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Microfiber cloths

pauline13
15 years ago

I was reading in a post about all the ways to use microfiber cloths which got me to wondering if there are differences among them. Are some better than others? They seem to come in all price ranges. Which ones should I get and where should I get them?

Comments (44)

  • toile
    15 years ago

    I'm about to order from Hagco. http://hagcoultramicrofiber.com/default.aspx

    I'm a huge fan of Don Aslet and he sells them also.
    You can also call your closet janitorial supply store and they have them.
    I prefer windex from the Janitorial supply stores too. I think its cheaper and works better than Windex.

  • monicakm_gw
    15 years ago

    Not all MF clothes are created equal. Look for the 70/30 blend and if in a store (not ordering on line) feel them. The ones that feel the most "sticky" or "grabby" are the ones you want.
    Monica

  • toile
    15 years ago

    Monica, what stores did you find yours in?
    With online shopping I have no idea what I'm really getting?
    The ones I got at Home Depot are just so so.

    The janitorial places I have called seemed to only sell one type too.
    I want the sticky ones but different colors for different rooms, then the blue glass-window ones.
    I want the mop too LOL....

  • monicakm_gw
    15 years ago

    toile, I've been using MF clothes for several years. The first ones I bought (along with a mop) was at the Texas state fair. They were the "Star Microfiber" cloths and mop. Still have the mop and two pads. I don't recall the "stickiness/grabbiness" of these cloths. My absolute FAVORITE cloths came from the auto dept at WM several years ago. The company name was NicSand. They don't sell them anymore and when I found out they were not going to carry them any longer, I went around to every WM store within 50 miles and bought all they had (lol) I just opened my last 3 ct pkg a couple months ago and am getting anxious about finding any as good. So far, I haven't found any that compare to the quality of the NicSand brand. Lots of the girls on the Kitchen Forum like the Solution catalog brand. I'm going to search the web to see if NicSand sells them on line. I'll post back here if they do.
    Monica

  • chickadeead
    15 years ago

    I have many microfiber cloths and mop pads from several sources. I bought some at a trade show from Star Fiber and they were very good, but expensive. I didn't like the large, economy pack I bought at Sams Club a number of years ago (they were weird . . . too thick and large, but not absorbant) but I do like the ones I just bought in the automotive dept at Walmart recently. I'm hard on them. The economy pack I bought at BJs was okay. I use the cheaper ones for rougher duty (washing the car) and keep my nicer ones for easier duty (glass nick nacks and mirrors and my eyeglasses). I haven't found much difference in the microfiber mop pads, but I did find a big difference in the mop handles. The Orange Glo microfiber mop (sold at Target and other stores) wasn't worth bringing home. I got a nice mop for a reasonable price at microfibertech.com (the residenital use mop, not the industrial mop).

  • toile
    15 years ago

    Ok I'm going to be the guinea pig with:

    -Home Depot-already not impressed with these

    HSN- will update later, I bought 2 of the large packs

    Hagco-which sells the sticky ones. I ordered various things from them and I'm betting they will be the best.
    Hagco is open to the public and I believe your paying wholesale prices?
    The sticky heavy duty ones are $1.85 each.
    Premiums are like $1.20 each. They have the red for bath, blue suede for morrors, greeb for dusting....etc..
    Sam is the person I spoke with there regarding me wanting the sticky ones.

  • albert_135   39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
    15 years ago

    The microfiber cloths in the automotive section at walmart are sticky and grabby and six for less than five dollars. Not very big though. One here on my desk is about 12 by 12.

  • karenfromknoxville
    15 years ago

    Hi,

    I have a question about microfiber mops. What type is best for wet mopping (kitchen floor) and dry mopping (hardwood floors)?

    Also, a very dumb question as I'm new to this microfiber thing, do I use Pledge or End dust when I use microfiber cloths to dust tables and on the floors?

    Thanks for your patience and help!

    Karen

  • toile
    15 years ago

    They sell stuff just for this. Mops too with quick change pads.
    Soft for light dusting, fluffy ones with trim for heavy dust (dry), then you can go (damp) with light, med, or heavy cleaning.

    You can even cover swiffer wet mops with these cloths.
    They sell a sponge mop cover too, thats like a bonnet.

    If you order anything from Hagco they send you a booklet on how to wash and care for the cloths and their uses.
    Some companies even sell brown colored once that are designated for wood floors.
    But they may just be multi purpose ones colored brown?
    Im focusing more on light, med, and heavy duty, then we use them all over.
    Except maybe the red bathroom ones.

