What Is Microfiber Technology?
Microfiber cleaning technology has been popular in Europe for over two decades and is now gaining some serious momentum in North America. It is one of the most important innovations in the cleaning industry in the last century. But what exactly is it?
Microfiber technology is used in the cleaning industry to make microfiber mops, cloths, and dusters. It is a fine synthetic fiber that is designed to clean on a microscopic scale. Made from a combination of polyester and polyamides (e.g. nylon), microfiber strands are split to create spaces in each fiber before they are woven together. Due to this microscopic splitting, the surface area of microfiber products is over 15 times that of other materials. Furthermore, it allows microfiber products to collect far more dirt and dust, as the debris gets trapped in the microfiber’s millions of miniscule edges.
4 Benefits of Microfiber Technology for Your Facilit
Time-Effective and Efficient
Microfiber mops, dusters, and cloths are light and ergonomic. This significantly diminishes the amount of time needed for particular cleaning tasks.
A microfiber mop, for example, weighs roughly 5 lbs less than a string mop. It reduces the strain from heavy lift and twisting, and eliminates many of the time-consuming tasks associated with mopping (moving and dumping buckets, wringing out the mop, repeated fillings, etc.). Being lighter, they are also faster to maneuver. One custodial company found that using flat microfiber mops led to an 18% increase in productivity.
Environmentally Friendly and Reduces Chemical Usage
Using microfiber products allows for chemical-free cleaning. The split cross-sections in microfiber that catch dirt and other particles leave surfaces free of unwanted materials without necessitating chemicals. They can clean nearly any surface with only water.
Regular cloths do not trap particles in this way and need chemicals to assist in the cleaning process. The chemicals are harmful in the long term to the people in the building, as well as to the environment.
Preserves Surfaces
Using microfiber helps preserve interior finishes. Quality microfiber products will not scratch delicate surfaces, as long as they are well-rinsed and free of grit. Since microfiber picks up debris rather than pushing it, particles do not have the opportunity to leave scratches. This is why microfiber cloths are recommended for vehicle exteriors and eyeglasses.
Increases Cleanliness and Hygiene
Microfiber products provide a superior level of hygiene and cleanliness. Used in hospitals and recommended by the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, microfiber is able to remove 99% of bacteria while traditional products only remove 30%. Microfiber products eliminate germs, which prevents the people in your building from becoming ill.
As the fibers rub together, microfiber creates a static charge. This increases its ability to clean – the charge helps to attract dirt into the crevices in the strands. Because of this, microfiber products have become known as “dirt magnets”.
>> Find out how Sunshine uses microfiber as part of our Healthy High Performance Cleaning Program
