Microfiber Cleaning Products Buying Guide

What is Microfiber?

Microfiber is a synthetic fiber made from a blend of polyester and polyamide. The small fibers are one-sixteenth the size of a human hair and they act as a "hook" to scrape up and hold dust, dirt, and grime. It's also a great alternative to cotton! While cotton fibers push dirt around and only hold on the outer surface, microfiber grasps unwanted particles and doesn't leave any residue behind. Microfiber uses and applications are quite varied, from housekeeping to automotive maintenance. Use a microfiber cloth for glasses to remove spots or stains, or use a microfiber mop to get your floors cleaner than when using a cotton mop.

What are the Benefits of Microfiber?

Ultra Absorbent

Microfiber products can absorb up to seven times their weight in water due to their high density and surface area. Cleaning up spills is simple with a microfiber mop because it reduces the amount of water and chemicals needed to clean up a mess. Plus, because microfiber is lighter compared to cotton, microfiber mops give your back a break when mopping floors.

Cost Effective

Once a microfiber product is soiled, simply throw it in the wash! Most microfiber cloths, mops, and pads can withstand over 500 uses (use then launder), as long as you don't clean with or wash it with bleach or fabric softener. Bleach will break down the material more quickly. Microfiber material also lasts longer than cotton, meaning you don't have to buy microfiber cleaning cloths as often as cotton cleaning cloths.

Pathogen Prevention

Pathogens, bacteria, and viruses will "stick" to a microfiber cloth or mop head until they're laundered out, which is a plus for hospitals, daycare operations, retirement communities, and restaurant kitchens. Unlike cotton products, microfiber is made of inorganic materials, ensuring that pathogens have nothing to feed on!

Improved Cleaning

Since microfibers soak up more water and trap more dirt, many users find that they don't need to use nearly as much cleaning product and water to get the job done. Because of this efficiency, cleaning jobs take less time and less labor. From mopping floors to polishing metal, microfiber products cut back on chemicals, time, and grime. When washing, be mindful that fabric softener clings to and coats the microfiber and it won't clean surfaces as well or rinse as thoroughly.

Environmentally Friendly

Because microfiber items help you save on the amount of time and product needed to clean, you'll use less water and harsh chemicals! Using a wet microfiber cloth to clean mirrors and counters saves on paper towels. Plus, recycled plastic products are often used to produce microfiber products, which in turn, can be recycled when sent to companies that repurpose them.

Microfiber vs. Cotton Fibers

Microfiber has openings and spaces in the fibers that help to capture particles and reduce the amount of residue left on surfaces after cleaning. Those open spaces help the fibers act as hooks, gently lifting away dirt, grime, and bacteria.

Traditional cleaning products using cotton fibers don't have those tiny spaces, so particulates aren't trapped the same way. Cotton fibers tend to push dirt around, rather than trapping it away.

How to Clean Microfiber Cloth Products

If you are wondering how to wash microfiber cloth towels, or other microfiber products, the answers are simple. Most products can be washed in a washing machine and will be rated for a certain number of washings.

While normal detergents are fine for use with microfiber, there are a couple important things to keep in mind when cleaning microfibers:

• Don't use bleach. Using bleach causes the material to deteriorate, reducing the life of the microfiber.
• Don't use fabric softener. Microfiber works so well because of the open spaces in the fibers. When microfiber products are washed with fabric softener, these open spaces become clogged, which reduces the microfiber's effectiveness.

Choosing the Right Microfiber Products

What is GSM?

GSM stands for grams per square meter. Microfiber cloths vary greatly and range from 50 GSM to 600 GSM depending on their weight and pile. Economy grade microfiber ranges from 150 to 250 GSM and professional grade is considered to be 300 and above. The most common and popular weight of microfiber towels is 300 GSM, as this is often the GSM of multi-purpose microfiber towels.

If you are cleaning things like walls, tile floors, or stove tops, a higher GSM is the best microfiber cloth for that application, compared to a lower GSM cloth that is perfect for light cleaning like wiping off glass or mirrors.

• Heavier in weight ensuring better durability

• Capable of absorbing more liquid

• Thicker and more plush, with a higher pile

• Able to pull away debris from surfaces without the risk of scratching

• Gentle for cleaning

• Lighter in weight

• Less likely to streak or lint on surfaces like glass

• Thinner and less plush

Microfiber Accessories

Frames

Mop Handles

Mop Buckets