  • toile
    15 years ago

    PS I would be careful with Pledge on the floor. I did that when my house was built 8 years ago and my family and guests fell many times!
    Water alone, not too much, will work, or a little cleaner of your choice.

    Also when dusting, you can skip some pledge with the cloths.
    However if you want that nice shine ( I do) can add pledge after.
    Or maybe during?

  • reeree_natural
    15 years ago

    karenfromknoxville

    welcome to microfiber world..lol!

    I agree with everyone..love microfiber! I have mainly all wood floors in my house, I use Bona products with their microfiber mop, it's a great product and also environment safe. Here is a link... they have a special right now and you can get started for 14.99!! It's a great price..I spent a lot more in ACE hardware when I bought the cleaners, mop, and microfiber pads, etc.
    I also used the Hardwood Floor Refresher, loved it and now I see they came out with Bona Hardwood Floor Polish ..which I am now going to try as well ..let me know if you get it and how you like it..

    Ree

    Here is a link that might be useful: Bona Hardwood floor care

  • davisgard
    15 years ago

    I'm new to this too! When you use the microfiber cloths in the kitchen or bathroom, do you use some cleaning product (like a disinfectant)? If so, how do the cloths hold up to that?

  • graywings123
    15 years ago

    They hold up just fine when used with cleaning products.

  • karenfromknoxville
    15 years ago

    Hi,

    Thanks for all the info! And thanks Ree for that Bona Kemi link. I'll definitely order some products from them. Question because I have so many mops, does the Bona Kemi Dust Pad and Cleaning Pad fit on a Swifter Mop or do I need to buy their mop?

    I appreciate your help!

    Karen

  • socks
    15 years ago

    I get mine from a car wash supply place. They are thick, soft and about 16x16, good size. Click on microfiber towels.

    I have ordered from this company twice with absolutely no trouble. Once they had a question about my order before shipping, and they called me.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Microfiber cloths

  • toile
    15 years ago

    Ok, my Hagco order came today so I will just review them.
    The HSN one is due next, then I come will come and post about them.

    I don't mean to sound like a micro info commerical but these things are great.
    Each color has its:
    own purpose
    own weight
    own feel
    I bought the super duper sticky outdoor ones too and I think my hubby might want some of those for the lawn chairs, pool stuff, and even the cars?

    They are large, heavy, and work great!
    I have the green- dusting, blue- suede for mirrors/glass, yellow for all purpose, red bathrooms.
    So far all of them have worked great.
    No more swiffers or papertowels for me :D

    I have a massive mirror thats perfectly clean for the first time ever.
    And it was fast to clean with no streaks.
    Im going to strap the yellow ones onto my swiffer dry dust mop and onto the wet swiffer mop also.

    I used very little windex today too. Just a squirt or 2 is all thats needed.
    Damp seemed to work best, not wet.

    I have decided that if the HSN ones come and are of less quality, I will give them as gifts. They came in trendy color anyways and might be a cute gift for a clean freak like me :)

  • arleneb
    15 years ago

    I've tried several brands and still like my original Solutions ones best of all . . . I've had them for years and they're still perfect. Pricy, but they're the ones I grab first.

  • TACHE
    15 years ago

    I've tried many different microfiber rags in a fairly large price range (1.50 to 8.00 @) and I am beginning to think per cotton old Tshirts and wash clothes and water (vinegar for tougher grease) works as well as anything. That makes me feel pretty silly to have spent so much on the micro stuff. So I won't mind being told that I am wrong now.

  • ma-bookreader
    15 years ago

    Any opinions of the ones that Costco sells?

    I was there the other day and saw a pack of 36 for about $15. I think that these were all 16" x 16".

    The price sure is right. I have no idea if it's a quality product.

    thanks in advance!

  • bobismyuncle
    15 years ago

    One warning about microfiber cloths. I got some in some sawdust. It will not come out without a lot of "nit picking." Even cross-contamination in the washer or dryer will leave sawdust chips in the microfiber, making it useless for polishing or dusting as it will scratch.

    (I got the ones from Costco, which work fine with this caveat).

