How it works
Three steps, no cleaning products. The way microfibre works is fundamentally different from what you're used to with sprays and wipes.
1. Dampen the cloth
Hold the cloth under the tap briefly, squeeze it out so it's damp but not dripping. That's the entire preparation. No bottle to unscrew, no product to measure, no waiting for it to work.
For extremely dirty surfaces you can add a few drops of washing-up liquid or vinegar to a bucket of water, but for 95 per cent of the work water alone is enough.
2. Wipe in straight lines
Start at the top, work downwards. Wipe in long, straight lines instead of circles. The fibres grip dirt and hold it instead of smearing it. You'll see the difference immediately: a clean path behind the cloth, no haze.
For glass and mirrors: one wipe, then again, dry and in the same direction. No fluff, no streaks.
3. Rinse out and leave to dry
After a cleaning session: rinse the cloth under warm running water until the water runs clear. Squeeze out, hang up. Next time pick it up again.
About once a week (or when you think it's dirty) it goes in the washing machine: 60 degrees, normal detergent, no fabric softener. Fabric softener coats the fibres and removes the cleaning ability.
Why it works
Microfibres are 1/100 of a human hair in thickness, but each fibre has positive charge properties that attract dust, grease and limescale. A good microfibre cloth has up to 200,000 fibres per square centimetre. Under a microscope you see that the fibres are more like hooks than threads: they grip dirt and only release it in water.
That's why they work without chemicals, and why you should never wash them with fabric softener. The physical structure is what does the work.
Which cloth for which job
- Doek Set: worktop, hob, table, skirting boards, door handles, screens, everything general.
- Glasdoek: windows, mirrors, display cases, oven door, tablet screens.
- Kalkdoek: shower door, tap, rain shower head, tile grout, washbasin.
How long do they last?
200+ wash cycles if you wash them at 60 degrees without fabric softener. With weekly use and washing that's about 4 years before you replace it. In that period you save hundreds of euros on sprays and thousands of disposable wipes.