Tools and Equipment
The Best Microfiber Detergent in 2026
Microfiber stops working when it fills up with wax, sealant and polish residue. The makers here say what their detergent removes, and two of them say how much to use.
By Sawyer V. · Last verified 2026-09-10
We have not tested any of this. Everything below is compiled from published manufacturer specifications, and the arithmetic is printed so you can check it. This page carries affiliate links: if you buy through one we earn a commission at no extra cost to you, and it does not change the order of the picks. Full disclosure.
| # | Pick | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer & Brightener Adam's Polishes | Nothing, because Adam's replaced it | 8.9/10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 2 | 3D Towel Kleen Microfiber Detergent 3D Car Care | The fullest published dose, down to cost per load | 7.1/10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 3 | Adam's Towel & Pad Revitalizer Adam's Polishes | Stripping wax and sealant residue out of towels | 6.8/10 | Check price on Amazon |
| 4 | P&S Rags to Riches Microfiber Detergent P&S Detail Products | Commercial-strength washing in a home machine | 6.4/10 | Check price on Amazon |
No live price is currently verified, so every button here reads Check price rather than a number we cannot stand behind. Why we do it that way.
Why towels need more than laundry soap
Our maintenance guide says a plain liquid detergent without softener, fragrance or brightener will wash microfiber, and for ordinary dirt it will. Detailing residue is harder. 3D split it into water-soluble residue, such as detail spray, and water-insoluble residue, such as wax, compound and dressing, which is built to resist water and is what builds up in the pile.
The detergents here are sold on removing the second kind. Adam’s name their chemistry: a citrus oil extract, co-solvency and an amphoteric surfactant, aimed at dried-on waxes, sealant resins and silicone oils. 3D describe a proprietary formula for both kinds of residue. P&S say theirs removes heavy residues without naming the chemistry.
| Detergent | Sizes | Published dose | Cost per load | Rated for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3D Towel Kleen | 1 gallon, $34.99 | 2 oz per medium load, about 25 towels | $0.55 | Microfiber towels; microfiber, wool and foam pads |
| Adam's Towel & Pad Revitalizer | 16 oz / 32 oz / gallon | 2-4 fl oz per load | $0.70-$1.41 | Towels and foam pads |
| P&S Rags to Riches | 32 oz / gallon | Not published | Not calculable | All microfiber; also cotton, chamois, blends |
| Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer & Brightener | 32 oz / gallon / 5 gallons | A few ounces, unspecified | Not calculable | Superseded, per Adam's |
The dose is the number that matters
A detergent without a dose is a concentrate you cannot cost. Two makers publish one. 3D say 2 oz for an average medium load of about 25 towels or 10 pounds; Adam’s say 2 to 4 fl oz depending on the size of the load. At gallon prices, that is 55 cents a load for 3D and 70 cents to $1.41 for Adam’s.
3D’s own listing does the arithmetic differently: it quotes a recommended price of $25.00 a gallon and 40 cents a load. The store charges $34.99, so that is the figure used here.
Pads go in too
3D rate Towel Kleen for microfiber, wool and foam buffing pads in the machine. Adam’s publish a hand method for foam pads: wet them, pretreat, agitate, then rinse until no more foam appears. Either way, polishing pads clogged with compound cut less, which is the reason to clean them at all.
What to buy
- A published dose and the lowest cost per load: 3D Towel Kleen, $34.99 a gallon.
- Towels full of wax, sealant and polish residue: Adam's Towel & Pad Revitalizer, from $12.99.
- HE or commercial machines, with cotton or chamois in the load: P&S Rags to Riches, $40.40 a gallon.
- Lightly used towels: the plain, unscented detergent our maintenance guide describes.
Every pick, with the working
Each entry lists the specifications the maker publishes, the axis scores those specifications produce, and what you give up. Rows that read “Not published” are not omissions on our side: they are figures the maker will not commit to in writing, and they cost the product points on the transparency axis.
Our pickNothing, because Adam's replaced it
Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer & Brightener
Adam's Polishes
Skip this one. Adam's own listing directs you to its replacement, Towel & Pad Revitalizer, which publishes its chemistry and adds pads to what it is rated for.
$12.99 for 32 oz or $29.99 a gallon, still listed - and the listing itself says the formula has been updated to Towel & Pad Revitalizer. It is the cheaper bottle on paper and the superseded one in fact.