  • toile
    15 years ago

    I checked out Target microfibers yesterday and they were great quality in the auto dept.
    I still prefer having the suede micro for mirrors/glass and the other micro textures and weights from Hagco.
    If you dont need all that, the Target ones were nice!!!!! :)

  • toile
    15 years ago

    Ok the HSN ones came.
    The mitts were nice because there was no plastic lining inside like the Home Depot ones.
    The cloths are rectangles and squares.
    They are for sure thinner and not the same quality as the ones I mentioned above. They also don't have as much stickiness to them.
    I need a large quantity so I'm still happy with them and will also use a bunch for 2 friends Christmas gifts. They wont buy stuff for themselves so I will treat them LOL :D
    So my conclusion in the end is........ I prefer the more sticky, thicker, higher quality ones for sure.

  • dilly_dally
    15 years ago

    I got the ones at Target in the auto dept too. They were sold by the bundle and were real cheap compared to the ones in the mop and broom dept. I liked the color better - gray. They match my bathroom decor better than the screaming orange or purple ones in the other dept for five times the price.

    Oh, and I use them as face cloths. They really polish the complexion better than cotton wash cloths and are not a harsh as those exfoliating gloves and are waaaay cheaper than those ivory "spa' microfiber face cloths. ($20.) I wash them with my cloths in lingere bags so they do not pick up fuzz from the clothes and do not wash them with the cotton towels ever.

    I do not like the microfiber cloths for kitchen use. They soak up so much water that they never dry and always smell sour probably from not being able to rinse all the food particles out of them. It does not seem to be a problem with the bathroom face cloths. I get that sour smell on my hands from the kitchen ones and it does not wash out. I certainly do not want to smear that smell all over my counters and appliances. Any ideas on how to avoid the sour smell appreciated. I stopped using them in the kitchen because of this. My sponges never smell bad.

  • chickadeead
    15 years ago

    In the kitchen I use the microfiber dish cloths and dish towels that I get at Target, but I've never had any problem with them smelling. They look very different from the regular microfiber cloths though so they must be designed to use where they will come into contact with food particles. I do use the regular microfiber cloths in the kitchen for shining my appliances after I wipe them with the dish cloth though.

  • Janice
    15 years ago

    toile, would you mind telling us the price ranges of the cloths you purchased?
    I'm a 'lurker' who just loves this forum, btw!!!

    Janice

  • sheconquers
    15 years ago

    I have stumbled on a new use for microfiber cloths. My husband has very long hair. I have an upholstered headboard and his hair gets stuck on it. I was dusting the room and grabbed a clean microfiber cloth over the headboard and the hair came off very easily. I've also used rubber gloves for this same problem, but they were downstairs and I just grabbed the cloth on the spur of the moment. Works with the dog hair on the couch in the basement too. These things are great.

  • toile
    15 years ago

    Janice, the price depended on if you wanted the blue suede for glass, or thick gen purpose, or the red for bath and on and on.
    I think they all ranged between $1.08 and maybe $1.50 but I don't have the price sheet here.
    Now I also got the heavy sticky outdoor one and I think it might have been $1.80.
    Either way, including UPS shipping I did great!
    Plus they told me I didn't have to be a member/business that anyone can shop them now.
    They send you a care guide also.
    I even got an email today asking if I had any questions about them and if I enjoyed them. Its been a LONG time since a company did business like that with me LOL.

  • Janice
    15 years ago

    Wow--that is really reasonable, toile--I'm just gonna have to check them out!! Thank you for your response! I love those things,
    in fact, I have a whole drawer full---I think I may be obsessive--like I really need any more!! LOL

  • brutuses
    15 years ago

    I bought a package from Sam's, sold in their hardware/auto parts department. They are horrible bright yellow, but work beautifully, wash after wash, after wash. Only one word of caution. Do not wash them with any of your lighter colored microfibre cloths as the yellow fades. However, the color does not run when you use the cloth for cleaning.

    When I clean furniture I only use a light spray of furniture polish on the cloth, never sprayed on the furniture.

    For glass and mirrors, I use a solution of 50% rubbing alcohol, 50% water and a drop of dish soap. With the microfibre it works great, never any streaking. Haven't bought Windex is 3 years.

  • shelayne
    15 years ago

    I just got turned on to Norwex microfiber cloths. They are really expensive, but I am extremely intigued. Apparently they are used in some hospitals due to their antibacterial properties and no use of any chemicals.

    I was very skeptical and recently begged off on one of those home parties because I thought, "Yeah, right", but a friend of mine bought the cloths and was so enthusiastic, she got me curious. She was so funny, she carried them around in her car in a ziplock bag, she was so excited about these silly little cloths.

