Are Microfiber Cloths Lint Free? Yes and No

Microfiber cloths have quickly become a top choice in the cleaning industry. Whether you’re working for a company or cleaning furniture around your home, you likely want the best cleaning supplies. Since lint wreaks havoc on clothes, furniture, shoes, and more, it’s reasonable to worry about the materials of your towels, rags, and so on.

Microfiber cloths are lint free because they have short fibers that don’t shed debris. The synthetic fibers are about one-third the size of cotton fibers and don’t fall apart on each use. Microfiber is highly absorbent, so it collects lint without trapping it, making it easier to remove.

In this article, we’ll also talk about why some microfiber cloths are always covered in lint, how you can prevent or remove lint from collecting on your microfiber towels, and why synthetic fibers don’t collect lint on your microfiber cleaning supplies. Let’s get into it below!

Does a Microfiber Cloth Have Lint?

According to Simply Good Stuff, microfiber cloth is lint free. It’s also much more absorbent than cotton, which is one of the many reasons it’s catching on worldwide. Lint gets messy, spreads debris, and prevents rags from soaking up spills and other messes.

So, how does a microfiber cloth stay free of lint?

Microfiber is Made of Synthetic Materials

Most microfiber cloths are made of polyester and nylon, which aren’t very breathable. However, they’re incredibly absorbent. If you’ve ever worn a 100% polyester shirt, you’ve probably felt how much perspiration builds up throughout the shirt. Although it’s very uncomfortable (and gross) for clothing, a polyester-nylon blend is perfect for soaking up spills without releasing lint, unlike the lint-packed cotton alternative.

Microfiber Cloths Use Thin, Lint-Free Fibers

Cotton is known for using bulky fibers that fluff up. When they get wet or dirty, cotton fibers expand and release small particles that turn into lint. Microfiber is made of thin, short strands (hence the ‘micro’ in the name), so there’s nothing to expand. Even if the fibers were longer or thicker, polyester and nylon typically don’t shrink or expand like cotton.

Most Microfiber Rags Don’t Fluff Up

Since they don’t get puffy, microfiber is an excellent choice for cleaning headphones, shoes, spills, and everything in between. Adding lint to a messing situation can be frustrating, and it’s very evident when using old cotton rags. As the fibers get soaked, they hold less moisture and debris, but they don’t fall apart. This process is a huge reason old microfiber cloths don’t get porous.

As you can see, there are plenty of reasons microfiber cloths are lint free. From the synthetic fibers to the thin, short strands, they’re an ideal solution for lint-filled environments. However, you might’ve noticed loads of lint on your microfiber cloths. How can that be? Read on to find out why.

Why is There Lint on Your Microfiber Cloth?

Microfiber is a great option for cleaning, but if lint shows up, you’d probably feel a bit misled. After all, real microfiber doesn’t shed lint. That being said, there are several reasons your microfiber towels, cloths, and other cleaning supplies are producing lint.

Here’s a list of five reasons:

1. Not all products labeled as microfiber are actually real microfiber. CleanLink explains cotton is one of the most widely used materials when it comes to cleaning, so a lot of companies sell cotton cloths. Microfiber is slowly catching on, but the name is misused in place of cotton. Also, some microfiber cloths are actually 50% cotton 50% polyester (or a similar blend).
2. Improper washing and drying can ruin microfiber cloths. Microfiber works well with almost any laundry machine on any washing cycle (though hand-washing is a top solution for many people). However, polyester and other synthetic fibers shouldn’t be dried in high-heat settings. The plastic can warp and shed.
3. Microfiber can pick up lint, but you can easily remove it. Sometimes, there’s lint on a microfiber cloth simply because you wiped it off of a surface. This isn’t uncommon, especially if you have pets, carpet, or a lot of fabric around your house. As the dust settles, microfiber removes it like a sponge.
4. Heavy usage or damage can invite lint onto your microfiber cloth. As with all cleaning materials, you can’t leave microfiber out in the sun for too long, rips it apart, or expect it to last forever. Depending on the quality, your microfiber cloths and towels likely won’t last longer than a few years. They’ll eventually break apart.
5. Old microfiber cloths can shed plastic particles. Unfortunately, plastic pollution is one of the few major drawbacks of using a microfiber cloth to clean your home. They release small plastic bits that might look like lint, especially if any of the previous scenarios apply.

If your microfiber cloth gets covered in lint, follow the steps in the next section to fix the problem.

Note: Microfiber cloths are amazing for removing dog hair from shoes, too.

How to Remove Lint From Microfiber Towels and Rags

Although microfiber cloths don’t shed lint, there’s a high chance you’ll use them to remove lint from various surfaces throughout your home. The bad news is lint is sometimes challenging to get off of the material, but the good news is we have a lineup of several solutions below.

Try these suggestions if your microfiber cloths have too much lint on them:

• Scrub the microfiber cloth with a toothbrush to remove the lint. Toothbrushes full lint from the microfiber by gently separating the synthetic fibers. Rather than ripping the cloth apart like an abrasive sponge or steel wool would, you can rest assured a toothbrush can get the job done without causing harm.
• Use Velcro pads to get lint off of microfiber. Velcro attaches to microfiber, but you can quickly peel it off to remove excess debris. Whether you’re taking off lint, dust, or crumbs, Velcro strips are worth trying if you use microfiber or other synthetic materials to clean your home. Don’t try this with cotton since it can damage the material.
• Try a lint roller to clean your microfiber towels before washing them. Lint rollers are perhaps the most obvious solution to the problem. Microfiber cloths can gather quite a bit of debris since they’re highly absorbent, so keeping a lint roller nearby will make the cloth fresh and ready to clean more surfaces.
• Soak your microfiber rags in warm water with soap. Warm water separates the fibers enough to let lint and debris float around the water. Don’t use hot water or you’ll risk permanently damaging the microfiber. You don’t have to use soap, but why not clean the cloth in the process? Let it soak for an hour, then air dry it.
• Pull lint away from the cloths with tape. Tape is a worthwhile alternative to lint rollers. Whether you’re using masking tape or any other type, you can pull quite a bit of mess away from the microfiber cloth. Press the tape over the affected area for ten seconds, then rip it off quickly to remove the lint.

In Conclusion

Real microfiber cloths don’t have lint, but there are countless fake materials that claim to be microfiber. The common mix-up leads consumers to believe microfiber isn’t lint free, which is probably why you’re reading this article in the first place. As long as you get real microfiber cloths, you’ll be good to go!

Remember, properly washing and drying microfiber cloths makes a huge difference. While I’ve listed the general guidelines, always follow the manufacturer’s recommendations to preserve your rags, towels, and other microfiber materials.