- Sizes
- 32 oz ($12.99), gallon ($29.99), 5 gallon ($169.99)
- Status
- Listing states the formula was updated to Towel & Pad Revitalizer
- Chemistry
- Surfactants and detergents, not named
What it does well
- Cheaper per ounce than its replacement
- Sold up to 5 gallons
Who it is not for
- Adam's own listing points you to the newer formula
- Chemistry described only as surfactants and detergents
- Buying it means buying the version its maker has moved on from
How this score was calculated
- Protection claimdropped
- Nothing in this category is bought on how long it lasts, so the axis is dropped and the other weights are re-normalized.
- Capabilitydropped
- No single published number decides capability in this category, so the axis is dropped rather than invented.
- Cost per ounce9.3/10, weight 16%
- $12.99 for 32 oz works out at $0.41 an ounce, scored against a band of $0.35 (good) to $1.20 (expensive) for a microfiber detergent.
- Price against the ceiling7.1/10, weight 14%
- A listed $12.99 against the $45 one upgrade in this category realistically tops out at. A list price captured on the compile date, not a live price and not what you will pay.
- Written commitmentdropped
- Adam's Polishes publishes no warranty term on this product's own page, so the axis is dropped. On a tool that is worth noticing, and it costs the product points on transparency instead.
- Spec transparency10.0/10, weight 18%
- 3 of the 3 specifications we went looking for are published by Adam's Polishes. Every blank row below is something the maker will not put in writing, and it costs the product points here.
List price $12.99 per Adam's Polishes' own store, captured on the compile date below. Not a live price and not what you will pay — the button is where the real number is.
Specifications from Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer & Brightener product page, compiled September 8, 2026.
2The fullest published dose, down to cost per load
3D Towel Kleen Microfiber Detergent
3D Car Care
$34.99 for a gallon, with a published dose of 2 oz for a medium load of about 25 towels, and 3D rate it for microfiber, wool and foam pads as well as towels. The listing's own arithmetic uses a $25.00 recommended price to reach 40 cents a load; at the store price it is 55 cents.
- Size
- 1 gallon (128 oz)
- Dose
- 2 oz per medium load (about 25 towels or 10 lb)
- Rated for
- Microfiber towels, microfiber pads, wool pads, foam pads
- Price note
- Listing text quotes a $25.00 recommended price; store price $34.99
- Machines
- HE, top-loading and commercial
- Chemistry
- Not published
What it does well
- Dose published: 2 oz for about 25 towels or 10 lb
- Rated for microfiber towels, microfiber pads, wool pads and foam pads
- Low foam, stated for HE, top-loading and commercial machines
- Gallon at $34.99 is 27 cents an ounce
Who it is not for
- The listing's price and the store's price disagree ($25.00 against $34.99)
- Sold only as a gallon
- Lemon-scented, stated, where our maintenance guide says to avoid fragrance
How this score was calculated
- Protection claimdropped
- Nothing in this category is bought on how long it lasts, so the axis is dropped and the other weights are re-normalized.
- Capabilitydropped
- No single published number decides capability in this category, so the axis is dropped rather than invented.
- Cost per ounce10.0/10, weight 16%
- $34.99 for 128 oz works out at $0.27 an ounce, scored against a band of $0.35 (good) to $1.20 (expensive) for a microfiber detergent.
- Price against the ceiling2.2/10, weight 14%
- A listed $34.99 against the $45 one upgrade in this category realistically tops out at. A list price captured on the compile date, not a live price and not what you will pay.
- Written commitmentdropped
- 3D Car Care publishes no warranty term on this product's own page, so the axis is dropped. On a tool that is worth noticing, and it costs the product points on transparency instead.
- Spec transparency8.3/10, weight 18%
- 5 of the 6 specifications we went looking for are published by 3D Car Care. Every blank row below is something the maker will not put in writing, and it costs the product points here.
List price $34.99 per 3D Car Care's own store, captured on the compile date below. Not a live price and not what you will pay — the button is where the real number is.
Specifications from 3D Car Care's Towel Kleen product page, compiled September 8, 2026.
3Stripping wax and sealant residue out of towels
Adam's Towel & Pad Revitalizer
Adam's Polishes
$12.99 for 16 oz up to $44.99 a gallon, and Adam's publish the chemistry: a natural citrus oil extract, co-solvency and an amphoteric surfactant, aimed at dried-on waxes, sealant resins and silicone oils. It doubles as a pretreatment.