    So this this afternoon I asked her to repeat one of the demonstrations that is performed at the home parties. She agreed and took out about a tablespoon of soft butter and smeared it all over her front door glass. It was nasty. Then she took her, I guess cleaning cloth, wet it with just a little water, went over the butter, and basically whole window in just a few circular wipes, then took her dry cloth (glass cloth?) and wiped over it--zip, zip, zip. And it was perfect. No streaks.

    She then took that nasty cloth with butter on it, and wiped it over stainless steel. Not only was that perfect, but the butter did NOT transfer to the stainless. There was no residue whatsoever. She did it again on her kitchen table.

    Now, I do have microfiber cloths, and I like them, but none of them have worked like this. I decided to jump in and see for myself, so I ordered some. If they don't work as promised, they are going back. I have a bunch of little tests **she says rubbing hands together** I'd like to try myself before I am 100% sold. The cynical side of me still thinks the other examples she told me have to be exaggerated. I mean it's only a cloth, and you ONLY use water. What the heck?

    I'll post again once I get mine, if they really are all that and a bag of chips.

  • albert_135   39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
    15 years ago

    @ shelayne....soft butter and smeared it...over glass....then she took...cleaning cloth, wet it with just a little water.....

    Why water on butter?

  • shelayne
    15 years ago

    Sorry, I wasn't very clear. Her cloth was just a little wet. She didn't squirt water on top of the butter. So, to clarify: she smeared the glass door with butter, THEN she took a moistened cleaning cloth (water only) and went over the butter in a circular motion, wiping it completely off in just a few motions, THEN took her glass cloth and wiped over the wetness, and it was perfect. The whole thing took 15-20 seconds (including smearing the butter). It was pretty impressive.

    I hope that made better sense.

    I forgot to say why my friend was so gung-ho for these cloths to begin with-- she has a microhood and that grease and gunky build-up that gets in the vent slats was her "nemesis". She said she tried everything to remove that stuff. She was certain it was just baked into the plastic. She took the Norwex cloth (again, moistened with water) and just ran it back and forth a few times between the slats. She said it came right off. (I saw it; it does look brand new.) That was it for her. She hadn't tried the butter thing before, only saw it at a home demo. I asked her to do that when I brought my child over to play with her son.

    They played Monopoly, we played with butter. Good times. Good times. ;^)

  • toile
    15 years ago

    OK fess up, whos going to try the butter experiment now? :D

    I'm gong to try it with the Hagco , HSN, Home Depot, and free gas station ones.
    Hahahaah :D

  • pauline13
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Toile,

    You have convinced me to purchase from Hagco. However, their web site does not allow for that. Did you call them to place your order? Was there a minimum amount of product you had to purchase or a minimum dollar amount you had to spend? How'd the butter experiment turn out?

    I'm looking for something that will clean the glass on my kitchen and dining room tables. I don't care what product I have used, including water, nothing cleans them without streaking. I have even tried the microfiber cloths I have on hand with no success. The tables always look clean until the sun hits them and then all the streaks show up. I'm hoping the Hagco cloths will do the trick.

  • shelayne
    15 years ago

    OK, I received my cloths in the mail yesterday, and I am now a believer.

    We did my back door, front door (full-length glass), window in the kitchen, and double hung window (including all the screens) in my dining area, very quickly with absolutely NO streaks. Also my glass covered dining table. We just had a water-dampened micro cloth and the dry glass cloth. The longest part of the cleaning was folding out the double-hung windows, and the front door windows and putting them back. How can this be? I don't know, and I don't care as long as I can clean my house this quickly!

    My neighbor, who was a HUGE skeptic came over and helped me. Then she took two of the cloths to her house. She came back less than 1/2 hour later saying, "Where do I get these?" She claims that she went home and cleaned her front door glass, back door glass, kitchen window, kitchen faucet, stove top, microwave, oven door and glass, her bathroom tub and its fixtures, and her bathroom sink and its fixtures. She rinsed the cloth only once. She finished up with her bathroom mirror. She was totally sweating when she came back with the cloths. Heh. (She had to be like a whirling dervish over there!) She was stunned that they worked, and with NO streaking at all.

    Oh--I did the butter experiment for her on my oven door glass, and it worked just as it did at my friend's house. I didn't rinse the cloth, and wiped off my counters, and none of the butter came off on the counters. I have to say I am very impressed.

