A staple of cleaning
in
Europe, microfiber cleaning materials are becoming more
prevalent in the U.S. as the cleaning industry works to reduce
chemical usage and develop greener cleaning methods and
practices.
Microfiber cleaning materials are a blend of
polyester and polyamide fibers that are split in such a way as
to create microscopic “hooks” that act as claws to scrape up and
hold dust, dirt and grime. They are 1/16 the thickness of a
human hair and can hold six times their weight in water.
Very fine synthetic fibers that can be woven
into fabrics, microfiber allows fabrics to hang and handle as
they naturally would, but with the added benefits of durability,
breathing better, and repelling or retaining water better,
depending on the purpose.
For cleaning, microfiber cloths can often
be used
alone or with small amounts of cleaning products. When designed
for cleaning, microfiber cloths can retain moisture much better,
which means fewer trips to the sink. It also means that cleaning
up small spills on raised surfaces takes much less effort, as
the microfiber cleaning cloth can absorb more liquid than a
typical sponge.
“The use of microfiber cleaning tools can reduce
the possibility of cross-contamination, limit the transfer of
bacteria and reduce chemical use dramatically,” said Mark Unger,
president of Unger Enterprises, which introduced microfiber
cleaning products with its restroom cleaning envelope.
“A commodity in Europe,” Unger said, “microfiber
flat mops, the predominant method of cleaning
floors
there, offer distinct differences in quality, giving end users
the best return on their investment.”
Microfiber cleaning cloths naturally hold dust,
debris, and other small particles. One problem with traditional
dusting, for example, is that many cleaning products such as
feathers or lambs wool dusters tend to spread as much dust
around the air as they pick up.
Because microfiber cleaning cloths can be used
with little or no cleaning products,
they are
also well suited for homes with small children and are better
for the environment.
“We found that microfibers can clean 98 percent
of dirt present in a facility,” said Bruno Niklaus, Unger’s
vice-president for Global Marketing. “We wanted to say you don’t
need chemicals anymore, but that was too extreme for the U.S.
market.”
He added that though microfibers are more
expensive than cotton, what you save in chemicals you can put
into microfiber.
Though he finds cotton to be a
dirty cleaning tool, Niklaus said it is preferable for spill
control, though cotton string mops become heavy and don’t clean
corners well.
He said Unger still offers
cotton string mops because the transition to flat mops hasn’t
happened yet. “It takes a long time,” said Niklaus. “Top end
users are adjusting, though, turning to processes and materials
that allow them to use less chemicals and greener cleaning
tools. They are investing in technology to move dirt out of the
building, instead of moving it around.”
Economic benefits are less
easily quantified and will vary by location, but they include:
Cost savings from decreased water use; reduced workers’
compensation claims; and potential construction savings from
eliminated need for mop sinks in janitor’s closets.
Microfiber use began in
healthcare to reduce cross contamination, by using one mop pad
per patient room. A follow up study at the University of
California at Davis Medical Center proved that microfiber
removes bacteria.
Because janitors no longer
change cleaning solution every third room, the study, found that
microfibers cut its water use for mopping by 95 percent. In a
well-known case study, UCDMC management revealed that the
microfiber mops are easy enough to use that janitors placed on
“light duty” because of an injury are tasked with mopping
floors. However, because of the variety of claims made and the
inconsistent associated costs, UCDMC has been unable to quantify
the cost savings from reduced claims.
Lastly, since microfiber mops
eliminate the need to frequently change cleaning solution and
rinse mop heads, the need for a mop sink in janitor’s closets is
reduced.
Though the initial cost to
implement the program at UCDMC was significant, as a microfiber
mop costs over three times more than a conventional loop mop,
manufacturers guarantee microfiber mop heads for 500 washings,
while a conventional mop typically withstands only 55 washings,
giving the microfiber mop a comparatively low lifetime cost.
UCDMC does not use the
microfiber mops in areas contaminated with an extraordinary
amount of blood or other body fluid, including certain areas of
the emergency and operating rooms. In these cases, UCDMC
personnel use conventional loop mops. The microfiber mops are
also not used in greasy, high-traffic kitchen areas; rather,
UCDMC continues to use mechanical floor cleaning machines in
these areas.
“The UCDMC study set the world
on fire to use microfiber for cleaning healthier,” said Mark
Hoyle, a senior product manager for Rubbermaid Commercial
Products, which recently launched an ergonomic, microfiber flat
mopping system.
“Microfiber cleaning tools are
lighter and more ergonomic for the end user, offering better
hygiene, better sanitation and less cross contamination
potential,” said Hoyle.
Microfiber flat mop systems
reduce cleaning times for patient rooms. Conventional wet
mopping practices– including mopping the floor, preparing and
changing the cleaning solution, and wringing the mop before and
after jobs–take approximately 15 minutes for a typical patient
room.
They also reduce custodial
staff injuries and workers’ compensation claims. Conventional
wet mopping practices can lead to custodial staff injuries
through the repeated motions of mopping and wringing.
Conventional wet mopping
practices require cleaning solution changes after every third
room to reduce patient health risks from cross-contamination.
“Microfiber just has so many
positive attributes that it just makes sense,” said Hoyle.
“With the recent reports about
MRSA infections at schools, cleaning healthier is going to
become a huge focus. Parents may have to push schools and
systems to clean more effectively.”
He said end users are driving
the demand, but the changeover from string mops to microfibers
is happening. He added that micro-fibers don’t make good string
mops because they absorb up to eight times their own weight,
becoming too heavy, and sticking like glue to the floor.
While some distributors are
embracing microfiber cleaning systems, others are resisting them
because they reduce chemical usage, and they don’t want to see
their chemical sales reduced, said Hoyle, who only knows of two
hospitals that don’t use microfibers now.
The transition is starting for
the rest of cleaning industry, he said. Reiterating Unger’s
findings that microfibers predominate in Europe. “In the U.S.,
we’ll probably reach a similar balance. But it will take a
little time.”
One aspect that should speed
that transition is the cost of use and training. Piece by piece,
microfiber is more expensive, but lasts up to a thousand times
longer. And it reduces the amount of chemicals needed to clean.
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