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rippie · 11-03-2013, 09:34 PM

Here's my $.02 for what it's worth. I have an old MF (microfiber

) bath towel that has managed to get kinda mildewy smelling over time. I am sure there is probably a way to refresh it, but I haven't really tried too hard as I'm not a big fan of the crunchy/sticky texture. I have found I much prefer plush cotton. I just down sized to a hand towel (the size above the small square one) & found it was surprisingly enough for me to completely dry off. It also reduces laundry/ drying time.
But if someone has any MF towel cleaning methods to share, I would gladly try to revitalize mine (which currently is used only as a back-up).

As for other uses, I do use the washcloth size for kitchen cleaning and have found the colors useful for coding different chores (eg: blue=dishes, green=counter-tops, yellow=cleaning spray, etc.) But they definitely need to dry completely between uses or they will get a little funky.

cwf · 11-03-2013, 09:52 PM

So, ever wonder how to knock out that decaying smell from sponge or favorite towel????

Nuke them!

Seriously. Dampen well then put in MW for 15-30 second bursts. Time in MW will depend on lots of factors, some being mass, density and MW power.

However... Give it a try. You might be surprised!

Another tip is mixing hydrogen peroxide with the cloth/sponge. It will also kill that stinks!!

bugsbunny · 11-03-2013, 11:03 PM

Wash in white vinegar solution; use about 1/2 c per load; also whitens and reduces static cling

perri · 11-05-2013, 08:24 AM

Yes on the white vinegar. If you throw it in the dryer, add some baking soda. A generous sprinkle of baking soda has removed that "oops, I let this load sit in the washer too long" smell.

Antique Pedaler · 11-05-2013, 10:05 AM

We've found the bath size from BB&B are nice. Second best are at REI. After that the cheapies are just that. The trade off is that you get a dry towel each day. Not so with terrycloth.

weirdstuff · 12-04-2013, 05:14 PM

2nd that.....pack towels from REI. They fold up tiny, so, when you're on a short trip and not taking full showers and not using them, they barely take up any room at all in. I think mine are the XXL size too.

perri · 12-06-2013, 09:30 AM

All that being said, we have been traveling for a month in our 70 Overlander. We are relocating from the East to West coast. I took several towels from the linen closet in our old house and they've been fine. We have a lot of storage in this thing so there's always a clean dry towel somewhere. We have a couple dozen dishtowels, too. It's a lot easier to have unused storage without the kids!

PharmGeek · 12-06-2013, 09:46 AM

I bought on a whim before oure very first trip in our first airstream last weekend a 10 pack of these blue microfiber dish towels at home depot...these were amazing for cleaning up the galley when cooking...and when they got wet and I hung it up...dried really fast...they seemed to pick up stuff better than other dish rags? I used 3 or 4 of the 10 on the trip for various stuff...I was able to keep the sink, fixtures, counters spotless and even very much shiny through the weekend with ease.

I am interested in trying MF for showering....we have some plain towels we used from home...they dried ok with the exhaust fan on in the bathroom but it took a while during the day...

Pahaska · 12-06-2013, 10:22 AM

i bought two packs of quick-drying towels over the net. We have 4 bath towels, 4 hand towels, and 4 wash cloths. They are supposed to dry 30% faster. Since the towels are always the major time factor at the laundromats, they should really cut the drying time down. They seem to dry fast between uses in the trailer as well. They are nubby and really feel good to dry with. I picked a color not used at home so that the towels come back to the trailer each time instead of ending up in the cabinet at home like our former towels did.

Skater · 12-06-2013, 12:04 PM

We have some microfiber dish towels and hate them - they don't soak up the water anywhere near as well as a conventional dish towel. I don't understand why people like them. Microfiber is fine for using spray detailer on the car, or rubbing off car wax, but not for drying things.

Our bath towels are quick drying but not microfiber.

LadyJ · 03-26-2014, 02:23 AM

We use 4 bath size micro fiber towels - my recommendation is to get the waffle weave. Best prices have been thru amazon. The towels dry fast so moisture doesn't build up inside the trailer.

Foiled Again · 03-26-2014, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skater

We have some microfiber dish towels and hate them - they don't soak up the water anywhere near as well as a conventional dish towel. I don't understand why people like them. Microfiber is fine for using spray detailer on the car, or rubbing off car wax, but not for drying things.

Our bath towels are quick drying but not microfiber.

NEVER use fabric softener or dryer sheets on towels - it reduces their ability to absorb moisture. AND it's far worse with microfiber than with cotton. Could that be the problem?

Paula

Ahab · 03-26-2014, 08:37 AM

We use them all the time.

KenSanLan · 03-26-2014, 10:06 AM

We bought one large towel at REI to test it. It has been through about a dozen wash/dry cycles, some with fabric softener some without, and it just keeps getting better. The space-savings and speed in drying time make it worth it to us - doesn't feel as good, but how much time do you spend feeling your towels? We are about to replace all our trailer towels with MF.

Skater · 03-26-2014, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

NEVER use fabric softener or dryer sheets on towels - it reduces their ability to absorb moisture. AND it's far worse with microfiber than with cotton. Could that be the problem?

Probably is - we use both. I've never heard this before. Our regular cotton towels absorb water just fine, though, with the same treatment. I'm not going to start dealing with special washing instructions for towels, though so our next set will just be regular cotton. (I use them on my car, unwashed, so I do know how they work when new. I'm not impressed enough to want to deal with the extra maintenance hassle.)

msmcv51 · 03-26-2014, 12:29 PM

Neither the wife or I like them for body drying or dish drying. Good cotton is much better.

perri · 03-26-2014, 11:00 PM

>NEVER use fabric softener or dryer sheets on towels - it reduces their ability to absorb moisture.

Foiled Again is quite right.

I don't use softener at all, because pouring conditioner and perfume on my laundry is strange. I've never understood it.

Skater · 03-28-2014, 06:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by perri

I don't use softener at all, because pouring conditioner and perfume on my laundry is strange. I've never understood it.

I didn't use it either, until I got married and my wife wanted softer clothes. At least we use the perfume-free stuff - in particular, the dryer sheets that smell drive my nose nuts.

kcollins · 03-28-2014, 08:17 AM

For backpacking we use Sham-Wow towels (yes, the ones you see pitched on infomercials). They are light, compact, and very absorbent. Like the backpacking towels from REI, you can wring them out and continue to use them.

We are still using regular bath towels in the AS, however. There's nothing like a big, fluffy towel.

Airtandem · 03-28-2014, 08:36 AM

We have some chamois like towels we found in the automotive dept at WW. We have used them about 10 years now, yes the same ones. We dry, wash, rinse, wring and put back in their storage tube till the next time. They come in colors so we know whose is whose. Though they are put away damp, there is no odor. We take them in the shower with us to get them wet warm before using. A light wipe from head to toe and you are dry.