First, you need to wash your cloth in warm, soapy water. Remember to use mild soap for this step to help maintain the oil. Refrain from using dishwashing varieties and even laundry detergents as they can strip off the oil and make your cloth dry and too brittle for use. Next, you need to turn over the chamois a few times to spread the soap. After doing that, you need to dump it into clean rinsing water to remove the soapiness and excess oil.