Barbara Flanagan of I.D. Magazine has a fascinating article about microfiber, a cleaning cloth introduced in Europe a decade ago that’s never caught on in the U.S., despite its ability to clean all sorts of things without the use of cleaning chemicals—”the product cleans surfaces mechanically, not chemically, by scraping them with microscopic precision.”
When Flanagan tested microfiber products herself, she found that they worked as promised but made people feel that something was off—and illustrated how deeply packaging and brand expectations control our cleaning purchases:
Robbed of the sensory excitement of cleaning solutions—bright colors, heady fumes, sudsing, foaming, and definitive rinsing—everyone felt ineffective and disarmed. The rituals didn’t feel right. But unquestionably, the stuff worked. Windows disappeared, floors gleamed, the Subaru sparkled.
She went on to ask the big cleaning companies what they thought of microfiber, and was met with a generalized “meh”:
Several lines of questioning, repeated over the course of two months, via approximately 100 phone calls and countless emails, uncovered several facts. First, large makers of household chemicals are very, very hard to reach and are unwilling to reveal their ingredients for fear of piracy. Second, they’re hell-bent on convincing customers to disinfect their premises using the strongest chemicals possible to annihilate bacteria and viruses, evidenced not just by the kind of products they sell and the scare tactics by which they’re marketed, but also by the corporate refrain I heard over and over: Okay, maybe microfiber can remove germs, but it does not kill them.
(To disinfect or sanitize, technically one must kill 99.999 percent of microorganisms in 30 seconds.)
Never mind that removing germs is likely to be enough for the average homeowner, assuming he or she takes the time to wash the microfiber cloth properly afterward. Never mind that new university research finds that “safe” household chemicals are proving unhealthy now that so many of them are building up and mixing together inside our hyper-sealed homes, then draining outdoors. Never mind that more scientists are predicting the rise of superbugs as over-disinfecting threatens to create invincible strains of bacteria and viruses.
But of course corporate self-interest is only half the story, because U.s. companies are responding to the desires of their market, and the U.S. market remains a place where chemicals and no-work convenience win out over a re-usable cloth.
The observation that all company spokespeople confirmed, whether makers of disinfectant toilet-bowl cleaner or makers of microfiber, was quite a revelation: America loves its cleaning chemicals, and lots of them. We have a distinct cleaning culture. And as much as that culture makes us look stubborn, superstitious, underinformed, and overly aggressive, it’s who we are.
“The Strange Case of the Missing Microfiber” [I.D. Magazine]
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@Chris Walters: Right. Mom doesn’t bleach or iron them either.
and whoever said no more armor all for their dash needs to know that the oils and lubricants in the armor all are for preventing your dash from drying out and cracking, so yeah, you should still use armor all on your dash.
Zennioptical ($8 eyeglasses) which I heard of from the Consumerist sends a micro-fiber cloth with every pair of glasses. Thanks again for refering me to zenni, I have bought 14 pairs of eyeglasses from them since and always had a good experience.
The informercials for one particular brand are great: [shamwow.com]
My brother started to watch it and was expecting it the entire time to be a parody ad or something from truth.com – at the end, waiting for it to be “you can’t wipe away the lies of Big Tobacco” or some other nonsense.
The one place Microfiber clothes did catch on? Paintball. Ask a paintball player. More often than not, they’ll either have a microfiber, or have used one. They’re great for cleaning your gear and wiping the paint off your mask in a second.
@Sidecutter:
Right, or I could get a bottle that can fill my soap dispenser 3 times for the same price.
The giant pack of yellow microfibers in the Costco automotive aisle are a fantastic deal. In general, I’ve found towels in the automotive section cheaper than the ones in the housewares section.
Never expose your microfiber to excessive heat or the fibers could melt (its plastic, ya know). Always wash in cold/warm water and dry on low or line dry. Do not use fabric softener.
Just as there are many types of cotton towels, there are many types of microfiber towels, some better for certain jobs than others. Shorter nap towels clean glass better (there’s less drag) while thick towels can help prevent scratching. Waffle weave towels are great for drying.
