Should You Wash Detailing Towels After Using A Spray Sealant? | FAQ
Jun 09, 2025
Spray sealants make the surface you spray them on hydrophobic. When you wipe the glass, plastic, paint, or whatever you just sprayed the sealant on with a microfiber towel, the absorbent fibers in the towel absorb those hydrophobic properties.
Should you wash your microfiber towels after using them to wipe away a paint sealant or drying aid?
Short answer: Yes.
But, let us explain some caveats here.
After using your premium microfiber towels to wash and dry a car, truck, or SUV, wash them shortly afterward to ensure you remove all the dirt and grime from the vehicle. But, if you used a towel (an Eagle Edgeless 500, for example) as a drying aid with a paint sealant (Bead Maker for example), don't wash that towel with your other microfibers.
Since the Eagle has taken on some of the hydrophobic properties thanks to the Bead Maker, the key is to pre-soak that towel in a bucket of all-purpose cleaner, ONR, or Rags to Riches microfiber detergent. Soaking in a cleaning solution is key because it will help break down the sealant and remove it from the microfiber. ONR is especially good at that because the polymers encapsulate dirt, grime, and paint sealant and safely removes them from the microfibers.
We recommend soaking your towels overnight or up to 24 hours. Make sure the towels are fully submerged. Many detailers have found success putting a Grit Guard on top of the towels to make sure they stay fully submerged.
After soaking them, wash these towels as their own load. This will help prevent any residual hydrophobic sealant from leeching to any other microfiber towels.
