Microfiber cloths or towels are reported to work best at wiping away dust, dirt, and impurities. They are among the best tools you can have in your dusting arsenal. Microfiber is a synthetic material made up of polyester and polyamide (widely known as nylon). It has microscopic size fibers that are many times smaller than a strand of hair. Split microfiber is even finer. In a document posted by the University of California, San Francisco, it states, “When microfibers are split, they are 200 times thinner than a single human hair. These split microfibers become much more absorbent. They can remove large quantities of microbes, including hard-to-kill spores. Split microfiber quality varies. Microfiber that catches slightly on the surface of your hand is better quality. Another way to tell is to push a water spill with it. If the microfiber pushes the water instead of absorbing it, then it’s not split. A microfiber cloth has the same surface area as a cotton cloth four times as large! And it is very absorbent. It can absorb seven times its weight in water!” What a great tool to have to combat dust. Please note that certain chemicals found in vinegar and bleach wear away the fibers over time, decreasing the lifespan of microfiber cloths. If you clean with vinegar or bleach, you may need to replace your microfiber cloths more often. To help them last longer, microfiber should be laundered in warm water using a nonbleaching detergent. Wash them with like microfiber fabrics.