    Of course, you know that after I did all those windows, it rained! :^p That's OK, since it only takes seconds to do a window, it isn't that big of a deal anymore.

    These cloths ROCK! Definitely worth the steep price to me! Now I am trying to decide if I want to try the body cloths. Yeehaw!

  • toile
    15 years ago

    Pauline, there are no minimum orders with Hagco, however you must deal with them like a wholesaler, by phone, for the first time anyways.

    Now they ship UPS so you want to order enough to feel content with the shipping fee.
    Again their prices are so good you will easily have a nice small order anyways, I bet?

    I ordered more than I needed so I could have a laundry basket just for MF.
    I have plenty of each style, then 3 mops heads from the steam mop.
    I only have to wash them every 2 weeks now.
    But now mine are used for cleaning only, the dont make contact with food.
    Only grime, dirt, dust.

  • earthlove
    15 years ago

    I would check out Earth Care Market. They have both Microfiber clothes and soap nuts. Their website is www.earthcaremarket.comhref> and the stuff seems to be reasonably priced. Ive used their clothes and they seem to work great.

  • green_clean_queen
    14 years ago

    I am a bit late to this discussion but would like to add to it. Micro-fiber cloths are wonderful but there are different kinds of it. Many micro-fiber cloths towel like and heavy-these are good for basic cleaning but can't be used for streak-free cleaning because they hold too much water.

    The streak-free cloths I like are from www.earthcaremarket. They are and amazing way to green clean because you can clean anything with just water. They will last a long time and can be used over and over again.

    It they start to steak then they need to be cleaned out. This can be done by hand with some soapy water or thrown in the laundry. No fabric softener or dryer.

    Altho each cloth is $5 they have saved me a ton of money because I no longer use paper towels or buy any cleaning products. Sometimes I use baking soda, vinegar, or Bon-Ami.

    I love the white ones for windows and mirrors and the gray ones are good for everything else. I even use them to clean my car.

    These cloths have made cleaning really fun and fast!!

    Cheers

  • graywings123
    14 years ago

    Welcome to GardenWeb, Green_clean_queen.

    My microfiber cloths - 50 cents each when purchased in bulk at Costco - give a streak-free shine to my windows. I wet them with plain water and wring them out.

  • grannysmith18
    14 years ago

    The pack of yellow ones from the automotive section at Costco are fantastic, fabulous, amazing. My cleaning lady is now asking me to get them for all the other houses she cleans in. They're just wonderful

  • Ina Plassa_travis
    14 years ago

    : ) I think they're just generally wonderful - and I lean towards Big Lots and the Dollar Tree brands, because I can leave them in friends' cars (amazing for wiping the fog of the inside of the windows, or cleaning the dust out of the air vents...) without a second of remorse.

    I also use the softest, least 'grabby' ones as face cloths, and found that after a steamy shower, you can 'buff' clogged pores clear with none of the trauma of a salon 'extraction' : )

    they're also great for dusty ankles during the summer!

    I've gotten a lot of mileage out of some bottles of essential oils - balsam fir for the stuff I use OxyClean on, rosemary for anything that gets cleaned with vinegar, and grapefruit oil for the wood, which doesn't get 'cleaned' so much as 'oiled and polished' : )

    on the same theme - I've cut my tinfoil consumption by 80% since I picked up some of the 'stone' cookware - once it's seasoned, it cleans up with hot water, a it of baking soda paste at worst...something not even my Pyrex can claim to do : )

  • flalady
    14 years ago

    OMG !! couldn't believe all the praise, actually thought someone was selling something. Just had to go out and buy one to try. WoW Wow. Wanted more and didn't want to go all the way to Walmart for bargain so I tried a Discount Auto Store. I thought I was in Pig Heaven....a wall full of all sorts of microfiber "stuff". As they say "try it you'll like it". Thanks for all your tips...
    Flea markets also found to be a good inexpensive source

  • pauline13
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    I noticed the microfiber cloths sold on the earthcaremarket site say not to use them dry. I thought microfiber cloths could be used wet or dry. Are theirs different from anyone elses?

  • albert_135   39.17°N 119.76°W 4695ft.
    14 years ago

    "... not to use them dry ... " might be a marketing gimmick. Some people are skeptical of the does everything, cures everything, use anyway you want sales pitches such as paid programming so they insert a harmless "do not" in the sales pitch. I once took a rhetoric class many decades ago and one of the chapters was on lists. Lists sell better if numbered and have some "do"s and "don't"s.

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