Cleans without chemicals
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.
As each microfiber strand may be smaller than the bacteria it is attracting,
it is able to penetrate microscopic particles of dirt and grease on a
surface. Split microfiber possesses numerous wedges instead of the rounded
surfaces on ordinary cloth, sweeping underneath the particles and trapping
them inside. In addition, the rounded fibers on most cloths only push the
dirt around, whereas the wedge-shaped microfibers grab the particles of dirt
and pull the dirt into its dense internal structure. Furthermore, chemicals
only become necessary as a disinfectant, as the bonding agent is no longer
necessary to keep the dirt on the fiber.
Microfiber has two polymers. Polyester is lyophilic, or has an affinity to
oil, so that oil and grease adhere directly to the fibers. Polyamide is
hydrophilic, which means it has an affinity to water. As a result, any type
of dirt is very quickly and completed removed with microfiber, leaving a
sparkling clean, streak-free surface. Microfiber cleans without streaking,
smearing, scratching or leaving lint. Microfiber is safe to use on all
delicate surfaces. It will clean without scratching or harming the surface
in any way.
Ordinary cleaning towels move or push dirt and dust from one place to
another - microfiber actually lifts or scoops the dirt and stores the dirt
particles in the towel, until it is washed. Microfiber can absorb up to
seven times its weight in fluids.Microfiber cloths are also extremely
durable. They can be washed up to 1000 times and still maintain their
effectiveness. This makes it an extremely cost effective product. Machine
wash or hand-wash microfiber with mild soapy water.
Microfiber towels from different sources can vary greatly in quality. It is
unfortunate that people sometimes purchase a high performance cleaning
product on the basis of price alone – what they sometimes get is a product
that does not perform as expected. Typically this can be pinpointed to two
reasons:
1. The grade of yarn used in the beginning of the process is B,C, or even D
grade.
2. The factory may utilize a flawed process when dying/splitting the yarn.
The grade of yarn used is of paramount importance. A, AA, and AAA grade yarn
is used in clothing and a select few cleaning product manufacturers that are
willing to utilize it. Lower grade yarn is typically made with recycled
plastics and polymers which do not have the same chemical structure as A
grade yarn. This can reduce the ratio of split to un-split fibers, reduce
the capillary effect and static charge, and ultimately lead to lint,
streaking, and a dramatic decrease in the amount of dirt and bacteria that
can be absorbed and trapped within the fibers. Due to the limited supply of
A (or better) grade microfiber, a vast majority of the microfiber offered on
the market is B and C grade. Often, factories will purchase what they
believe to be a high grade but receive a lower quality. As the difference is
in the structure of the fiber itself, even a trained professional may not be
able to tell the difference without running tests. When their cloths do not
perform as well as StarFiber Microfiber, they do not understand why. As one
of the pioneers in a rapidly emerging industry, AquaStar recognized this as
a major problem and began working with factories in Korea to manufacture our
own yarn beginning with the melting of AA grade non-recycled plastics. Today
all of our fabric is made by us, for us, and we can consistently guarantee
the absolute best quality microfiber on the market as we have quality
control at every step of the process right down to cutting and sewing.
Adding too much fabric softener to microfiber is another easy way to
increase the soft feel of the fabric and appeal to the customer. Fabric
softener however is essentially a wax-like coating that surrounds and closes
off the gaps in microfiber where the dirt, water, etc would ordinarily be
trapped. If too much is added, it all but eliminates the static charge that
makes the fabric so proficient at trapping dust and liquid. The softener is
added during the dying and splitting phase of production and it is essential
that just the right amount and type of softener is used.
As you can see, microfiber production is a highly technical and detailed
process. With the recent surge in demand, microfiber is available from many
new and emerging factories where quality has been deemphasized in favor of
quantity. At AquaStar we refuse to compromise the quality of our goods and
are expanding to meet production needs. The opening of our newest facility
in Qingdao, China is a testament to our commitment to growth and maintaining
our position as one of the world’s largest manufacturers of premium
microfiber goods. Where others may come and go, StarFiber has and will
remain synonymous with the best quality microfiber available.
CLEAN WITH MICROFIBER
Cleaning can be both simple, environmentally friendly and get finished fast.
We sometimes unfortunately use cleaning chemicals the wrong way or even
un-necessarily. Here are some suggestions of how you can clean your home in
a simple and environmentally friendly way.
CLEANING FLOORS WITH MICROFIBER PRODUCTS
In order to get a clean and shiny floor, you often do not need to use
chemicals or a vacuum cleaner. It is enough to dust mop the floor with a dry
Starfiber microfiber mop, especially during the summer season. You will save
both time and electricity. You can also dust your walls and ceilings with
the mop.
For dusting and sweeping, use the Microfiber Dust Pad – do not wet! Glide
the mop over surface to pick up dust, dirt, pet hairs, etc. When the
microfiber pad becomes filled with dust and particles, just peel the pad
from the base, and then shake the pad out to remove loose dirt and
particles. Re-attached the pad and continue dusting. The Microfiber Dust Pad
does not need to be washed after every use – just wash the pad when it
becomes very dirty.
If you need to deep clean your floor, damp the Starfiber Microfiber Mop Pad
in warm water and squeeze out the water before you start moping the floor.
The mop can be used on all floor surfaces since it leaves a minimum amount
of water on the floor. Remember to even mop doorsteps and borders.