Microfiber cleaning rags have been around for about ten years now. When I first heard about them they were being sold through distributors in an MLM business. Since I had a professional house cleaning business, I couldn't see how they could benefit me due to the high cost.

But I've been wondering more and more, could these really benefit the professional cleaners? So I've been doing some research and what I found should certainly be shared.

What is Microfiber? It is an ultrafine synthetic fiber that is very strong and lint free. Each fiber is split during manufacturing, providing specific benefits. The density of the fibers make the product very absorbent with the ability to hold up to six times its weight in water, and the microbifers have a positive charge that attracts dirt and dust, which has a negative charge. Not only do the micrifibers attract dust and dirt, they hold it tightly so that it is not redistributed while cleaning.

Does Microfiber Really Work? Absolutely! Not only are the microfiber towels available, but now you can purchase microfiber mops to replace both your dust and wet mops.

I purchased a mop that came with three removable mop head pads. These pads are attached to the mop with velcro. The mop has a swivel base that allows it to get under and around furniture. I have wood and vinyl flooring in my house and found the microfiber mop to work very well and it was easy to use.

While dry mopping, I was able to pickup not only dust but small debris from the floor and it was not moved around; it actually was held in the microfiber fibers. Due to the swivel mop head, I was able to get into corners and along baseboards.

I prefer cotton string mops for cleaning floors, but I found an immediate benefit to the microfiber. No bending over the water bucket, no wringing out the mop head and no fibers getting caught around table legs or split wood edges on cabinets. And I could still use the figure eight back and forth motion that I use with string mops. In fact, I found that I could mop standing up straighter because the mop is lightweight and maneuverable. Great benefit here to eliminate back pain, shoulder, elbow, wrist and finger injuries.

The microfibers can hold a lot of water without dripping thus leaving the floor cleaner with less standing water. The floor dries much faster, reducing the chance of slipping and sliding. In fact I used a very dry mop head when mopping the wood floor and could see the water evaporating as I mopped.

These microfiber mop pads are very durable and are estimated to last ten times the normal one to two week life span of string mops used in professional cleaning.

So with all these benefits, are there any areas of concern? There are a few: initial investment, cost versus quality, not appropriate for mopping up spills or floods, cannot remove or spread wax, cannot be washed with lint producing items, cannot be laundered in industrial washers and some brands are not recommended for the dryer.

If you're managing teams or a high number of employees in your house cleaning business, the initial investment can be double or even triple the cost of cotton loop and string mops.