Has microfiber become a prevalent product within your cleaning operation? Advances in microfiber technology over the past few years have allowed microfiber to overtake traditional cleaning products as the material of choice for many cleaning service providers. Why is that? What are some of the specifics of microfiber technology? As with all other materials and equipment you use within your operation, having a general base of knowledge about microfiber technology will allow you to maximize its uses and benefits.

What Exactly is Microfiber?

In simple terms, microfiber products are comprised of extremely thin synthetic fibers. In most cases these fibers have 1/5 the thickness of a human hair. Depending on the specific cleaning application, these synthetic fibers are constructed from various combinations of polyamides and polyesters. The fibers are selected based on material type, shape, construction, and size to produce a final product that contains specific performance characteristics. Those characteristics can include: absorption, durability, filtering, softness, etc.

What Makes Microfiber Better than Other Products?

Microfiber technology offers several distinct advantages when compared to traditional cleaning materials. Those advantages include:

• Superior Absorbency:  Depending on the specific product being used, microfiber is able to absorb 5 to 7 times its own weight in liquid. This is far superior to most traditional paper products. Superior absorbency equates to use of fewer towels/cloths.
• Toughness:  Microfiber products are extremely dense. Their high density allows them to stand up to repeated use and washing. This durability can lead to significant cost-savings over time.
• Attraction of Contaminates:  The electrostatic charge created within the microfibers actually attracts dirt, liquids, and other contaminates. This charge also adds to the overall absorption and retention properties of microfiber cloth.
• Better Penetration:  Microfiber can penetrate much smaller spaces than can traditional paper products. This allows for a deeper and more thorough cleaning of any surface type.

What to Look For in a Microfiber Product?

A couple of the most important things to consider when selecting a microfiber product….

• Type of Blend:  Blend is represented as the ratio between the polyester and the polyamide contained within the product. It is represented as a fraction (i.e. 80/20 or 70/30). The first number is the percentage of polyester, the second represents the polyamide. Polyamide provides density and absorption while the polyester provides the durability. The best microfiber products will fall within this 80/20 to 70/30 range.
• Density:  Greater density equates to softness. Microfiber cleaning products are rated in GSM (grams per square meter). When cleaning scratch-resistant surfaces a GSM range of 200-400 would be a good choice. For more delicate surfaces, a GSM range of 600-700 would be more appropriate.

Understanding these basic principles of microfiber technology will allow you to select the proper products for your cleaning operation as well as provide you with insights into the overall advantages of microfiber compared to other materials.

Is microfiber the material of choice for your for your cleaning operation? Let us know in the section for comments below.

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