Best Laundry Detergent for carwash&detail

[Waxman]

I just switched from all-purpose cleaner to Simoniz liquid laundry Detergent. I like it so far. It's about $11 a gallon and uses a cup per load.

My microfiber towels feel better and my terry towels are softer and more absorbent, it seems.

What has everyone else had good/bad luck with for carwash and detail shop towels, rags and applicator pads?

Thanks!

 

[MEP001]

That sounds incredibly expensive. Have you tried a regular liquid detergent or did you go straight from a powder to the Simoniz liquid?

I'm not a professional detailer by any means, but for cleaning my own vehicles I use terry towels washed in plain powdered Tide, and they've always come out very absorbent. At $30 for 180 loads, it's a great deal cheaper. Maybe a double scoop of regular stuff would work comparably to the Simoniz.

 

[emwachtel]

Wow.. $11.00 per gallon.. Seems way way to expensive. Thats $600 per 55 gallon. He sell a drum of laundry soap for less then 1/2 that. Hope it folds the laundry for that price!!

 

[Whale of a Wash]

I would try ultra 2x tide, or there is a commercial version called tide heavy duty, or have heard it called Tide lll . Dave- It would be cheaper to wash a load two or three times than to spend that much on soap. Just don't use fabric softeners- They are a derivative of animal fat and coat the towels. That is costing you .69 per load for simoniz.

 

[soapy]

The people who sell towels have always told me never to use any detergent on towels. It coats the towels and they do not work as well. I always wash the window towels seperatly and on occasion will use vinegar in the water for the window towels.

 

[Danny]

What detergent you use depends more on how you are drying the towels then how you are washing them. If you wash the towels and then dry them completely then any detergent will do. However if you are washing the towels and spinning them out where they are mostly dry but still damp then you need a antibacterial detergent. This situation is common with those using Unimacs or similiar machines. The reason for the antibacterial soap is that the towels remain wet and this can breed the bacteria. As this happens the towels can develope an odor and begin to lint more as the bacteria literally destroys the towel. Many locations have trouble with this during the rainy season since the towels sit wet, unused and unwashed for several days until the rain passes. Soapy is right on when he said the detergent will lightly coat the towels and the antibacterial agent in the detergent will help keep the bacteria from forming, making your towels last longer!!!