P&S Rags to Riches: The Best Microfiber Detergent?

Here's a question every detailer eventually faces: why do your microfiber towels start feeling stiff, smearing instead of wiping, and leaving streaks — even after washing them? The answer is almost always in how you're washing them, and more specifically, what you're washing them with.

Standard laundry detergents — even gentle ones — leave behind residues, fragrances, and softening agents that clog the microscopic fibres that make microfiber so effective. Over time, your premium towels stop performing like premium towels.

That's where P&S Rags to Riches comes in. Here at The Rag Company Europe, we've been recommending this microfiber detergent to detailers across Europe for good reason: it's purpose-built to deep clean and restore absorbency, and it's one of the best microfiber wash solutions on the market. Whether you're a professional running a busy detailing bay or a weekend enthusiast protecting your own cars, this guide will show you exactly how to use it — and why it matters.

Why Regular Detergent Destroys Your Microfiber Towels

Microfiber towels are engineered with an astonishing level of complexity. A typical detailing microfiber can contain between 90,000 and 200,000+ individual fibres per square centimetre of fabric — split fibres that create a massive surface area for trapping dirt, oils, waxes, and polish residue.

That's exactly the problem when you wash them with the wrong detergent.

Regular laundry detergents contain fragrances, optical brighteners, fabric softeners, and silicone-based agents. These compounds don't just sit on the surface — they get absorbed deep into those split fibres, effectively gluing them together and filling the tiny pockets that make microfiber so grabby and absorbent.

The result? Towels that leave water spots on glass. Drying towels that smear instead of absorb. Wax removal cloths that just push product around. You're not imagining the decline — your towels are chemically compromised.

Pro Tip: Even "free and clear" household detergents marketed as gentle aren't formulated for microfiber. They still leave behind surfactant residues that reduce performance over time. Use a dedicated microfiber detergent every single wash.

What Makes P&S Rags to Riches Different?

P&S Rags to Riches was developed specifically in collaboration with The Rag Company, the world's leading microfiber brand. It's not a repurposed laundry product — it's an engineered solution designed around how detailing towels actually get dirty.

The formula tackles three specific challenges:

1. Silicone and wax contamination. Modern spray sealants, ceramic sprays, and quick detailers load up microfiber with hydrophobic chemistry. Rags to Riches includes agents specifically designed to break down and flush these compounds — something standard detergents simply can't do effectively.

2. Oil and polish residue. Machine polishing cloths accumulate oils from compounds and polishes that bond to fibres with each use. The concentrated surfactant blend in Rags to Riches penetrates and lifts these oils without damaging the polyester and polyamide fibres.

3. Absorbency restoration. By stripping away all the contamination and residue, Rags to Riches restores the fibre structure — resulting in towels that feel noticeably softer, brighter, and more absorbent after just one wash.

It's safe on all textile types: microfiber, cotton, chamois, and other fabric blends. It's also formulated to work in all washing machines including high-efficiency (HE) machines, which are common across European households.

You can find P&S Rags to Riches in our P&S Detail Products collection alongside other P&S essentials.

How to Use P&S Rags to Riches: Step-by-Step

Getting the most out of this microfiber laundry detergent is straightforward — but a few key steps make a real difference.

For Lightly Soiled Towels (standard wash)

1. Sort your microfiber towels by colour — wash dark colours separately from light colours to avoid dye transfer. Never wash microfiber with cotton items, as cotton lint will embed in the fibres.
2. Load the machine. Don't overfill — give the towels room to move freely.
3. Add 30ml of P&S Rags to Riches directly to the detergent dispenser or drum.
4. Set the machine to warm water (30–40°C is ideal). Avoid hot washes, which can damage fibres over time.
5. Run a normal cycle. Do not add any fabric softener — ever.
6. Tumble dry on low heat, or hang to dry. Do not iron.

For Heavily Soiled or Hydrophobic Towels

1. Pre-soak the towels in a bucket of warm water with 30–60ml of Rags to Riches for 30–60 minutes. This is the critical step for towels used with spray sealants, waxes, or ceramic coatings — the pre-soak breaks down hydrophobic contamination before the wash cycle begins.
2. After soaking, transfer directly to the washing machine.
3. Add another 30–60ml of Rags to Riches to the machine for the wash cycle.
4. Use warm water and a normal cycle.
5. Check absorbency after washing — if towels are still beading water on the surface (hydrophobic), repeat the pre-soak and wash process.
6. Dry on low heat or hang dry.

For Large Commercial Loads (detailing businesses)

1. Use 60ml per large load. The formula is highly concentrated, so resist the temptation to over-pour — you don't need more.
2. Run a warm cycle. Multiple wash cycles are better than one hot cycle for heavily soiled items.
3. Rags to Riches is safe in commercial front-loaders and industrial machines.

