Do You Microbifer In Your Cleaning Business

Do You Microbifer in Your Cleaning Business?

by: Gail Metcalf
Microfiber cleaning towels 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 my
business was professional house cleaning, 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 dry 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 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 life span of cotton loop 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, the
initial investment can be double or even triple the cost of
cotton loop and string mops. And you won't be able to
launder these with your terry towels or use a commercial
laundry service.


To determine if you should convert your business to
microfiber, you'll definitely need a cost benefit analysis
to see the cost tradeoffs. If your Workers Comp costs are
running high, is it due to scrubbing or mopping? Microfiber
mops could possibly reduce the costs related to mopping
injuries.


You might also want to consider the use of microfiber as a
partial or total replacement for terry towels. Or even just
using microfiber for cleaning glass and mirrors. They have
the ability to clean and shine without using chemicals.

This could possibly also reduce your product cost.


You can purchase microfiber towels on the Internet and also
at your local depot and automotive stores in the automotive
section. But be aware that all microfiber towels are not
equal. There are companies that make only one kind and
other companies that have a specific microfiber towel for
different tasks.


I recommend more research into quality and cost before
investing in microfiber for your business.



About the Author
Gail Metcalf built her cleaning business from the ground up
and now shares her tips, tricks and trade secrets. Permission
is granted to reproduce this article but credit must be given
to the author. No part of the article content can be modified,
and a link must be provided to:
http://HouseCleaningPro.com