[box type=”shadow” ]Microfiber cleaning technology, more widely used in the western world, is yet catching up in India. Clean India Journal speaks to experts to understand microfibers and the trends[/box]
M.K.Padmanabhan,
Chief Executive Officer,Faber Sindoori Management Services Ltd
It is one of the most significant, efficient and innovative inventions made in the cleaning industry. It has proven its efficacy very well in hospital industry.
Microfiber technology is used mostly in the cleaning industry to make microfiber mops, cloths, and dusters. It is a fine synthetic fibre that is designed to clean on a microscopic scale. Made from a combination of polyester and polyamides (nylon), microfiber strands are split to create spaces in each fibre before they are woven together. Due to this microscopic splitting, the surface area of microfiber products is over 15 times that of other conventional materials. Furthermore, it allows microfiber products to collect far more dirt and dust, as the debris gets trapped in the microfiber’s millions of miniscule edges.
Benefits of Microfiber Technology
• Time-Effective and Efficient
Microfiber mops, dusters, and cloths are light and ergonomic. This significantly diminishes the amount of time needed for particular cleaning tasks. It can absorb seven times its weight in water. Microfiber products are also positively charged, meaning they attract negatively charged dirt and grease.
A microfiber mop, weighs considerably very less than a string mop. It reduces the strain from heavy lift and twisting, and eliminates many of the time-consuming tasks associated with mopping (moving and dumping buckets, wringing out the mop, repeated fillings, etc.). Being lighter, they are also faster to manoeuvre.
• Environment Friendly, reduced chemical Usage
It reduces chemical use and disposal. Conventional wet mopping practices require cleaning solution changes after every third room to reduce patient health risks from cross-contamination. The split cross-sections in microfiber that catch dirt and other particles leave surfaces free of unwanted materials without necessitating chemicals. They can clean nearly any surface with less water.
Regular cloths do not trap particles in this way and need chemicals to assist in the cleaning process. The chemicals are harmful in the long term to the people in the building, as well as to the environment. It reduces chemical use and disposal. Conventional wet mopping practices require cleaning solution changes after every third room to reduce patient health risks from cross-contamination
• Preserves Surfaces
Using microfiber helps preserve interior finishes. Quality microfiber products will not scratch delicate surfaces, as long as they are well-rinsed and free of grit. Since microfiber picks up debris rather than pushing it, particles do not leave scratches. This is why microfiber cloths are recommended specially for clinical environment.
• Increases Cleanliness and Hygiene.
Colour coded microfiber products provides a superior level of hygiene and cleanliness. Individual mop refills and dusters for every room ensure customer satisfaction. Microfiber is able to remove 99% of bacteria while traditional products only remove 30%.
As the fibre rubs together, microfiber creates a static charge. This increases its ability to clean and the charge helps to attract dirt into the crevices in the strands. Because of this, microfiber products have become known as “dirt magnets”.
• Care and life expectancy
Microfiber can be laundered anywhere from 365 – 390 times which means the life expectancy is very high when compared to convention leaning materials. Cleaning microfiber is easy and convenient in small or large scale.
