Water is pretty good at cleaning most things all by itself. That’s because its molecules have two very different ends. They’re electrically unbalanced, so they stick to all kinds of things (including lumps of dirt) like tiny magnets and break them apart. Water is sometimes called a universal solvent because it can dissolve so many different things. Where water alone can’t help, you can turn to a detergent (a soapy chemical that clings to dirt and grease, breaks it apart, and makes it easier for water molecules to flush it away).
Many people don’t like using detergents, however. They’re expensive, for one thing. Another problem is that they can cause allergic reactions and skin complaints. Some people worry that overusing detergents and cleaning agents—in an effort to make our homes cleaner and more hygienic—is undermining the way our bodies’ immune systems naturally defend themselves against germs. Another complaint is that detergents don’t simply disappear into thin air. They contain chemicals that flush down our drains into rivers and seas, where they gradually build up and cause water pollution. We might be making our homes cleaner, but we’re making the environment dirtier in the process. For all these reasons (and a few more), many people would love to be able to clean their homes without chemicals—and that’s where microfiber cleaning cloths can help.
Microfiber cloths are much more widely known and used in Europe than in the United States.Is it any wonder, then, that we’re skeptical of “magic” microfiber cleaning cloths that promise to get our homes hygienically clean with nothing but water?
