Discover Microfiber Clothes and Linens and How to Use and Wash Them (original) (raw)

Microfiber can be used for many different purposes around the home. It is found in household cleaning cloths, athletic gear, upholstery on furniture, cars, and bed sheets.

Microfiber is an ultra-thin synthetic fiber woven into a fabric. A microfiber is no more than one denier (a standard unit of weight) thick—about one-fifth of a human hair. Continue reading to discover how microfiber was developed, its different types, and how to use and care for it.

How Is Microfiber Made?

Most microfiber is produced using a chemical process, often mixing polyester with nylon to add strength and repel water. A few are made from rayon and resemble natural silk.

Depending upon the shape, size, and combination of materials, the benefits of microfiber include its ability to take on different qualities, like strength, softness, water absorbency, or repellency. As a cleaning cloth, it's also lint-free and effective at removing dirt from delicate and strong surfaces.

The production of these ultra-fine fibers began in the 1950s. Ultrasuede, also made of microfibers, was developed in the 1970s to make easy-care fabrics for apparel and home fashion applications.

Microfiber Uses

Cleaning Rags and Mops

Microfiber cloths, towels, and mops can be found everywhere and are excellent cleaning fabrics. They are woven to be strong and long-lasting, and because of their extremely fine manufactured fibers, they leave no lint or dirt and dry super fast. Due to the type of microfiber used, these cloths are electrostatic and will also absorb grease and oil.

The fine thread and weave of the material mean these cloths are antibacterial. They will pick up tiny bacteria that elude cotton cloths. Microfiber cleaning cloths should be washed after every use.

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Furniture and Upholstery

Microfiber is used for furniture upholstery because it is tough as nails, hard to stain, and easy to clean. Liquids run off or bead on microfiber, so it's easy to sop up a mess. It's also soft and comfortable, ideal for sofas and chairs.

Accessories and Sports Equipment

Most of the fabric wallets, coin purses, backpacks, and shoes that you purchase today are made of microfibers. The fabric makes them water-resistant and strong. Microfiber is also used to make desert combat boots, footballs, and basketballs.

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Bedsheets, Table Linens, and Towels

Since microfibers are extremely thin, they can be woven to feel very silky but remain quite strong. Bed sheets made from microfiber are breathable, light, longer-lasting than natural fibers, and easier to wash. The fabric can be woven so tightly to make pillow and mattress covers, which is great for trapping dust mites.

Tablecloths and napkins are woven from microfibers and have qualities that will cause spilled liquids to bead up, making stain removal much more simple. The opposite weaving technique is employed for microfiber bath and beach towels to absorb water quickly and in great quantities. These towels will dry quickly and are less likely to mildew than cotton towels if not dried immediately.

When washing, follow the care labels on your bedding and linens. Microfiber sheets, tablecloths, and towels should not be dried on high heat or for extended periods of time.

The Spruce / Ulyana Verbytska

Activewear and Compression Garments

Many garments promoted for use by athletes—jerseys, t-shirts, and shorts—are made from microfiber fabrics because the material wicks perspiration away from the body. The tightly woven fabric is also used for compression garments, which increase blood flow in both athletic training and medical applications.

These microfiber garments should be washed using cool or warm water by hand or in a gentle machine cycle. Allow to air-dry.

Types of Microfiber

One of the most popular microfiber applications is for cleaning cloths and products. Various weaves can be used for different applications, but microfiber for cleaning cloths is not woven the same as microfiber for upholstery, drapery, or apparel:

• Lightweight: Lightweight microfiber is used to make cleaning cloths to remove dirt and oil from glass surfaces, phone screens, and eyewear.
• Medium-weight: The most common type of microfiber is medium-weight, which isused to produce towels and other cleaning cloths.
• Plush: Though it feels almost luxurious, this type of microfiber is thicker than medium-weight microfiber and is used for waxing and polishing applications. These cloths absorb much moisture and dirt into their long fibers, but the fibers' tips are left free and clear for buffing away streaks and marks.
• Waffle weave: Waffle weave microfiber has waffle grooves designed to grab and trap liquids and dirt, making this material ideal for washing and dusting cloths.
• Chenille: Chenille microfiber is used for cleaning cloths, sponges, and car mitts. The material has thick and tubular protuberances of fiber that make the material very absorbent.
• Suede: This type of microfiber, also called microsuede, faux suede, and its trade name Ultrasuede, looks and feels almost like natural suede and is used for upholstery, curtains, and sometimes apparel. It is more affordable than natural suede, easier to clean, and more resistant to stains and wear.

Microfiber vs. Cotton

Often, microfiber is compared to cotton in many applications. There are pros and cons to both materials within each application:

• Cleaning: Microfiber picks up and traps more dirt than cotton cleaning cloths or mops.
• Clothing: Both cotton and microfiber can be combined with other fibers to make clothing more comfortable, durable, and easy to clean. Cotton holds on to moisture more than moisture-wicking microfiber so that synthetic fiber can be a better choice for athletic wear.
• Sheets and bedding: Microfiber sheets tend to trap heat, so they're not as comfortable for hot sleepers as cotton sheets, which are more comfortable, breathable, and cooler.
• Upholstery: Cotton upholstery is smooth and comfortable, but even the thickest material, such as cotton duck canvas, is notorious for staining and wrinkling compared to microfiber. Microfiber is also more resistant to scratches from a pet's claws.

Tips for Washing and Caring for Microfiber

• Chlorine bleach should not be used when washing microfiber. Bleach or acidic cleaning solutions can damage the fibers.
• Never use self-softening, soap-based detergents that will affect the properties of the fibers.
• For cleaning cloths, washing after every use will prevent the dirt and debris the fabric collects from scratching surfaces.
• Skip the addition of fabric softener. The residue from the softener will clog the fibers and make them less effective.
• Fibers can melt at high temperatures, and wrinkling can become nearly permanent.

FAQ

• Microfiber is synthetic, less expensive, and more durable. Comparatively, cotton degrades faster, turning into natural, earth-friendly lint.
• Polyester, often nylon, is melted down and extruded into ultra-fine fibers that are fused or woven together, depending on the product. Microfibers are also called microplastics.
• Microfiber fabric can look dull and dirty even when it's clean. Microfiber upholstery can also show "swirl" marks, making the furniture look stained, although it's not.
  Sometimes, microfiber fabric causes static cling. Microfiber bedding and sheets can retain too much heat, making them uncomfortable for sleeping. Microfiber is also responsible for microplastic pollution in the Earth's water supply.