When it comes to the type of cleaning cloths professional cleaners use, the debate of cotton versus microfiber continues in some quarters. While microfiber has primarily become the industry standard, there are questions about microfiber that should be answered when considering it for a green cleaning program.
The Pros and Cons of Microfiber and Cotton
First, let’s look at how these two materials stack up:
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Microfiber
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Cotton
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Absorbency
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Absorbs 7x the amount of liquid versus cotton.1
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Can absorb 25x its weight in water.2
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Environmental Impact During Production
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Requires twice as much energy as cotton to produce.
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Requires the use of pesticides and fertilizers. Requires 713 gallons of water to create one t-shirt.3
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Reusability
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Can be washed 500-1000 times before losing its effectiveness.3
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Can be washed 20-50 times before losing its effectiveness.
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Water Usage
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Uses less water to clean because it dries faster, and bacteria have less chance to take hold. Because of its natural particle-trapping properties, it requires less water (and product) to clean with.
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Dries slowly and can become a harbor for bacteria and odor, requiring more water to clean. It also primarily pushes dirt particles around versus picking them up, so more water may be necessary for cleaning.
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Environmental Impact, After Use
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Not biodegradable. There is a concern about microplastics entering the environment and our bodies. However, most of these come from clothing, cosmetics, and decaying plastic items like bottled water. And there are no studies to see if these microplastics harm humans, so their impact is unclear.4
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Cotton cloths are biodegradable and recyclable, although the latter depends on what they were used to pick up / contamination.
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- Microfiber is 7x More Absorbent than Cotton1
- Microfiber uses more energy to produce than Cotton
- Cotton requires the use of pesticides and fertilizers and requires 713 gallons of water to create one t-shirt.3
- Microfiber can be washed 500-1000 times (versus cotton's 20-50) before losing effectiveness.
- As you can see, both microfiber and cotton have their pros and cons regarding environmental impact. Until we understand the effect of microplastics on humans and the environment, it's hard to weigh that against the large amounts of water and pesticide usage in producing cotton.
- Microfiber dries faster, which means less opportunity for bacteria and odors to harbor within it, versus cotton.
- Microfiber requires less water usage to clean because it picks up more particles and dirt.
- Microfiber is not biodegradable, unlike cotton. There is some concern about microplastics entering the environment and our bodies. However, most of these come from clothing, cosmetics, and decaying plastic items like bottled water. And there are no studies to see if these microplastics harm humans, so their impact is unclear.4
The Deciding Factor
That’s why most cleaning professionals concentrate on reusability and effectiveness when choosing between the two. In this case, microfiber is the clear winner. Here’s a video excerpt from our “Green Cleaning Best Practices” course on the EnvirOx Training Portal that talks more about why microfiber outperforms cotton:
Using Microfiber Responsibly
So, if microfiber is the clear winner in performance, what can you do to reduce its impact on the environment?
- Reuse cloths – wash them regularly and use them for their intended life cycle.
- Buy high-quality microfiber products – these "shed" less than lower-quality counterparts.
- If possible, handwash – if lightly soiled, handwashing will increase the cloth's longevity.
- Don’t wash microfiber with cotton – it will grab the lint from the cotton.
- Don’t use harsh detergents – use fragrance-free products.
- Don’t use fabric softener – it clogs the microfiber, making it ineffective.
- Air dry or use low heat when drying – it will prolong the life of the microfiber.
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