A laboratory evaluation of the decontamination properties of microfibre cloths

Summary 

Standards of cleanliness in health care continue to attract attention. Effective cleaning requires the input of energy, and microfibre cloths may help in the physical removal of soil. The ability of these cloths to remove organic soil (measured by ATP) and bacteria was compared with paper towel and a conventional cloth in controlled wet and dry conditions. When used wet on a dry surface, the cleaning ability of six different microfibre cloths was variable, and in most cases, not significantly better than paper towel or a conventional cloth. One type of microfibre cloth did perform significantly better than the others and paper towel in reducing both organic soil and microbial load. When used dry on a dry surface, there was no significant difference between the cloths, and none of the cloths reduced microbial and organic bioburden effectively. The ability of the cloths to recontaminate the surface was also tested, and some of the microfibre cloths transferred significantly less organic debris and micro-organisms back to the surface than other cloths. Different makes of microfibre cloths have different characteristics, and the name ‘microfibre’ should not imply superior cleaning efficacy.

Keywords: Hospital cleaning, Microfibre cloths, Surface contamination