All Microfiber Not Created Equal

I've talked about using microfiber for cleaning, but not all microfiber is created equal. Microfiber cloths can look the same upon first glance, but there’s details you can see and the most important ones you can’t.. that can make all the difference in the world!

Most microfiber combines two fibers, Polyester and Polymide (basically Nylon). These fibers are usually “split” through a specialized heating process that creates edges and capillaries within each fiber that make it superior for cleaning.

So what is quality Microfiber and how can you tell? 

First – here’s what you can’t see:

Split fiber. Unsplit microfiber is terrible at absorption which makes it near useless for cleaning.  Machines that produce the raw Microfiber thread can be purchased for under $100,000. The machines that do the splitting and processing of the thread into quality Microfiber cost over $1,000,000.  This is why there can be a dramatic difference in price between microfiber cloths.

Size matters.  To be classified as microfiber a fiber only needs to be 1/6 the diameter of a human hair. Tests done to show % removal of bacteria and viruses is dependent upon the size of individual fibers.   Smaller is better.  Think of how clean your floor would be using a rake versus a broom.  The size of the fibers needs to fit the size of the mess being cleaned.  At 1/200^th the diameter of a human hair, Norwex microfiber is smaller than the cloth fibers used in the study below which was able to remove 98% of bacteria and 93% of viruses from a surface.

http://www.infectioncontroltoday.com/articles/2008/11/understanding-microfiber-s-role-in-infection-prev.aspx

Density.  For high quality microfiber, higher density (fibers per square inch) translates into greater cleaning power and absorption. The Norwex enviro cloth has 8.5 million feet of fiber in every cloth!

What you can see:
1. Look for finished edges on a microfiber cloth better cloths are finished well.  
2. Pull the cloth, a cheap microfiber cloth will stretch, a sturdy high quality cloth will barely budge. 
3. Feel the cloth, the split weave microfiber will catch on dry skin.  High quality will also be thicker.
4. Hold the cloth up to a window or light. Denser microfiber will block out significantly more light.
5. Try it! See how much water the cloth can soak up.  Clean with another cloth side by side.. see how the surface looks after and how the cloths look.

Personally, I prefer Norwex microfiber. Here's what makes their microfiber so special.

Silver. Norwex has a unique patented process in which it has incorporated a silver agent that can't be washed out and when used with water can destroy viruses, bacteria, mold, and mildew.  This gives Norwex the unique advantage of having a cloth that can be used over and over without laundering and actually purifies itself within 24 hours.

For more about Silver:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/27431.php

http://youtu.be/Yz6LuH-11II

Warranty. Norwex microfiber comes with a 2 year warranty. This means the company answers for the quality they provide. I personally have several friends who are using Norwex cloths 10 years after having purchased them.  

 

Some independent news reports on Norwex:

http://www.americanownews.com/story/23517214/andy-will-it-work-norwex-antibac-microfiber-cloth - keep in mind Norwex was used improperly (should’ve been thoroughly rung out instead of “soaked”)

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?id=9405563

References (incomplete):

http://www.nnjr-pca.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=321:microfiber-what-is-it&catid=76:concours-articles&Itemid=117