A reader recently wrote in saying that their department had converted to microfiber cloths and mop heads, but the new equipment wasn’t meeting expectations. The microfiber wasn’t picking up as much moisture as it had claimed. Also, the staff was reluctant to make the switch and favored either terry cloth cotton or paper wipes.

As I often quote “It is all about the process.” You cannot treat microfiber the same way you would cotton or other fibers simply because they can easily be damaged by improper care. Following are some points to consider:

1. You are allowing the laundry service to use very hot water in an attempt to sanitize the cloths and mop heads but the result is that you may be actually melting/plugging the fibers thereby rendering them unable to absorb moisture as well.

2. You are allowing the laundry service to use very hot drying cycles that again can damage the fibers due to the high heat. Yes, I realize that this would not impact cotton or other fibers the same way.

3. You are allowing the laundry service to put in fabric softener or fabric drying sheets during the wash or drying cycle which again can damage the microfiber strands.

4. You also have not properly trained front line workers on how to use microfiber (or any cloth for that matter) by folding it to the eight sides and then putting aside for laundering.

5. You are not managing your microfiber cloths and mop heads since workers will take a quantity at the beginning of the shift and not return all of them since there is no accountability.

Your investment in microfiber also requires a certain investment in managing the products to get the most from them. Unless you can address the training and laundering issues you may seriously consider converting to disposable wipes or back to cotton.

Your comments and questions are important. I hope to hear from you soon. Until then, keep it clean...

Mickey Crowe has been involved in the industry for over 35 years. He is a trainer, speaker and consultant. You can reach Mickey at 678-314-2171 or CTCG50@comcast.net


posted on 2/16/2016