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PoetsbijbelThe cleaning bible

Washing microfibre cloths the right way

Routine washing that keeps cloths absorbent and lint-free — and the sorting rule that stops one oily cloth ruining a whole load.

Difficulty
Easy
Time
90 minutes

Microfibre works through millions of split fibres that hold dust and moisture by capillary action. Everything in this guide protects those fibres: from lint, from coatings, and from each other.

Steps

  1. Step 1 of 4

    Sort into two loads. Load 1: cloths that only touched water, vinegar or alcohol (glass, windows, general surfaces). Load 2: anything that met oils, waxes, silicones or heavy polish. These never wash together — the oils dissolve in the water and redeposit onto your clean cloths.

  2. Warning

    Never wash microfibre with cotton towels, clothing or any lint-shedding textile. The lint clogs the fibres exactly like softener does.

  3. Step 2 of 4

    Wash at 30–40°C with a minimal dose of fragrance- and silicone-free liquid detergent — Sodasan Sensitive, Ecover ZERO or Neutral Sensitive. A mesh wash bag keeps the cloths from picking up grit from the drum.

  4. Caution

    No fabric softener, no dryer sheets, no chlorine bleach, no overdosing. Softener destroys absorbency; bleach damages the fibre structure; excess soap leaves the residue you will later have to strip.

  5. Step 3 of 4

    Wash the contaminated load separately at 60°C and give it an extra rinse.

  6. Step 4 of 4

    Air-dry, or tumble-dry only on the lowest heat — and take the cloths out while still slightly damp. Fold dry cloths straight away and store them in a closed box, so they stay clean for delicate surfaces.

  7. Colour-code by task: white or light blue for glass, green or blue for kitchen and general, yellow or orange for bathroom, red or dark for the toilet and truly dirty jobs.

Safe on / Never use on

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  • Microfibre

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