Eliminate Paper Towels with Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
At first glance, the most environmentally friendly way to clean up a spill is with a rag, like an old holey mismatched sock or worn-out T-shirt. In fact, r-a-g could stand for “recycled absorbent garment.” Sometimes, however, a product is worth the investment because of its quality. Microfiber cleaning cloths are one such product.
Paper towels are convenient because you can throw them away, but of course, this contributes to landfills as well as requiring trees to be cut down in their production. You could use paper towels only for the ickiest of messes, but then you have to discipline yourself not to use them when rags and towels could suffice. Why not wipe up that icky mess with your raggedest rag and discard it? Then for most spills, use microfiber.
Why are microfiber cleaning cloths a valuable addition to your green way of life? Here are a few reasons.
First, microfiber cloths are practically indestructible. They last and last and last. An important part of the green living equation, “reduce, reuse, recycle,” is to reduce our buying in the first place. You won’t wear out those microfiber cloths any time soon.
Microfiber cloths are also so good at cleaning that you can leave off using any sort of cleanser, which reduces the pollution from household chemicals. That’s right. With a microfiber cleaning cloth, you can scrub your sink, table or whatever with just a moist cloth and get it just as clean as if you used a cleanser with a rag. Microfiber is soft and safe to use on any surface.
So just what is microfiber, and how does it work? Microfiber cleaning cloths are made from a blend of polyester and nylon. The fibers are split into many fine ends, and then woven into a terry-cloth like fabric. The tiny split ends trap dirt and grime and don’t release them until the cloth is laundered. Dry microfiber is good at picking up dust and for drying surfaces cleaned with a wet microfiber cloth.
For best results, wash your microfiber cleaning cloths in the washer separate from your other laundry. Use a delicate setting. If you wash them with other laundry, they will attract a lot of lint. They can also be hand washed in hot sudsy water and rinsed thoroughly. Air drying is good for them, although a cool dryer can be used. Be sure to follow any specific care instructions included with the cloths you buy.
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