- Sizes
- 16 oz ($12.99), 32 oz ($19.99), gallon ($44.99)
- Chemistry
- Natural citrus oil extract, co-solvency, amphoteric surfactant
- Targets
- Dried-on waxes, sealant resins, silicone oils
- Dose
- 2-4 fl oz per load, by load size
- Use
- Towels and pads; also as a pretreatment
- Additives
- No dyes or perfumes, stated
- pH
- Not published
What it does well
- Chemistry named: citrus oil, co-solvency, amphoteric surfactant
- Targets published: waxes, silicones, sealant resins
- Dose published: 2-4 fl oz per load, by load size
- Rated for pads as well as towels, and usable as a pretreatment
Who it is not for
- No pH published
- Gallon is 35 cents an ounce, not the cheapest
- Heavy-duty positioning is more than lightly used towels need
How this score was calculated
- Protection claimdropped
- Nothing in this category is bought on how long it lasts, so the axis is dropped and the other weights are re-normalized.
- Capabilitydropped
- No single published number decides capability in this category, so the axis is dropped rather than invented.
- Cost per ounce4.6/10, weight 16%
- $12.99 for 16 oz works out at $0.81 an ounce, scored against a band of $0.35 (good) to $1.20 (expensive) for a microfiber detergent.
- Price against the ceiling7.1/10, weight 14%
- A listed $12.99 against the $45 one upgrade in this category realistically tops out at. A list price captured on the compile date, not a live price and not what you will pay.
- Written commitmentdropped
- Adam's Polishes publishes no warranty term on this product's own page, so the axis is dropped. On a tool that is worth noticing, and it costs the product points on transparency instead.
- Spec transparency8.6/10, weight 18%
- 6 of the 7 specifications we went looking for are published by Adam's Polishes. Every blank row below is something the maker will not put in writing, and it costs the product points here.
List price $12.99 per Adam's Polishes' own store, captured on the compile date below. Not a live price and not what you will pay — the button is where the real number is.
Specifications from Adam's Towel & Pad Revitalizer product page, compiled September 8, 2026.
4Commercial-strength washing in a home machine
P&S Rags to Riches Microfiber Detergent
P&S Detail Products
$22.60 a quart or $40.40 a gallon of a highly concentrated detergent P&S state is safe on all microfiber types and suited to residential and commercial machines, restoring softness, absorbency and color.
- Sizes
- 32 oz ($22.60), gallon ($40.40)
- Format
- Highly concentrated
- Compatibility
- All microfiber types; also cotton, chamois and blends
- Machines
- Residential and commercial, including HE
- pH
- Not published
What it does well
- Safe on all microfiber types, stated
- Rated for residential, commercial and HE machines
- Gallon at $40.40 is 32 cents an ounce
Who it is not for
- No chemistry named beyond "cutting edge"
- No pH published
- The quart is poor value against the gallon
How this score was calculated
- Protection claimdropped
- Nothing in this category is bought on how long it lasts, so the axis is dropped and the other weights are re-normalized.
- Capabilitydropped
- No single published number decides capability in this category, so the axis is dropped rather than invented.
- Cost per ounce5.8/10, weight 16%
- $22.60 for 32 oz works out at $0.71 an ounce, scored against a band of $0.35 (good) to $1.20 (expensive) for a microfiber detergent.
- Price against the ceiling5.0/10, weight 14%
- A listed $22.60 against the $45 one upgrade in this category realistically tops out at. A list price captured on the compile date, not a live price and not what you will pay.
- Written commitmentdropped
- P&S Detail Products publishes no warranty term on this product's own page, so the axis is dropped. On a tool that is worth noticing, and it costs the product points on transparency instead.
- Spec transparency8.0/10, weight 18%
- 4 of the 5 specifications we went looking for are published by P&S Detail Products. Every blank row below is something the maker will not put in writing, and it costs the product points here.
List price $22.60 per The Rag Company, captured on the compile date below. Not a live price and not what you will pay — the button is where the real number is.
Specifications from The Rag Company's P&S Rags to Riches listing, compiled September 8, 2026.
No live price is currently verified, so every button here reads Check price rather than a number we cannot stand behind. Why we do it that way.
Questions people actually ask
+Can I wash microfiber towels with regular detergent?
+How much microfiber detergent should I use?
+Is microfiber detergent safe in an HE washer?
+Can I wash polishing pads in the washing machine?
Where these figures came from
- 3D Car Care's Towel Kleen product page — retrieved 2026-09-10
- Adam's Towel & Pad Revitalizer product page — retrieved 2026-09-10
- The Rag Company's P&S Rags to Riches listing — retrieved 2026-09-10
- Adam's Microfiber Revitalizer & Brightener product page — retrieved 2026-09-10
Every figure on this page is a published manufacturer or authorized-retailer claim, not a measurement we made. How we research explains exactly what we did and did not do.