Previously, rags for cleaning floors were made from old clothes. Now the store offers a huge selection of cleaning rags made from a variety of materials. They have different properties. The price also varies. When choosing the best floor cloth, you should take into account its characteristics and the characteristics of the room for which it is intended to be cleaned.
What are they and how are they different?
The choice of rags for cleaning floors is very wide. Purchased products differ in color, size and material. And it is this factor that plays a significant role, since it directly affects performance.
Viscose
Viscose is a natural material that is created by processing cellulose. The starting material, cellulose, is made from wood.
Viscose can have different densities and appearances. For rags, a material that is porous and durable in composition is usually used, completely suitable for washing floors.
Advantages:
- good water absorption;
- long service life while maintaining appearance, color and shape;
- strength;
- no crumbling.
Flaws:
- This fabric can only be used for cleaning floors in cool water – no higher than +30ºС;
- For better quality of floor cleaning, it is advisable to pre-soak the rag;
- may leave streaks, especially when cleaning very dirty surfaces.
If a viscose rag is dipped in hot water, the material will deteriorate.
Cotton
Eco-friendly and natural material can be used for cleaning floors. But this option is one of the most expensive.
Pros:
- rapid absorption of moisture;
- the ability to wipe away various contaminants, including grease;
- strength;
- absence of shedding and sagging;
- high hygiene;
- hypoallergenic;
- comfort of use.
Minuses:
- possible appearance of divorces;
- after washing floors with hot water, significant shrinkage of the fabric is possible;
- rapid wear.
The addition of synthetic fibers to the material improves performance and extends service life.
Acrylic
Acrylic rags are often used in everyday life. But they are more suitable for polishing and rubbing than for washing floors.
Advantages:
- long service life;
- preservation of color and shape;
- strength;
- hypoallergenic;
- high resistance to contact with household chemicals based on alkalis and acids.
Minuses:
- low absorbency;
- leave streaks on the floor.
Polyamide
Polyamide is a synthetic material with a very long service life.
This thing will last for several years, but it is not without its drawbacks. Advantages:
- strength;
- maintaining appearance for a very long time;
- elasticity;
- good moisture absorption.
Cons: high cost.
Microfiber
This type of material is one of the best options when choosing a rag. This fabric is used not only for cleaning floors, but also for keeping various surfaces clean, even kitchen ones.
Advantages:
- very good moisture absorption (this figure is several times higher than that of other materials);
- attractive appearance;
- long service life;
- strength.
Flaws:
- Can only be used in non-hot water;
- Frequent washing required;
- does not absorb grease and complex contaminants well enough.
Non-woven canvas fabric
The material is created on a cotton basis. It is formed from short cotton fibers, which are held together by stitching. On sale, this version of rags can be found either in a roll or cut into individual napkins.
The canvas stitching can be colored or white. The second option is more expensive, since primary raw materials are used. The first is cheaper, since it is based on recycled material, to which synthetic fibers and even crushed cheap plastic can be added.
Pros:
- affordable price;
- good water absorption;
- possibility of using almost any preparations for cleaning floors;
- low hairiness.
Flaws:
- short service life;
- unaesthetic.
Bamboo
Rags are made from natural bamboo. Over time, their popularity is only growing due to a wide range of advantages:
- good water absorption;
- ability to absorb fat;
- good washing and restoration of appearance even after normal washing;
- preventing the growth of bacteria on the surface;
- durability.
Cons: high price.
Material selection
A wide range is created to make it easier to choose a product, but in some cases this leads to confusion for the buyer. It is not so easy to choose the right cloth for cleaning your floors. Rags are made from natural or synthetic material. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. We will talk about the following fabrics:
- cotton;
- viscose;
- polyamide;
- acrylic;
- microfiber.
The latter material can be considered innovative. Appearing on the household goods market relatively recently, it managed to win the hearts of many housewives.
We recommend: Industrial and home care products for lacquered furniture
Selection rules
When choosing a floor cloth, you need to consider the following factors:
- Absorbency. The higher this indicator is for a material, the less moisture will remain on the floor.
- The ability to absorb contaminants, including fats. Natural fabrics have a greater effect, synthetic fabrics have a lesser effect.
- Life time. Artificial fabrics are more durable, natural fabrics are less durable.
- Hygiene. This parameter also differs for different types of materials. Some have the property of suppressing the development of pathogens, for example, bamboo.
- Size. This parameter is determined based on the washing method (hands or mop) and the size of the room that needs to be tidied up. Too small pieces of material, more like napkins, are suitable for washing a small room, for example, a bathroom. And for the living room and other rooms - up to 70-80 and even up to 100 cm.
- Texture. Some materials, often low-quality ones, can leave behind lint and threads. Using such rags is unpleasant and inconvenient.
Viscose
Viscose is a representative of the group of synthetic fabrics. For cleaning floors, they do not use a fabric resembling silk, but a porous material made from viscose fiber. The main quality is increased strength, which significantly extends the service life. Viscose is sold not only in individual packages, but also in rolls. In this case, the price will be indicated per linear meter.
The material is obtained by processing cellulose. The process is environmentally friendly. Unlike cotton, viscose rag has a number of features:
- higher hygroscopicity (absorbs moisture better);
- does not leave lint or threads on the floor due to its smooth surface;
- does not lose shape after washing;
- does not fade, does not lose its appearance.
Among the disadvantages, housewives note instability to high temperatures. When using such a product, the water in the rinse bucket should be cold. The second drawback is the remaining stains when trying to clean an excessively dirty floor. This can be avoided by choosing a rag that contains viscose and polyester.
