This kit is designed for both polishing pad cleaning and microfiber towel care.

Properly cleaning your microfiber towels and polishing pads is one of the most overlooked parts of car detailing.

Over time, microfiber towels and polishing pads become loaded with:

• polishing oils
• compounds
• waxes
• sealants
• ceramic sprays
• dirt and contamination

If this residue is not properly removed, microfiber towels can become:

• stiff
• clogged
• less absorbent
• grabby on paint

Polishing pads can also develop:

• clogged surfaces
• hardened foam
• reduced cutting performance
• uneven polishing behaviour

This kit is designed to give you the essentials needed to properly clean and maintain both microfiber towels and polishing pads.

Rather than simply throwing pads and towels into a wash and hoping for the best, this system allows you to properly break down and remove detailing residues while helping prolong the life and performance of your detailing accessories.

What’s Included

• Fireball Towel Cleaner
• Rockcar Pro Pad Cleaning Brush
• Rockcar HDPE Dilution Bottle & Professional Trigger Sprayer

Fireball Towel Cleaner

Fireball Towel Cleaner is a dedicated microfiber detergent designed specifically for detailing towels, applicators, and polishing pads.

Unlike standard laundry detergents, microfiber-specific cleaners are designed to:

• remove polishing oils
• break down waxes and sealants
• clean compound residue
• remove trapped contamination
• help maintain softness and absorbency

It can be used:

• in the washing machine for microfiber towels
• as a polishing pad cleaner when diluted
• for interior fabric and stain cleaning

For microfiber towels:

• Use approximately 1–2 capfuls per load depending on towel quantity and contamination level

For polishing pads:

• Mix approximately 10% Fireball Towel Cleaner with 90% water in the included dilution bottle

Rockcar Pro Pad Cleaning Brush

The Rockcar Pro Pad Cleaning Brush is designed to make polishing pad cleaning quicker, easier, and more effective.

Its focused brush design and angled handle help apply more cleaning pressure with less effort, making it easier to properly clean polishing pads and remove dried polishing residue from deep within the foam structure.

When compounds and polishes dry inside pads they can:

• create hardened areas in the foam
• clog the surface of the pad
• reduce polishing performance
• affect future polishing results
• shorten pad life

Proper cleaning helps:

• maintain pad performance
• extend pad life
• improve polishing consistency
• reduce the risk of dried residue contaminating future polishing stages

If you look after your polishing pads properly, they will perform better and last significantly longer.

Rockcar HDPE Dilution Bottle & Professional Trigger Sprayer

The included Rockcar HDPE dilution bottle makes it easy to properly mix and apply pad cleaning solution.

Unlike cheaper PET bottles, the Rockcar bottle uses chemical-resistant HDPE construction with a professional heavy-duty trigger sprayer designed for detailing chemicals.

Features include:

• chemical-resistant HDPE bottle construction
• semi-transparent natural finish to easily view dilution levels
• high-quality black professional trigger sprayer
• heavy-duty 28mm ratchet neck design
• extra-long pickup tube to use nearly every drop

The bottle is ideal for:

• mixing pad cleaner solution
• detailing chemical dilution
• quick detailers
• all-purpose cleaners
• wheel cleaners

How To Use This Kit

Cleaning Microfiber Towels

• Wash towels separately from cotton towels and lint-producing fabrics
• Use approximately 1–2 capfuls of Fireball Towel Cleaner per load
• Wash at approximately 30–40°C
• Avoid fabric softeners and bleach
• Tumble dry low or air dry

Cleaning Polishing Pads

• Mix approximately 10% Fireball Towel Cleaner with 90% water in the Rockcar dilution bottle
• Spray directly onto the polishing pad
• Agitate using the Rockcar Pro Pad Cleaning Brush
• Rinse thoroughly with clean water
• Squeeze out residue from deep inside the foam
• Allow pads to fully dry before reuse

For best results, always clean polishing pads the same day they are used and avoid letting polish residue fully dry inside the foam.

Common Polishing Pad Cleaning Myths

“Blowing out the pad with compressed air is enough.”

Compressed air can help remove loose residue from the surface of a polishing pad while polishing, but it does not fully clean the foam structure inside the pad.

Polishing oils, compounds, paint residue, and abrasives still remain deep inside the foam.

The pad is also usually still hot at this point.

For proper pad maintenance and longevity, polishing pads should still be fully cleaned and rinsed properly after use.

“Running a brush on the pad while the machine spins fully cleans it.”

Spinning a brush against the pad while the machine is running can help temporarily remove surface buildup, but again it does not fully clean inside the foam structure.

Aggressive spinning brush cleaning can also place unnecessary stress on:

• the foam
• the backing adhesive
• the Velcro interface

Proper washing and rinsing after polishing is still important.

“It’s fine to leave pads dirty overnight.”

One of the biggest causes of shortened pad life is leaving polish residue to dry inside the foam.

As compounds and polishes dry, they can:

• harden inside the foam structure
• create uneven spots in the pad
• reduce pad performance
• make pads harder to fully clean later

For best results, clean polishing pads the same day they are used.

Why Polishing Pads Fail Early

Most polishing pad failures are caused by one or more of the following:

• improper cleaning
• excessive heat buildup
• not swapping pads often enough
• allowing polish residue to dry inside the foam

After roughly 1/4 to 1/3 of a vehicle, polishing pads are often:

• hot
• clogged
• less effective

As foam becomes hotter it loses rigidity and polishing performance drops.

Continuing to heavily use overheated pads can:

• reduce polishing performance
• increase pad wear
• increase the risk of pad failure
• increase unnecessary heat transfer into the paint and clear coat

Professional detailers typically rotate multiple pads during polishing rather than using a single pad for an entire vehicle.

Using more pads and cleaning them properly is usually cheaper long-term than overusing a small number of pads and replacing them frequently.

Higher quality pads also generally tolerate heat and repeated use better than cheaper low-density foam pads.

Drying Polishing Pads Properly

After cleaning:

• stand pads upright
• or dry with the Velcro side facing upward

Avoid leaving pads wet with the Velcro side facing downward where water can remain trapped against the backing material.

Over time, constantly trapping moisture against the Velcro backing can contribute to premature adhesive failure.

Why Proper Cleaning Matters

Professional detailers often separate towels and pads by both task and contamination level.

Properly cleaned microfiber towels and polishing pads:

• perform better
• last longer
• remain safer on paint
• maintain better absorbency and polishing performance

Many detailing problems blamed on:

• pads
• polishes
• microfiber towels

…are actually caused by old residue and contamination left inside the material.

Proper cleaning is one of the easiest ways to improve detailing results while protecting your investment in quality detailing accessories.

Related Products & Guides

• Fireball Towel Cleaner
• Rockcar Pro Pad Cleaning Brush
• Rockcar HDPE Dilution Bottle & Professional Trigger Sprayer
• Rockcar Polishing Pads
• Autostolz One Step Polish
• How To Wash Microfiber Cloths Properly

These products and guides are designed to help you:

• properly clean and maintain microfiber towels
• extend polishing pad life
• improve polishing performance
• reduce contamination and residue buildup
• achieve more consistent detailing results

Our complete microfiber care guide also covers:

• safe wash temperatures
• 70/30 vs 80/20 microfiber
• dryer heat damage
• microfiber detergents
• metal polishing towels
• common microfiber myths