Using Microfiber Towels to Clean

Created: Monday, 18 December 2017 17:28

High-quality microfiber towels are efficient and effective cleaning solutions. Various industries, like salons, restaurants, auto shops, day cares and health care facilities, use these versatile towels daily to remove dirt and grime.

While microfiber towels may be more expensive than other everyday cleaning cloths, they last longer and are reusable. You can get years of use from your microfiber towels by taking good care of them, such as not washing them with bleach or fabric softener or drying them in high temperatures. This guide explores the benefits of using microfiber towels to clean.

What Is a Microfiber Towel? 

Microfiber towels are soft and super-absorbent cleaning cloths made from synthetic materials — usually polyester and polyamide. Manufacturers make them by weaving fibers thinner than a strand of hair to create a net-like surface that can absorb and trap moisture, dirt and other particles. Polyamide makes microfiber towels ultra-soft, so they don't scratch surfaces, while polyester renders them durable enough to withstand more use and washes than traditional materials.

Microfiber towels can contain more than 200,000 fibers per inch of fabric. They have significantly more fibers than typical cleaning cloths, allowing them to deep-clean surfaces more easily. Their many thin fibers can get into pores and crevices that traditional cleaning tools can’t to pick up microscopic dirt and germ particles.

Microfiber towels don’t require chemicals or polishes — they can remove up to 99% of dust, dirt and other residues by themselves. They clean almost perfectly without leaving streaks or scratches on surfaces. As a result, they're up to four times more effective than traditional cleaners. 

The polyamide in the microfiber has a static electric charge that attracts and traps dirt particles. Manufacturers create this positive electric charge with a chemical process. Dust and debris cling to the fabric because they have a negative charge. The collected particles stay inside the cloth instead of spreading across surfaces.

Microfiber can absorb up to eight times its weight in liquid, making it ideal for everyday at-home use and industries that use liquids often. Highly absorbent microfiber towels with at least a 70/30 or 80/20 polyester-to-polyamide ratio mimic a vacuum by sucking up all the liquid and wicking it through the towel fast. Microfiber towels are also durable, meaning they give you longer service. 

Benefits of Microfiber Towels for Cleaning

Microfiber towels' unique structure and features have many advantages, making them ideal products.

1. Superior Cleaning Capacity

Microfiber towels trap dust, dirt, bacteria and liquid in their fibers, leaving behind a completely clean surface without any residues, streaks or lint. They can effectively remove up to 98.9% of bacteria, which is significant compared to conventional towels used with Lysol or bleach, which are only 92% effective. 

Microfiber towels' unique qualities make them ideal for many cleaning tasks.

• Deep cleaning: Millions of tiny fibers reach into surface pores and crevices, providing a more thorough cleaning than cotton or paper towels can.
• Disinfecting: These towels hold on to dirt, germs and bacteria, preventing their spread in areas where it's crucial to avoid cross-contamination, like kitchens and health facilities.
• Polishing: Microfiber's streak-free cleaning capability makes it an excellent choice for cleaning and polishing delicate surfaces like mirrors and glass.
• Dry dusting: Microfiber towels produce a static charge that traps dirt and dust instead of spreading them into the air or on other surfaces.
• Scrubbing: You can use dry or wet microfiber towels to remove grime from various surfaces, including floors and countertops, without dangerous chemicals.

2. Improved Versatility

You can use microfiber towels either dry or wet. Dry towels are best for dusting, while adding a little water or cleaning solution can help disinfect counters or floors. Unlike paper towels, microfiber towels are reusable, meaning they last longer and require infrequent replacement. You can wash microfiber towels hundreds of times before they start to lose effectiveness — and depending on what you clean, you don't need to wash them after every use.

Microfiber towels are also valuable in multiple industries.

• Health care: Health care workers can use microfiber to remove bacteria while preventing cross-contamination and the spread of germs.
• Automotive: Car washes and auto shops rely on microfiber towels' high absorbency for dusting, cleaning, drying, polishing and detailing. They're a safe and effective choice that doesn't scratch paint off cars or leave behind unsightly water streaks and lint.
• Housekeeping: Microfiber towels are a comfortable, lightweight alternative to heavy and bulky cotton cloths. They can reduce slip-and-fall accidents, worker strain and workplace hazards caused by using harsh chemical products and more water for cleaning.
• Salons: Microfiber towels improve hygiene and customer satisfaction in salons. They save clients time by drying their hair faster without damaging it, cleaning surfaces better, wiping up spills and saving you the cost of frequently replacing towels.
• Restaurants: Microfiber restaurant towels ensure general sanitation and prevent cross-contamination. Employees can use them to mop up liquid or solid spills, dry fresh produce before preparing it for clients and deep-clean windows, countertops and floors. 
• Homes: You can also use microfiber towels to clean and disinfect floors and other surfaces throughout your home, including drying spills in the kitchen, cleaning mirrors, dusting windows and polishing bathroom cabinets. 