The best manufacturers
There is a wide range of floor cleaning cloths on the market. The best manufacturing companies include the following:
- Celesta;
- Ginger cat;
- Unicum and some others.
Red Cat 70x80
The microfiber floor cloth has a size of 70x80 cm and is suitable for cleaning floors in small rooms. It contains polyester (80%) and polyamide (20%) in an optimal ratio to guarantee good water absorption and high wear resistance. The average price is 300 rubles.
Celesta 50x60
This company's microfiber floor cloths are comfortable and soft. They are suitable for various surfaces
- parquet,
- laminate,
- linoleum.
The size 50x60 is optimal for processing small spaces. The average price is about 130 rubles.
Home & Kitchen 50×70
The microfiber cloth is a convenient size for cleaning small spaces. With its help, you can carry out high-quality cleaning even without the use of detergents. Does not leave lint on surfaces and absorbs moisture efficiently. Price – up to 500 rubles.
Vielda Extra Soft
The Vielda cloth allows you to clean quickly and efficiently. The material absorbs water well and squeezes it out effectively . If necessary, Vielda can be washed in a washing machine. Does not leave streaks. Price – about 250 rubles.
Unicum Premium Super Rag 50x80
The rag has an optimal size of 50x80 cm. It can be used to wash any type of floor without worry, including laminate and parquet. The composition of the material is viscose, therefore, to increase the absorbent properties, the fabric should be pre-soaked for a quarter of an hour in warm water. Price – up to 180 rubles.
General tips for choosing a rag
Household goods stores offer customers a wide range of floor cleaning cloths. Each product differs in the material it is made of, its texture and functional characteristics.
When choosing a rag, you need to take into account that the floor fabric should quickly absorb moisture and be soft. When purchasing a rag for cleaning floors, you need to pay attention to its characteristics. The floor rag should:
- absorb dirt rather than smear it;
- good at collecting dust;
- do not leave streaks or lint;
- easy to do push-ups;
- serve for a long time.
How to extend service life?
In order for rags to serve for a long time and not present unpleasant surprises, it is important to adhere to the following rules:
- Cleaning tools should be stored for storage only after washing and drying, since a dirty wet rag can be a source of unpleasant odors and the development of pathological microorganisms.
- It is best to wring out store-bought rags rather than wring them out. This will prevent fiber deformation and rapid wear.
- The cleaning product should be used for its intended purpose. If you use it, for example, to wipe off technical oils, then the thing will quickly become unusable.
- It is better to dry it flat out in the air or in places with good ventilation.
- Store in a dry place.
What kind of doormat can it be?
Any old or unnecessary rag can be used to clean floors. There are probably a lot of such rags in every home. Often the chosen material is well suited for cleaning: it absorbs water and collects dirt and dust. Also, such temporary options for a floor rag are subject to such simple requirements as the ability to easily wring it out and absorb water in a sufficient volume. However, not all materials can last a long time and help completely eliminate pollution in the room.
There are a variety of analogues of ordinary floor rags on sale today. For example, mops with existing cleaning material.
Often, such mops can be purchased at a hardware store already complete with a bucket of a suitable size.
High-quality cleaning largely depends on the chosen rag. However, there are a few other points to keep in mind. Check out the following article and you will know how to clean most efficiently!
Advantages of a doormat
However, many continue to prefer the usual doormat. Its undoubted advantages should be considered:
- absorb water well;
- easy to do push-ups;
- the ability to clean in especially difficult to reach places;
- Possibility to rinse the cloth and dry it after use. And then fold it and put it away until the next cleaning.
Today, an entire industry is dedicated to the production of household goods. And floor rags are presented in a rich assortment. Choosing the right floorcloth for yourself is an art! After all, the quality of cleaning largely depends on the ease of use, well-chosen sizes and type of material. And also the pleasure that will be obtained from this process.
Did you know that you won't miss any of our content if you subscribe? Subscribing is easy: just enter your email in the form below this article and click on the “Subscribe to newsletter” button. And you will always be aware of our publications!
Recommendations
When choosing and using rags for cleaning the floor, you should consider the following tips:
- In addition to rags made from one type of fiber, mixed options are available on sale. For example, viscose with polyester. The functionality of the material will be influenced by the percentage of their occurrence.
- It is best to dry rags in the open sun, on a balcony or in a room with good ventilation.
- A specific storage area for rags must be allocated. The best option is in cabinets or on a rod located under the sink.
- A rag that has become unusable and does not perform its stated functions needs to be replaced.
What size floor cloth should I choose?
A rag intended for cleaning floors, which is sold in individual packaging, immediately has the most suitable size. The optimal parameters are: length 60 and width 50 cm. If the product is a material in a roll, it is recommended to take a piece of the same size.
In addition, there are products with dimensions of 60x60, 75x80 and 75x100 cm. Small rags allow you to clean hard-to-reach places and wipe small parts. Large cloths are designed for cleaning floors in spacious rooms. You can purchase a whole roll for office cleaning.
Cotton
This natural fabric is good for general cleaning in a living space. A cotton floor rag absorbs water better than other options, it does not allow air to pass through and is quite pleasant to the touch. Cotton has other benefits:
- high tensile and bending strength;
- resistance to household chemicals;
- possibility of repeated washing;
- strength of raw edges;
- seam strength.
It is worth noting, however, the large amount of effort required to clean a floor with a cotton cloth. This is due to the fact that this material does not hold its shape well. In addition, it is not very abrasion resistant, unlike synthetics. It also has low resistance to heat - when washing the floor with warm water, cotton shrinks and after a few cleanings it shrinks too much.
