Cleaning Cloths: Why Choosing the Right Ones Makes All the Difference

Did you know the type of cloth you use can directly affect your cleaning results? It may seem like a small detail, but it really isn’t. Choosing the right cloths — and looking after them — is essential for effective, practical, and hygienic cleaning.

✅ The best choice: Microfibre cloths

Microfibre cloths are ideal for household cleaning — and here’s why:

• Super absorbent: They hold far more water than standard cloths, helping with drying and dirt removal.

• No lint or fluff: Unlike old towels or t-shirts, microfibre doesn’t leave behind fibres or debris.

• Deep cleaning: The ultra-fine fibres reach into corners and capture even tiny particles of dust, grease, and dirt.

Old towels or t-shirts may seem like a good idea to reuse. However, they often shed lint and absorb water poorly. They can also spread bacteria, which can harm your home’s hygiene.

🧽 Care and Maintenance

To make sure your cleaning cloths stay effective for longer, proper hygiene is essential:

• Wash after each use: Never reuse a dirty cloth, as it spreads bacteria instead of cleaning.

• Machine wash if possible: Use the hot water cycle (between 40°C and 60°C) and add a small amount of bleach and laundry sanitiser along with your detergent for a thorough clean.

• Or soak them: You can also soak the cloths in a bucket of warm water. Add laundry sanitizer and bleach. Let them soak for about 20 minutes. Then scrub and rinse well.

• Prefer the dryer over air-drying: The dryer helps remove lint and hair trapped in the fibres. It also prevents musty smells that can develop when cloths dry slowly on the line.

⚠ Important: When disinfecting cloths with bleach, make sure the water temperature is between 40°C and 60°C. Below 40°C won’t disinfect effectively, and above 60°C bleach can release toxic fumes that are harmful to your health. (We’ll cover this in more detail in an upcoming post.) Always use warm to hot water within that safe range.

⏳ When to Replace Them

Yes — even cleaning cloths have a shelf life!

Even with proper care, they eventually wear out. If a cloth looks dingy, loses absorbency, or starts leaving streaks and residue, it’s time to replace it.

Using an old cloth is like trying to dry the floor with wet paper — it just doesn’t work, and it could make things worse.

💬 A Quick Reminder

Knowing all this, it might be time to check your stash of cleaning cloths at home.

Have a conversation with your cleaner and see if it’s time to update a few. Microfibre cloths are affordable, durable, and effective — but they need to be in good condition to truly clean, not spread mess or bacteria.

Small changes can make a big difference in your home’s cleanliness, air quality, and overall wellbeing.