But I've been wondering more and more, could these really benefit the professional cleaners? So I've been doing some research and what I found should certainly be shared.
What is Microfiber? It is an ultrafine synthetic fiber that is very strong and lint free. Each fiber is split during manufacturing, providing specific benefits. The density of the fibers make the product very absorbent with the ability to hold up to six times its weight in water, and the microbifers have a positive charge that attracts dirt and dust, which has a negative charge. Not only do the micrifibers attract dust and dirt, they hold it tightly so that it is not redistributed while cleaning.
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.
I purchased a mop that came with three removable mop head pads. These pads are attached to the mop 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.
These 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.
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 house cleaning business to microfiber, you'll definitely need a cost benefit analysis to see the cost tradeoffs. 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. 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 would definitely recommend more research into quality and cost before investing in microfiber for your house cleaning business.