3. Environmental Friendliness 

You can reuse your microfiber towel hundreds of times before it loses effectiveness, making it an eco-friendly option that contributes less waste to landfills. Microfiber towels also use a fraction of the water you need when using cotton washcloths.

Even better, soap, detergents or other harsh chemical cleaners are unnecessary when using microfiber cloths because they automatically attract dust and dirt on surfaces. As a result, you protect the environment by preventing toxic chemicals from entering the soil, water and air.

4. Increased Cost Savings

Despite the higher upfront cost, microfiber towels are far more cost-effective than cotton towels in the long run, especially if you invest in bulk microfiber towels for your business. They're efficient and last for years before you need to replace them. Proper care makes you less likely to need to keep buying them, saving you lots of money over time.

Because microfiber doesn’t require chemicals, you can spend less on cleaning supplies and save more on utility costs because they use 10 to 20 times less water than conventional mops. Aside from using fewer resources, microfiber towels clean more effectively, making housekeepers and janitors' jobs easier and allowing them to be more efficient and thorough. With the time saved, they can focus on other critical tasks.

5. Improved Safety

Microfiber removes up to 99% of bacteria, compared to cotton, which only reduces bacteria by 30%. In settings such as hospitals, microfiber towels allow staff to clean more effectively, reducing the potential spread of germs and infections.

Cleaning equipment made from microfiber is lightweight, making it easier to maneuver and safer for employees to use. Microfiber mops weigh only about two pounds and use 10 to 20 times less liquid than cotton mops, reducing the potential for worker injury from handling heavy cleaning equipment. Microfiber cleaning tools also dry in a third of the time of traditional cleaning tools, allowing floors to dry faster and reducing the risk of slip and fall accidents.

Microfiber cleaning tools don't expose people to chemical cleaning products that are toxic if injected and may cause eye and skin irritation. Microfiber cloths are also hypoallergenic, making them safe for people with allergies or asthma to use without suffering from irritation.

Cleaning With Microfiber Towels

Microfiber towels differ from cotton towels, requiring specialized care to ensure they continue cleaning effectively in the long run. Here are some tips when using microfiber towels to clean various surfaces.

• Dusting: Dry microfiber towels are best for general dusting or wiping away debris or dirt. Use one part of the towel at a time so the fibers in each section can effectively trap all the dirt and dust. Folding your microfiber towel in eighths gives you perfectly sized sections to use throughout your home or business to ensure sparkling and dust-free cleaning.
• Mopping: Microfiber is excellent for mopping because very little water or cleaning solution is necessary to wash your floors properly. Its high absorbency means you won't have to deal with small puddles on your floor afterward. Additionally, microfiber dries quicker than cotton, making cleaning up after washing the floors much easier.

• Wiping windows and other glass surfaces: You can use microfiber towels and a little water for a streak-free shine on your windows, glass tables, mirrors and picture frames. Dip half the microfiber cloth in water and wipe down the windows or glass. Then, wipe it again with the dry side to remove the water and leave your windows and glass looking flawless without any lint, residue or streaks.
• Car detailing: High-quality polish and wax can be ineffective if you don't have the appropriate materials to apply them. Use microfiber towels for vehicle bodies and windows without worrying about leaving behind scratches or other damage.
• Hair drying: Microfiber salon towels are thicker, with more fibers than regular cotton towels. The increased number of fibers lets microfiber towels quickly absorb a high volume of water and dry each client's hair faster. Their softness reduces friction and prevents damage to the hair.

Buy High-Quality Microfiber Towels From Towel Super Center 

Not all microfiber towels ensure sparkling surfaces and endure hundreds of uses. At Towel Super Center, we offer superior-quality microfiber towels guaranteed to last through your toughest cleaning jobs. Our stock includes various colors and sizes to satisfy your unique business or home cleaning needs.

Visit our website today to browse and shop our selection of microfiber towels. We offer same-day shipping for orders placed before 3 p.m. on weekdays. You can call us at 866-449-3999 to order a sample before placing your whole order.