Microfibre cloths do their best work when they are clean. A cloth full of old dust, grease or detergent residue picks up less and smears more. The good news is that washing microfibre is easy once you know the few things to avoid. This guide covers machine washing, hand washing, drying, how often to wash and how cleaning teams can launder colour-coded sets.
The advice below is general guidance for microfibre. Always follow any care instructions supplied with your cloths.
Before you wash: three quick checks
- Shake them out. Knock off crumbs, grit and hair outdoors or over a bin, so they don't spread through the load.
- Rinse heavy soiling. If a cloth has been used on grease, polish or a spill, give it a quick rinse in warm water first.
- Sort by use. Keep cloths from washrooms, kitchens and general areas apart, and keep car wheel cloths away from paintwork cloths.
How to wash microfibre cloths in a washing machine
Most people wash microfibre in the machine. It is quicker and more thorough than washing by hand.
- Wash microfibre on its own. Cotton towels, tea towels and fleece shed lint, and microfibre is very good at picking it up. Wash them together and the lint ends up on your next window. Our post are microfibre cloths lint-free? explains why this matters.
- Use a normal detergent, and not too much. Too much detergent leaves residue in the fibres. Liquid detergent tends to rinse out more easily than powder.
- Leave out the fabric softener. Softener coats the fine fibres, so the cloth picks up less dirt and water and is more likely to smear. Avoid "2 in 1" detergents that include softener too.
- Skip the bleach. Bleach is generally not recommended for synthetic fibres and can fade coloured cloths, which matters if you rely on colour to tell areas apart.
- Choose a warm wash. The general advice is a warm wash rather than the hottest setting. Very high temperatures can damage synthetic fibres over time. Check the care label for the right setting.
- Add an extra rinse if you can. It helps clear detergent out of the fibres.
How to clean a microfiber cloth by hand
If you only have one or two cloths, or no machine to hand, washing by hand works well.
- Fill a bowl or sink with warm water and a small amount of mild detergent.
- Soak the cloths for a few minutes to loosen dirt.
- Rub the cloth against itself to work the dirt out of the fibres.
- Rinse in clean water until the water runs clear and there are no suds left.
- Squeeze out the water. Avoid wringing hard and twisting, which can stretch the cloth.
How to dry microfibre cloths
Drying is where many cloths get damaged.
- Air-dry where you can. Microfibre dries fairly quickly on a line or airer.
- Tumble dry on low heat only. High heat can melt or harden the fine fibres, leaving the cloth stiff and less effective.
- No dryer sheets. They do the same thing as fabric softener.
- Don't iron microfibre. Direct heat is the quickest way to ruin it.
- Store them clean and dry. Keep dry cloths in a closed box or bag so they don't collect dust before you use them.
How often should you wash microfibre cloths?
A simple rule: wash a cloth when it is dirty, and always before using it in a different area.
- At home: wash kitchen and bathroom cloths after each clean. Dusting cloths can be shaken out and used a few times before washing.
- In kitchens and food areas: change cloths often during the day, and follow your own food safety procedures. Many cafés and restaurants keep tear-away microfibre cleaning rolls for quick wipe-downs alongside washable cloths.
- For cars: wash after every car wash, and keep wheel cloths separate.
- New cloths: wash before first use, especially if they are going on glass or polished surfaces.
Washing colour-coded cloth sets
If you use colour coding, the colours only protect you if they stay apart in the laundry too. Wash each colour, or at least each risk level, in its own load. Washroom cloths should never share a wash with kitchen cloths. See our guide to colour-coded cleaning cloths for the common UK scheme.
Use separate, labelled bags or bins for dirty cloths of each colour. It makes sorting quicker and stops cloths being mixed up on the way to the machine.
Commercial laundering for cleaning teams
For cleaning companies, offices, schools and hospitality sites, laundry is part of the daily system, not an afterthought.
- Decide who washes. Some teams wash on site, some take cloths back to a base, and some use a laundry service. Whatever you choose, write it down.
- Keep enough stock. You need clean cloths ready while dirty ones are in the wash. A common rule is three sets per cleaner: one in use, one in the wash and one ready. Our guide on how many cloths a cleaning team needs works through an example.
- Brief your laundry provider. If someone else washes your cloths, tell them: microfibre only, no softener, no bleach, low-heat drying, colours kept apart.
- Check your site's own rules. Healthcare, food and other regulated settings often set their own laundering requirements. Follow those first.
- Retire tired cloths. When a cloth feels stiff, rough or no longer picks up dust, move it to rough jobs or replace it.
Need more cloths?
NICE microfibre cleaning cloths measure 40 × 40 cm, weigh 350 GSM and come in packs of 24 in yellow, pink and blue, so you can keep a clean set ready while the others are in the wash. Teams can buy by the trade box of 12 packs. See trade and wholesale for details.
Frequently asked questions
Can you put microfibre cloths in the washing machine?
Generally, yes. Wash them on their own with a normal detergent, without fabric softener or bleach, on a warm rather than very hot wash. Always follow any care instructions supplied with the cloths.
Why shouldn't you use fabric softener on microfibre?
Softener coats the fine fibres. The cloth then picks up less dirt and water and is more likely to leave smears. Dryer sheets have the same effect.
Can you tumble dry microfibre cloths?
Yes, on a low heat. High heat can damage synthetic fibres and leave the cloth stiff. Air-drying is the gentlest option.
Can I wash microfibre with towels?
It is best not to. Cotton towels shed lint, and microfibre picks it up, then leaves it on the next surface you clean. Wash microfibre in its own load.