What is Microfiber Cloth?
Microfiber consists of very fine threads of polyester and polyamide (nylon) that
combine to form a single thread. Microfibers are so thin (100 times thinner than
a single strand of human hair) that when they are woven together they create a
surface area 40 times more than that of a regular fiber – creating an expanded
surface area with dramatically enhanced absorbing power due to the capillary
action of the fine threads. Microfiber is traditionally defined as a fiber with
a denier of less than one. Denier is a measure of thinness of fiber and is the
weight in grams of a continuous fiber of 9,000 meters.
Locks in dirt: Unlike the rounded threads of ordinary cloth which just
push dirt along the surface, the numerous wedge-shaped fibers of microfiber grab
the particles of grime and pull them into the dense internal structure. Dirt
stays locked in the microfiber towel until it is washed.
Super absorbent: High-quality microfiber holds up to 7 times its weight
in water.
Streak and scratch-free cleaning: Each strand of microfiber is comprised
of polyester and polyamide (nylon). Polyester is lyophilic, which means it
attracts oil, and polyamide is hydrophilic, which means it attracts water.
Grease, oil, water and other liquids adhere directly to the fibers for
chemical-free, safe cleaning. The softness of the material prevents scratches on
even the most delicate surfaces.
Durable and cost effective: Microfiber cloths are extremely durable, cost
effective and easy to care for. They can be washed hundreds of times and still
maintain their effectiveness. Simply hand or machine-wash with mild soap.
What's Different
Why is this cloth the world’s finest microfiber screen cleaning cloth?
The following information comes from CTA's website:
With the
Cloth Addiction cloth CTA have introduced for the first time a new generation of microfiber
cloth - twice as thin and many times as soft as the finest microfiber cloths
currently available. High quality microfiber cloth is very thin and measures 0.13
denier, however this product is twice as thin and measures 0.065 denier. These are
very thin individual fibers, each fiber strand is 200X thinner than a strand of
human hair.
Good quality microfiber cloths consist of 60-70% microfiber content.
Cloth Addiction microfiber cloth consists of 100% microfiber content. What this
means is better absorption of dirt and faster absorption of dirt. These ultra
fine fibers are also what make the cloth so incredibly soft. That is why CTA say
it is the world’s finest cleaning cloth.
The Cloth and Packaging
Above: front and
back views of the package. Click for larger versions.
The cloth is provided in a
small plastic packet as shown which measures 12 x 10 cm. The packet label
promotes a few features of the product and its promotional image is the cloth
being used on an iPad screen. This seems to be the primary market of the product
but it can of course be used for desktop displays and TFT monitors. It should
also be good on glossy monitor bezels and stands which also attract a lot of
marks and finger prints over time.
Above: view of
the cloth itself. Click for larger version
Inside there are two big
cleaning cloths, one of which is shown here. The cloth itself is quite large as
well at 8.75” x 12” (as big as A4 paper). This makes it a lot bigger than small
spectacle cleaning cloths and the type that sometimes get provided with desktop
monitors. We have seen a few provided with monitors we have tested over the
years but most are less than half the size of the cloth addiction product. The
standard package apparently comes with one large (8.75 x 12”) and one smaller
cloth (7 x 7”) but the package we had featured two large cloths instead.
CTA’s website guidance
states that the cloth is best used dry, and that they are hand and machine
washable if needed. It’s also suggested that you can just wrap the cloth around
your iPad or device when its in its case so that it helps keep the screen clean
even when put away.
Cleaning
an iPad Screen
One thing which is notably
missing from the iPad package you get from Apple is something to help you keep
the screen clean and free of messy finger prints. I have an iPad v1 and it has a
very nice looking glossy glass front screen coating. However, being a touch
screen tablet solution you are of course always leaving finger prints and smears
over this screen which at the right angle can look pretty unattractive and ruin
the lovely appearance of a shiny Apple product. I’m not sure why Apple didn’t
bundle the iPad with a cleaning cloth of some sort to be honest.
Above: an
example of an alternative cleaning cloth. Click for larger version
We deliberately made the
screen nice and messy and tried the Cloth Addiction cloth. I was impressed by
the ease of use of the cloth and you only really need a few light circular
swipes to clean the screen very effectively. In contrast I tried another
unbranded glasses cleaning cloth I had which did the job but required far more
pressure to clean to the same level.
Cleaning Monitors and Other Devices
We of course tested the cloth on various desktop
monitors and TV screens. It worked very well at cleaning smudges, finger prints
and dust from all the screens we tried. It was particularly useful on glossy
bezels and screen coatings and required only a little pressure to wipe the marks
clean away. It did seem to be easier to use than other clothes we tried and we
even used it on mirrors and windows around the office.
Conclusion
It’s obviously hard to go
into a lot of detail about something like a cleaning cloth, but overall I was
impressed by the product and its ability to clean. It was light and very soft
and seemed to clean very effectively. Only a light wipe is needed to remove
finger prints, dirt and marks from the front of displays and touch-screen
devices. It also seemed to remain very clean in itself even after a lot of use.
Other cleaning clothes can easily pick up marks and dirty areas after a bit of
use but the microfiber cloth seemed to absorb and retain the dirt very well. The
cloth is also available at a low price of $8.95 USD which gives you one large
cloth, a free 7 x 7” smaller cloth in its own carrying case and free shipping.
CTA even offer a guarantee
stating that if you find a microfiber cloth softer and more effective than Cloth
Addiction, return it for a full refund. That’s quite a promise but I’m sure you
won’t be disappointed in the product if you need a decent cloth to help keep
your screens and other devices clean.
Further information:
Cloth Addiction website
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