendously absorbent and quick drying.

This nylon hybrid is created during weaving to create microscopic loops, which form a network of tiny hooks, scrubbing away dirt and grime. The nature of this yarn is that it is an absorbent; the reason polyester appears to absorb liquids is the many thousands of micro fibres that collectively encapsulate liquids. 

Wet-Wring-Wipe​


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## nick_mcuk (Jan 4, 2008)

Lowiepete said:


> Oh, so if someone disagrees with you, even slightly, that gives you the right
> to publicly damn them with faint praise? The "no" also referred to the idea
> that using a _dry_ MF cloth was safe, and that it's safe either way. That's
> not just poor advice; in car cleaning terms, it is dangerous advice! The drying
> ...


As I said before....you need to merely look at what you type before you hit that post button and put as much though into how it will be perceived/read as you do being argumentative.

As for the disagreeing the same could be applied to you...I simply posted how I read your frankly aggressive post knocking my comment about wetting an wringing out the MF....have you actually taken the time to watch the video???

I haven't once said that people should use the super thick MF towels or these uber fury ones....you really do need to get facts straight.

That is all I am going to say on this subject now and I wont be replying again to you as you clearly are proving that you are stubborn and arrogant.

THE END.


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