I’ve been using them for years now, I love em. You can get them anywhere, here’s a link to some from ace hardware
[www.acehardware.com]
I use microfiber cloths all the time. Fantastic invention. Throw them in the washer every once in a while and they are good to go. Clean your eye glasses, LCD screens, etc..
@Scubastevie00: I agree, I’ve had two computer cases and an ipod touch come each come with a microfiber cloth. If they’re shipping with all touches/iphones, how can people not know about them?
In Korea, they give these things as a promotional item, its got a name of the place and its phone number.
You can use it for cleaning your phone or your glasses. Very nice and small to fit in your pocket as well.
My daughter got one with a cartoon character on it. My one that I use is yellow like a car cleaner rag. Haha.
@lookatmissohio: in the sponge/mop/broom lane at Target. They’re great. I also tuck them into my swiffer handle and use them instead of buying refillsl. They seem to work better if they’re a little damp.
@foxbat2500: Burts bees has a great sulfate, pthalate free non anti-bac hand soap. They also sell several non anti bac soaps at Whole Foods.
@jscott73: Actually, microfiber is pretty much the material of choice for the more car-care obsessed among us. The scratching tends to come from the edging on the cheaper microfibers, which is usually another polyester. Find microfibers edged with silk or cotton and you are good to go. Most pro detailers use these on a daily basis; I’m no pro but I use various microfibers for washing, drying, waxing, and polishing – inside and out, and you would be hard pressed to find even a microscratch on my car. Not all microfiber cloths are created the same.
The discovery that soap = no more dead babies seemed to be when America fell in love with harsh chemical products.
Note: This is my favorite medical history story. I will use any excuse to post it.
@foxbat2500: For simple non-antibacterial soap you should try Dr Bronners. As a bonus you get to read all the stuff on the bottle.
@Poisonthescene: Didn’t you hear? We’ve been living under a rock. The convenience of portable media devices is significantly diminished by our stationary, subterranean way of life. Also, there’s no Apple store under the rock. And Apple has always seemed to us to be a little too pleased with themselves. We’re an independent, quarrelsome bunch under here.
@Drowner: Here’s the kicker though, normal soap is just as good if not better than anti-bacterial soap and hand washing technique is more important than the chemicals used.
Huh…first I’m hearing of them too. Someone needs to advertise!
I got a huge pack of those at Costco last year. It is an amazing product. But they stopped carrying it.. I still have some but they start to age..
@snoop-blog: The problem with Armor All is once you’ve used it once, you have to keep using it or the dash will crack. It replaces the plasticizers in the vinyl with its own more volatile ones, which look nice and shiny but dry out fast. At least, that’s what I’ve heard. I don’t let the stuff near my dash or my vinyl convertible top.
@Orv: absolutly right, which is why I use alternative products that last better but even your owners manuals will suggest using such products.
these kind of sound like swim chamois. i know real chamois are made of leather, but they have microfiber (i think) ones that like speedo puts out in 8 colors. i remember those things hold like a gallon of water or something mental anyway. we also used to use them to wash and dry dogs at a kennel i worked at. they scrubbed pretty awesomely and soaked everything up. also buff the spots out of cars with them and generally make everything shiny.
@sir_eccles: I KNOW! But medicine, and alot of other industries in America, hinge on the thing. It has to be a new thing no one has ever tried before. “Sure rubbing my hands together, I’ve done that before. Rubbing my hands together with cooked animal fat?! SCHWA?”
@LordieLordie: That is where I got mine, also. They were made by 3M/Scotch. I still have them and they work fabulously! I have one that I immediately dedicated to delicate glass, such as my eye-glasses. Most others are for general cleaning around the home. One has become hopelessly grungy and is now relegated to mostly cleaning floors.
They’re a major part of my home cleaning routine and as a result, my cleaning budget has seen a significant decrease.
@LucyInTheSky: I’ve found that these cloths work GREAT with a water/vinegar mixture on glass.
