Microfiber cleaning products are one of the biggest innovations in maintaining and disinfecting health care facilities in the last decade. The reason for microfiber’s growing popularity is simple; they work very well. Microfiber is constructed from a blend of polyester and polyamide. In cleaning products the individual fibers are split via a chemical process during manufacturing. The splitting process is what makes microfiber so effective. The edges created by the split scrape and grab surface contaminants without being abrasive while the open spaces between the edges absorb the liquid and store the dust and dirt until laundering. Microfiber’s positively charged fibers attract negatively charged dust and dirt particles and hold onto them until laundering. Microfiber is also extremely durable, when cared for properly microfiber mops, towels and dusters can last hundreds of washings.
Microfiber’s biggest impact in health care facilities has been the switch from using traditional cotton and synthetic mops to using microfiber mops for cleaning and disinfecting patient rooms and other areas of the facility. There are many reasons for this switch including water and chemical savings as well as the ergonomic benefits of using microfiber flat mops. However, the most important reason for the switch is preventing cross contamination. The old method of mopping made cross contamination much more likely. With traditional mops using one mop to clean three or more patient rooms was common practice. Also, because of the labor involved, mop buckets were not emptied and refilled as often as they should have been. In contrast, microfiber mops are designed to be used in one room and then exchanged for a clean mop. The mops are easy to change out and don’t store a lot of liquid so they’re less likely to be used in multiple rooms. Also, dirty microfiber mops are never returned to the same container as clean mops. These are important factors in preventing diseases such as MRSA that can be caused by cross contamination.
There are more uses for microfiber in hospitals than just mopping patient rooms. Microfiber tube mops are built more like traditional mops and have the capacity to clean much larger areas like lobbies, waiting rooms and operating rooms more effectively. Microfiber towels, dusters and mitts can be used in the same way microfiber flat mops are used in patient rooms. They work well in healthcare applications especially when used in conjunction with disinfectants. Microfiber towels and mitts can be dampened with disinfectant then used to wipe down surfaces in a patient room. Microfiber high dusters and wall wash microfiber mops can also be dampened and used to disinfect walls, lighting fixtures, equipment and any other surface in a hospital patient, operating and waiting rooms. When finished with each area the towel, duster, mitt or mop can be placed back on the maid cart in a separate container from the clean microfiber cleaning products. Using microfiber in a conscientious way, being careful not to mix dirty with clean and not to use a mop, towel or duster in more than one area will greatly reduce cross contamination.