Does Microfiber Really Work?
Absolutely!
Not only are the microfiber towels available, but now you can purchase microfiber mops to replace both your dry and wet mops. This is a great option for environmentally safe cleaning. The real consideration you will have to make is your initial investment.
Dusting Cloths
I absolutely love using a dusting spray on a soft terry towel for most dry dusting. For ongoing service, you can dust the whole house with one cloth that has been folded in a square. Just turn the cloth to a new side when you start in a new room. You can imagine, I was hesitant to even consider microfiber to replace my trusty dusting spray.
Look at What Microfiber Can Do!
It took a few cleanings in my home to get the hang of it. For instance, there are different types of microfiber for different tasks. You might think you are getting a great deal on microfiber when you find the price really low, but that’s due to the inferior quality of the microfiber.
A high-quality microfiber cloth should be very soft to the touch. When you rub it over the palm of your hand, it should grab the imperfections in your skin. This means it is made with split microfiber which allows it to pick up and hold more debris and liquid. If it’s not split, you won’t be getting the advantage of using microfiber and might as well be using a moistened terry towel. Here’s an example of excellent split microfiber cloths that you can have delivered directly from Amazon.
The only problem you will have using your new microfiber cloth effectively is with the amount of moisture that is retained in the towel. You need the towel to be very dry so it doesn’t leave any moisture behind while you’re dusting.
Mops
I purchased a mop that came with three removable mop head pads. These pads are attached to the mop handle with velcro. The mop has a swivel base that allows it to get under and around furniture. I have wood and vinyl flooring in my house and found the microfiber mop to work very well and it was easy to use.
While dry mopping, I was able to pickup not only dust but small debris from the floor and it was not moved around; it actually was held in the fibers. Due to the swivel mop head, I was able to get into corners and along baseboards.
I prefer cotton string mops for cleaning floors, but I found an immediate benefit to the microfiber. No bending over the water bucket, no wringing out the mop head and no fibers getting caught around table legs or split wood edges on cabinets. And I could still use the figure eight back and forth motion that I use with string mops. In fact, I found that I could mop standing up straighter because the mop is lightweight and maneuverable. Great benefit here to eliminate back pain, shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger injuries.
The microfibers can hold a lot of water without dripping thus leaving the floor cleaner with less standing water. The floor dries much faster, reducing the chance of slipping and sliding. In fact I used a very dry mop head when mopping the wood floor and could see the water evaporating as I mopped.
Microfiber mop pads are very durable and are estimated to last ten times the normal life span of cotton loop mops used in professional cleaning. These microfiber mop pads provide many different solutions for your wet mopping.
Things to Consider
So with all these benefits, are there any areas of concern? There are a few: initial investment, cost versus quality, not appropriate for mopping up spills or floods, cannot remove or spread wax, cannot be washed with lint producing items, cannot be laundered in industrial washers and some brands are not recommended for the dryer.
If you’re managing teams or a high number of employees, the initial investment can be double or even triple the cost of cotton loop and string mops. And you won’t be able to launder these with your terry towels or use a commercial laundry service.
To determine if you should convert your business to microfiber, you’ll definitely need a cost benefit analysis to see the cost trade-offs. If your Workers Comp costs are running high, is it due to scrubbing or mopping? Microfiber mops could possibly reduce the costs related to mopping injuries.
You might also want to consider the use of microfiber as a partial or total replacement for terry towels. Or even just using microfiber for cleaning glass and mirrors. They have the ability to clean and shine without using chemicals and they do a better job. This could possibly also reduce your product cost.
You can purchase microfiber towels on the Internet and also at your local depot and automotive stores in the automotive section. But be aware that all microfiber towels are not equal. There are companies that make only one kind and other companies that have a specific microfiber towel for different tasks.
I recommend starting out with these high-quality split microfiber cleaning cloths to see if they can work for your business. It’s a small investment for the many benefits you could see.
Products and Equipment for Your Business
Now that you’re set with cleaning cloths and mop pads, you’ll need quality products and other equipment to use in your client homes. This is important because your clients will pay attention to determine if you are well equipped to clean in their homes. If they question what you use, they may demand that you use their products. This is economical, but you leave yourself wide-open to legal and other issues for you and your client.
Discover what products and equipment you need to do a professional job. With this inventory list, you have the basics to make decisions on brands, green cleaning, and how to use buying power to reduce your costs.
Using my link means I make a small commission if you make a purchase on Amazon. I only make recommendations on products I have thoroughly reviewed or use myself.