@foxbat2500: I refuse to buy anything that advertizes being anti-bacterial. No thanks, I like my bacteria to stay un-resistant.
@freepistol: My mom lysol-ed everything when I was a baby. Not so much for my brothers. Which is why I’m the one with all kinds of allergies and they have nary a worry. A little exposure to dirt and germs won’t hurt anyone.
@foxbat2500: I highly suggest you buy a bottle of Dr. Bronner’s magic soap. First off, it is real soap. most of the stuff that says “soap” on the packaging is not soap, but detergent.
Dr. Bronner’s is all natural, organic, and does an amazing job of cleaning. You can even use it as shampoo, and mouthwash. Campers use it all the time because it is healthy, and takes the place of everal items you would normaly fill your backpack with.
it is sold at health food stores. Trader Joe’s sells it as well.
It is the crazy bottle with scripture all over it.
I use the peppermint. It foams so much, that a little drop on a sponge or a loofah can do most jobs. A 32oz. bottle lasts me months.
There is a pretty good market for microfiber towels for hair styline. I wouldn’t dry my locs with anything else – no lint and they suck up water like you wouldn’t believe.
@ellastar: ok my main problem with germs is the smell. i think that’s a lot of people’s problem, or maybe i’m just overly hopeful that people have half a brain. however, if you use hot enough water with enough scrubbing, you really can clean anything sans soap. with cast iron pans and stuff you just use hot water and a steel wool, no soap, no bleach, no nothing. it’s still clean, germs removed, free to cook with again.
Ahh yes I’ve heard this song and dance before: “Big Industry vs. little old me who just cares about the environment gosh gee whiz – they do it in europe you are just too dumb to understand it.” Although that is an excellent marketing plan to target upper-middle class liberals.
Two things to know …. Tavistock Institute and PR Newswire. Understand these two and the ‘programming’ of the American mind begins to come into focus. And resistance ain’t futile … it’s a damn good feeling.
@ellastar: Hmm. I still use Windex and the classified section of the newspaper to clean my windows.
I have a microfiber cloth that I keep in my car. I’ve never washed the interior windows (4 years) … just a brisk rubbing with my miracle cloth and it wipes away greasy smudges on the dash, dust in the grain of the door panels and that foggy stuff from the windshield.
I bought it at Target in the automotive section … a set of three of them for something like 5 dollars. The other two I use in the house for dusting. Great for TVs, electronics & monitors because it grabs the dust instead of pushing it around.
we use Microfiber mops to clean our wood floors. All they need is to be a little damp and they remove literally all marks from the floor. I also use them to dry my car after washing it, but now I’m going to try washing it with just a damp microfiber cloth.
The only thing with the packs you buy in places like Bed, Bath and Beyond are that they are small ones. I want larger versions if anyone knows where to get them.
@weakdome: You win life.
@Carl3000: I’ll never understand American Exceptionalists who will reject things that are clearly in their best interests because “Here in America, we do it our way” or “Ewww, that sounds liberal/commie pinko!”.
I’m embarrassed to post this, but a workmate just told me to look on QVC.com and search for microfiber. So I did and there they are a a pretty reasonable price. I might have to buy them (but under an alias of course).
[www.amazon.com]
Pack of 36 for $20 bucks.
There’s also 10 for $11 bucks on Amazon too.
yeah….they work fine for me……..
Cool, off to Amazon.com I go. I hate smelly (and over-prices) cleaners.
Anyone know where you can buy this online?
Microfibers can be fine on your cars paint, I use them all the time. The key is to buy GOOD microfibers (check some automotive detailing forums on the net). Some people have gone as far as getting a jewelers loupe (sp?), wiping a blank CD down with a new MF rag, and then looking for scratches. The good ones (no scratches) are what we use on paint, anything that scratches can be relegated to dirty work (wheels, door jambs, etc).
Another tip is to put some white vinegar in the rinse when you are washing your MF towels. Keeps them soft and “microfiber-y” longer. I throw them in a dryer on its lowest setting for a bit (“air dry”, so it really just tumbles them for a while) then I let them air dry the rest of the way.
