Haven't heard about microfibers? It' not surprising. Although
microfiber flat mops and cleaning cloths have been used in
Europe for over 20 years, it has only been in the past few years
that microfibers have made their way into this country. Many
cleaning companies are just now hearing about the value of using
microfibers in their cleaning business. Microfiber cleaning
cloths and mops offer a more efficient way to clean and can save
your cleaning company time and money.
Microfibers were invented in Sweden in the mid-1980s.
Microfibers come in the forms of mops, cloths, mitts and
bonnets. The underlying principle that makes microfibers clean
so well is that microfiber yarn has 100 times more surface area
than natural textiles. The microfiber itself is extremely dense
and has lots of small nooks and crevices within its fabric. This
allows the material to hold seven to eight times its own weight
in water.
A comparison to cotton shows that a microfiber will absorb 98
percent moisture, while cotton can only absorb 70 percent. The
synthetic microfiber materials weigh less and can be laundered
more than traditional fibers.
Microfiber cloths and mops usually cost more than the
traditional mops and cleaning cloths. So why should your
cleaning company spend more money for supplies than it already
is? The benefits of using microfibers far outweigh the added
cost.
1. One of the first reasons to switch to microfibers is that
they clean better than the traditional synthetic or cotton mops
and cloths. Have your employees clean a floor as they typically
would and then run over it with a dry microfiber mop pad. It
will be easy to see how much more dirt and residue the
microfiber picks up.
2. A second reason to switch to microfibers is the mop pads and
cleaning cloths can be laundered and reused. Depending on your
particular cleaning situation, you may be able to reuse your
microfibers up to several years. Compare that to a typical
cotton mop that must be replaced after just a few weeks or at
the most a few months.
3. The third reason to make the switch is that by using
microfibers you can dramatically reduce your chemical use.
Obviously, the less chemical you use saves you money. It also
saves time as employees will not be stopping in the middle of a
cleaning task to mix up added chemicals. One study showed that
an average cleaning company worker uses 21 gallons of floor
cleaning solution when using a string mop during a typical
shift. You can reduce this amount down to just 2 gallons when
you switch to using a microfiber mopping system.
Microfiber mops are also lighter than the traditional bulky
mop. Also, since microfibers need little if any water, there is
no heavy bucket for your employees to lug around.
By using microfibers cloths and mops you will be able to
increase the efficiency and productivity of your cleaning staff.
The small investment in microfibers can end up being a large
payoff in your pocket!
About the author:
Steve Hanson is co-founding member of The Janitorial Store (TM),
an online community for owners and managers of cleaning
companies who want to build a more profitable and successful
cleaning business. Sign up for Trash Talk: Tip of the Week at
http://www.TheJanitorialStore.com and receive a Free Gift!
