How to clean microfiber cloths so they keep working

Step by step: how to clean microfiber cloths so they keep working

1. 1

   Rinse cloths right after use

   Rinse each cloth under hot tap water until the water runs clear, wring it out, and hang it to dry until laundry day. Dirt that dries into the fibers, and damp cloths left balled up, are what cause stains and sour smells.

2. 2

   Sort the cloths

   Keep greasy kitchen and bathroom cloths separate from dusting and glass cloths, so grease is not spread to the cloths you use on windows. Wash new colored cloths on their own the first time, because the dye can run.

3. 3

   Load them away from lint

   Wash microfiber alone or with other microfiber if you can. Cotton towels shed lint that the fibers grab and hold. A mesh bag keeps small cloths together and away from the drum seal.

4. 4

   Use a small amount of plain detergent

   Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of liquid detergent for a few cloths, or the normal dose if they are mixed into a larger load. Skip detergents with built-in softener, and do not add fabric softener or bleach.

5. 5

   Wash warm or hot

   Choose a warm or hot wash. E-Cloth says its cloths can be machine washed up to 140°F, and hot water does the best job on greasy cloths. Check the label on other brands, since some recommend cooler water.

6. 6

   Add an extra rinse

   If your machine has an extra rinse option, use it. Leftover detergent leaves cloths stiff and streaky, which you will notice first on glass and mirrors.

7. 7

   Air dry or tumble on low

   Hang cloths to dry away from radiators and direct heat, or tumble dry on the lowest heat setting with no dryer sheets. High heat can melt or flatten the fine fibers so they stop picking up dust.

8. 8

   Boil greasy or smelly cloths

   If a cloth feels greasy or still smells after washing, boil it in a pot of water for 5 minutes for grease, or up to 10 minutes for stains and odors. Let it cool, then wash it on hot with a little detergent.

What to avoid when washing microfiber

Fabric softener, dryer sheets, bleach and high heat are the four things that ruin microfiber. Softener coats the tiny fibers so they cannot hold dust; bleach and heat break them down.

E-Cloth’s washing instructions say to avoid fabric softener completely and rewash immediately if it is used by accident, to skip bleach, and that its dusting cloths perform best when air dried. E-Cloth also allows washing its cloths with towels and other laundry; if your cloths come out linty, wash them on their own, as Zogics’ microfiber guide recommends. Fuller Brush gives the same advice, and adds that kitchen cloths that have handled oil or food spills should not share a load with dusting or glass cloths, and that too much detergent can leave cloths stiff or streaky on glass.

How to wash microfiber cloths by hand

Fill a sink or bowl with warm water and a few drops of detergent, swish and squeeze the cloth for a minute, then rinse it under running water until no suds remain. Wring it out and hang it to dry.

• Rub stubborn spots between your knuckles rather than scrubbing with a brush, which can pull the fibers.
• For a greasy kitchen cloth, use hotter water and a drop of dish soap, then rinse very well.
• To clean a glasses cloth, wash it the same way with a drop of mild dish soap, rinse until no suds remain and air dry. Skip fabric softener, which can leave a film that smears lenses.
• Zogics suggests air drying as the safest option and, if you use a dryer, the lowest heat with no non-microfiber items in the load. Do not iron microfiber.

When to replace a microfiber cloth

Replace a cloth when it stays stiff, smears water around instead of absorbing it, or leaves streaks on glass even after a hot wash or a boil. Melted, matted or shiny patches mean the fibers are gone.

Many households color-code cloths, for example one color for kitchens, one for bathrooms and one for glass, so a cloth that has been on a toilet never ends up on a counter. Retire worn glass cloths to dusting or floor duty. Clean microfiber is the main tool in guides like cleaning windows and cleaning blinds, so it pays to keep a good stack.

Mistakes to avoid

• Using fabric softener or dryer sheets, which coat the fibers and stop them picking up dust.
• Washing microfiber with cotton towels and pulling it out covered in lint.
• Drying on high heat, which can melt and flatten the fibers.
• Leaving damp, dirty cloths in a pile until laundry day.
• Using bleach to remove stains or odors instead of a hot wash or a boil.