I buy the yellow Costco ones for general work, cheap enough that I dont mind them getting a mess and tossing them. Turns out some of the Target brand are actually good even for paint, I have a bunch of those.
And there are different types of MF too…….waffle weave is better for drying, the tighter weave is better for polishing/removing wax.
I don’t understand the obsession with cleaning chemicals most people have. I mean, I use them a lot but I have OCD and recognize that as an actual disorder, not business as usual.
I have been using microfiber for dry dusting for a long-time though and it’s definitely a fabulous invention.
I’ve been using microfibers for at least 10 years now. On my old Chevelle, and on all my motorcycles. If someone has not heard of them, they must be living under a rock.
I do use chemicals on some of them (usually Honda Cleaner, which is great for any bike or car, regardless of brand), but sometimes just the towel itself, slightly damp
Dude, how did an article about the niftiness of microfiber cloth become a blanket condemnation of American culture?
“as much as that culture makes us look stubborn, superstitious, underinformed, and overly aggressive, it’s who we are.”
Because I use Lysol? Excuse me?
We have been gradually buying more of these over the last year. First for dusting, then for cleaning things after I figured out you could use them for cleaning too. I have been using them with Method brand cleaner or window cleaner. I will have to try with just water. I had no clue they could work with just water.
We have been getting ours at Target in the automotive section. I got dishtowel sized ones there a few weeks ago. They do an amazing job of drying dishes and cleaning up counters. Don’t use them to wipe your hands dry though. They seem to strip the oil out of your hands or something. I did this for a few days and my hands were chapped all over.
The chemical industry is huge. People pay around $4 for all the new super duper anti-bacterial whatever they are selling this week. They seem to keep upping the ante like the disposable razor industry has. We banished anti-bacterial stuff years ago. We have been slowly swapping the stuff we have been using (Method brand) for things like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice etc. and have been surprised at how well some of them work. We got a bathtub like new clean with lemon juice & baking soda. When we moved in we were sure it was going to have to be replaced when we could not get it clean with caustic cleaners.
The shamwow guy looks like a freaky cartoon character.
And we wonder why our children don’t do as well in school.
Could it perhaps be because we are dumb as bricks, and encouraged to be so?
Time and time again, we see that Americans simply live in a different world from… the rest of the world; and utterly and stubbornly refuse to think and act rationally.
Microfiber doesn’t sell well in US because it doesn’t provide the right “cleaning experience”. Right, because Americans place the experience over the actual results. If it doesn’t feel like cleaning, it’s not really cleaning, so let’s go back to the chemicals, which don’t do so great, and leave fumes and who knows what, because that’s what we expect — instead of, you know, *cleanliness*.
Likewise, despite raging oil prices, smart cars and other economic vehicles don’t sell, because they’re not cool enough. Despite that they save tons on gas and pollution… American’s place coolness or luxury as a priority on driving, rather than, say, how well something gets you to where you need to go.
Likewise, density is frowned upon in America, despite being intentionally built and popular elsewhere, because it makes closer communities, brings services and jobs closer to homes, provides more vibrant places to live. Right, because Americans place ownership, volume, and dominion above living affordably and socially.
Less chemicals you need to buy=more money saved.
I think the Europeans got it right. Less money goes to overpriced cleaners for the same or better amount of cleaning (no residues or toxins).
@opsomath: Yes. Lysol is nasty, and toxic. Please evolve.
Wait..who hasn’t heard of these? I have quite a few, they initially were sold as camera lens / electronic cleaning cloths…so I have a ton…
I have two I got at a yard sale new in the package that are at least 30 years old, work perfectly.
Don’t use detergent in the wash, it ruins them. Just hand wash in the sink really.
@Mapmaker: I am so glad that you came in here to post about the Shamwow. I don’t use it, but it’s my single favorite commercial.
@spinachdip: Not sure what you are talking about I didn’t say any of those things