Pro Tip: If you're running a detailing business and washing towels daily, the 3.78L size of Rags to Riches will be your best value option. At 30–60ml per load, a full container gives you a serious number of washes. Keep a measuring cup or squeeze bottle near your machine so you're never guessing on dosage.

Which TRC Europe Microfiber Towels Work Best with Rags to Riches?

Rags to Riches is designed to restore any microfiber, but it's especially effective at bringing back to life high-quality towels that have been working hard. Here at TRC Europe, we carry the full range of The Rag Company microfiber towels — the same brand that co-developed Rags to Riches with P&S.

Drying towels — large waffle-weave or plush drying towels accumulate water spots, wax residue, and detailing product over time. A proper Rags to Riches wash restores their ability to absorb rather than drag.

Polishing and compound removal cloths — these towels are subjected to some of the toughest contamination in detailing. Oil-based polishes and abrasive compounds can permanently bond if not properly cleaned. The pre-soak method with Rags to Riches is essential for these.

Glass and paint correction towels — any silicone or wax contamination left in a glass towel will cause immediate smearing. Rags to Riches specifically addresses hydrophobic residue, making it the best microfiber detergent for this application.

Browse our full range of detailing microfiber towels to pair with your Rags to Riches routine.

Common Microfiber Washing Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the right detergent, a few laundry habits will undo your results.

Using fabric softener. This is the single biggest mistake. Fabric softener — liquid or any softening additive — coats fibres with a waxy, silicone-based residue that is almost impossible to remove and will permanently reduce absorbency. Never use it with microfiber. Ever.

Washing microfiber with cotton. Cotton sheds lint. That lint embeds into the open-weave structure of microfiber and is extremely difficult to remove. Separate your loads.

Washing at high temperatures. Very hot water (above 60°C) can melt or damage the polyamide component of split microfiber, reducing its softness and effectiveness. Stick to warm cycles.

Over-pouring detergent. More product doesn't mean cleaner towels. Excess surfactant residue left in fibres after rinsing is actually one of the causes of smearing and reduced performance. Trust the dosage on the label.

Drying on high heat. Low heat or air drying is always best. The heat-retention properties of synthetic fibres mean that high dryer temperatures can cause premature wear and even slight melting of finer fibres.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is P&S Rags to Riches used for?

P&S Rags to Riches is a dedicated microfiber laundry detergent designed specifically for detailing towels. It deep cleans microfiber, cotton, chamois, and other fabric blends while restoring absorbency and colour that regular washing strips away. It's especially effective at removing hydrophobic residue left behind by spray sealants, ceramic coatings, and wax products — something standard detergents simply aren't formulated to tackle.

Can I use P&S Rags to Riches in any washing machine?

Yes. Rags to Riches is formulated to work in all residential and commercial washing machines, including high-efficiency (HE) machines. Use 30ml for small or lightly soiled loads and 60ml for large loads. It's low-foam, which makes it compatible with front-loading HE machines without risking overflow or residue build-up in the drum — a common issue with standard household detergents.

How often should I wash my microfiber detailing towels?

Wash your microfiber towels after every detailing session — don't let soiled towels sit in a bag or bucket, as dried product becomes harder to remove. For towels used with ceramic sprays or sealants, do a pre-soak with Rags to Riches before your wash cycle. With proper care and the right detergent, quality microfiber towels can last hundreds of washes without losing performance.

Can P&S Rags to Riches restore old or stiff microfiber towels?

In many cases, yes. If towels have become stiff, scratchy, or hydrophobic due to product build-up, a pre-soak in Rags to Riches followed by a warm machine wash can restore a significant amount of their original softness and absorbency. Severely degraded towels — those with physical fibre damage from high heat or harsh chemicals — may not fully recover, but contamination-related stiffness responds well to Rags to Riches treatment.

What should I not use with P&S Rags to Riches?

Never use Rags to Riches alongside fabric softener or bleach. Fabric softener will counteract the entire purpose of the wash by coating fibres with a waxy residue that reduces absorbency. Also avoid washing microfiber with cotton items in the same load — cotton lint embeds in microfiber fibres and is very difficult to remove. Keep your microfiber loads separate and clean.

Your detailing results are only as good as the tools in your hands — and if your microfiber towels aren't clean and properly maintained, you're working against yourself before you even start. P&S Rags to Riches is the professional standard for microfiber care because it was built specifically around the real-world contamination that detailing towels face: waxes, silicones, oils, and polishes that regular detergents can't touch.

The steps are simple: sort your towels, use the right dosage, pre-soak when needed, and never go near a fabric softener. Do that consistently and your TRC Europe microfiber towels will perform like new wash after wash.

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Have you tried Rags to Riches? Did it bring any of your towels back from the dead? Drop a comment below — we love hearing detailing war stories.