The Simple Folding Trick That Can Double The Life Of Your Microfiber Cloth

As a homeowner, you've probably had a lot of people recommend microfiber cloths for cleaning quite a few things, and all for good reason. These cloths are very efficient in cleaning due to their special manufacturing process. They are made of tiny fibers that are 200 times thinner than human hair, which gives them a high surface area. This large surface area makes them more absorbent than a regular cloth, able to quickly absorb and hold seven times their weight in water. Unfortunately, most of us aren't using our microfiber cloths to their full potential, often using them just once or twice to clean before going for a new one.

Fortunately, there's a simple folding technique that ensures you maximize your microfiber cloth and wipe or dry more between washes. Using this technique, you get eight usable sides of the cloth, instead of the two you'd have without folding. This allows you to use fewer cloths per task thus increasing the lifespan of each cloth.

How does this increase their lifespan? Well, a high-quality microfiber cloth should last for about 300 washes between uses, while a low-quality one may get as few as fifty. And while regular washing is necessary for these materials, a common laundry mistake that could be ruining your microfiber cloths is mahcine washing them after every light task. The great thing with this folding trick is it ensures you've used these cloths well before tossing them into the washer.

Here's the folding trick: Fold the microfiber cloth in half horizontally to give you a rectangle with two layers. Then, fold it in half (this time vertically) to get a square with four layers. This effectively gives you eight usable sides (four to a side) that you can swap out once each side gets dirty.

Not only does this technique help enhance your cloths' lifespan, but it also gives you more control over the cloths than using them unfolded or scrunched up. The thick folded cloth is also easier to grip than a flat large one and gives you even contact on the surface to remove dirt or residue more easily. Finally, this technique prevents transferring dirt and germs from one surface to another, since you're tracking the sides you've used (you can even number the sides with a sharpie if that helps). With this technique, your microfiber cloths should last longer for you. However, when they do reach the end of their lifespan, don't toss them out. You can easily repurpose your old microfiber cloths into a no-sew cushion, pillowcase, or even a scrunchie!