Microfiber Cleaning Cloths and Why We Love Them
We love our microfiber cleaning cloths. But what are they and why do we love them so much?
Microfiber cleaning cloths are critical to getting sparkling results without using harsh chemicals. The microfiber cleaning cloths that we use to clean homes at Green Clean Maine are top quality, professional-grade microfiber. But what does that mean? What sets them apart from cheap cleaning cloths you may find online or at the local discount store?
What Is Microfiber?
To understand what makes a good microfiber cleaning cloth, we need to understand what a microfiber cloth is.
Microfiber cloths are made of a synthetic, polyester blend fibers. The fibers themselves are very small in diameter- less than ten micrometers. That’s finer than silk, and less than 1/5 the diameter of a human hair. These fibers are woven in a web-like pattern that increases the surface area and allows trapping of dirt and liquid. This is where the magic happens.
I will note microfiber cloths are made from petrochemicals. This is not ideal. But at Green Clean Maine we feel the environmental pros outweigh the cons. Looking at the environmental effects of microfiber and those of it’s potential alternatives (like cotton) is an important topic but that will be another post.
Why are Microfiber cloths so great?
First, they have exceptional cleaning and disinfecting power. I can speak from years of professional cleaning experience – it’s amazing what a high-quality microfiber cloth can clean with just soap and water. Add a little detergent and baking soda, and we can cut through some serious grime and buildup – all because of the power of those microscopic fibers.
For spray-and-wipe, no-rinse surface cleaning, there is no better tool.
But wait! They remove germs, too! Lab studies have shown that using tap water and a microfiber cloth is more effective at reducing bacterial load on a surface than chlorine bleach and a cotton cloth or paper towel.
No rinsing, no chemicals, and still getting rid of germs and grime – yes, please. This is why we still feel the pros outweigh the cons with microfiber.
Coming up soon – how to select a high-quality microfiber.
Thanks for reading!
-Written by a human at Green Clean Maine in Portland, Maine, USA
