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WATCH YOUR WEIGHT
The final criterion to examine when grading microfiber is the weight of the cloth or pad. All fibers are weighed in deniers, the weight in grams of a 9,000-meter long strand of any fiber. An individual microfiber filament weighs less than 1 denier. To put that in perspective, microfiber filaments are half the diameter of silk fiber, a third the diameter of cotton fiber and a quarter the diameter of wool.
Because microfiber filaments are thinner than 1 percent of the thickness of a human hair, they can be densely woven together. Each cloth or pad consists of approximately 200,000 microfiber filaments per square inch, according to Sutton.
Sutton says weight is the best way to judge the quality of a microfiber product. “The quality is based upon the weight of the cloth or pad. The fibers themselves are weighed in denier, but the cloth as a whole is weighed in grams per square meter,” says Sutton.” Good quality is about 200 grams per square meter, 250 to 280 is better quality and the best products are 400 grams per square meter or more.”
The weight indicates how long it will take for cloth wear and tear to show. “The heavier the weight the more fiber it has. The more fiber it has, the longer it’s going to last,” says Sutton. “All microfiber is basically the same, it becomes a question of economy and durability, or how many washings it’s going to last. A heavier pad or cloth will last longer and go for more washings.”
Hagberg says a microfiber mop pad will outlast any cotton string mop. “A string mop lasts 35 to 75 washings, but with a microfiber mop pad you can get 400 to 600 washings,” she says.
Although heavier microfiber is superior to lightweight, microfiber is still lighter than other woven cloths. “A microfiber mop, what we call a flat mop, weighs less than half of what a normal string mop weighs, making it much faster and safer,” says Sutton. “Microfiber doesn’t require the same pressure or force that’s required to push a cotton mop, so there’s a great reduction in the number of bodily injury, back strain and carpal tunnel problems.”
Identifying the right microfiber for the job depends on more than just price. The number of splits, weight and durability all play an important role in determining microfiber quality.
