1) PRODUCT(S) AFFECTED
- Basics of Bling Extra Soft Buffing Cloth
- Dodo Juice Soft Touch drying towel
- Dodo Juice Orange Plush drying towel
- Dodo Juice Double Touch drying towel
- Dodo Juice Fantastic Fur buffing cloth
- Supernatural buffing cloth (NOT microsuede)
- Supernatural drying towel
(Essentially, all plush and super-plush microfibre towels).
2) ISSUE
Linting of the cloth during use, especially visible on dark coloured cars and especially during initial microfibre useage.
3) INCIDENCE - from 1-5 with 1 being extremely rare and 5 being very common
Rare: 2
4) SEVERITY - from 1-5 with 1 being almost inconsequential to 5 being serious
Almost inconsequential: 1 (but quite annoying!)
5) CAUSES - or probable causes
Microfibre linting of plush and super-plush towels generally tends to be caused by a combination of factors that result in 'sticky' paint at a microscopic level, usually during the drying stage (but possibly also during buffing etc). It sometimes affects other microfibre types, but it is rarer. It is caused by fibres being dragged from the pile due to the drag of the surface the cloth is acting on.
The factors that cause linting could be:
- The wax or sealant on the car being uncured initially
- The wax or sealant becoming ‘wet’ (e.g. by being softened by the solvents in a spray sealant such as Red Mist Tropical, detergents in strong shampoos or by being heated by the sun and thus being softer than normal)
- A shampoo or quick detailer adding silicones or other residue to the paint; we see a lot of problems when people use heavy silicone shampoos (non-Dodo Juice!) because of the residue
- The cloth is very new (linting due to freshness)
- The cloth is old/worn or has been attacked by strong solvents or detergents during product application or cloth maintenance (ie when washed)
- The car is unclayed or has otherwise rough paint/surface damage or deterioration
- Combination of the above
6) REMEDY/REMEDIES
- Do not wash the car or buff the car on a hot day in direct sunlight, or if panel temps are hot - this ensures waxes and sealants are not being softened
- Do not use too strong a shampoo solution, or harsh products on waxed/sealed surfaces (tar removers etc)
- Never use solvent products like spray sealants within 24 hours of waxing/sealing (to avoid product interference)
- Be aware of what shampoo you are using... some shampoos leave residues that effectively require a drying towel to buff and drag...
- Clay the car to remove surface roughness
- Wash the cloth before use to remove loose fibres
- Never use strong solvents like tar removers with plush or super plush cloths, in case it damages the pile or backing
- Maintain the cloths carefully, using a 40 degree wash with non-Bio colour liquid and no fabric softener; tumble dry at low tomedium heat only
- Whilst the linting will go when the paint surface has lost its wetness or stickiness, and a 'dry' buff will be possible, it is an irritation so move to a short pile drying towel (Basics of Bling drying towel) or a non-linting microfibre for the final buff (Supernatural microsuede buffing cloth).
7) WHAT WE'LL DO...
We have never known a plush or superplush microfibre to be 'faulty' as such, and we have sold thousands... maybe some poor stitching, but that is about it. However, the plush fabrics often use a glue to help hold the pile to the cloth backing and this may vary between suppliers, batches and over time. What is far more common is a simple combination of 'sticky paint' circumstances ganging up on the plush/super plush microfibre user. If you make your paint inadvertently 'draggy' or 'sticky' then some cloths just aren't going to keep their plush pile in check. That is the price for ultimate softness.
In extreme cases, if you have tried all the remedies, contact us at thedodo - at -dodojuice -dot - com and we will take back the cloths or towels and substitute for low linting or non-linting alternative products. But they won't necessarily have the pile depth, softness or absorbency. Detailing comes with many variables, from products to application environment to technique and even customer expectations... and this leads to unavoidable compromises.