Thursday, February 6, 2014

Norwex vs E-Cloth: Cleaning Without Chemicals

Would you believe me if I told you that you could clean without chemicals and get a BETTER result?

I found out about Norwex when Emily, an awesome person/blog reader, told me about how well they had worked to clean her windows. And when you guys tell me that something is awesome-- I listen!!!

These types of cleaning products require only water to work and can clean just about any surface. I really love that these products are reusable and washable to they really reduce our environmental impact and save some money on paper towels/cleaners! Emily's story inspired me so much that I bought a bundle of Norwex products to try out. It included a window cloth, an all purpose cloth, and a dust mitten. 

But while on Amazon I saw that there was a similar brand which provided more products for less money, but didn't get quite as good of reviews as Norwex. I thought that this would be a great opportunity for a BATTLE! They cost about $20 less than the Norwex products so I wondered if the difference in cleaning would equate to the difference in cost...
Norwex vs E-cloth #Cleaning  #savetheplanet
Norwex vs E-Cloth (dun dun duuuuuun!)
1) Dust Mitten (Norwex) and Dusting Cloth (E-cloth)
The Norwex dusting glove is a lot like the Swiffer dusting products. It picks up the dust without it just being relocated which I LOVE. It even handled my pet hair dilemma which is fantastic because I have a lot of pet fur. With the Norwex, I cleaned everything and I could have kept going, but I was out of dust. (darn!)

The E-cloth worked more like a traditional duster and seemed to move the dust around rather than collected it unless you completely wet it, wring it out and the dust with it. It does a much better job this way! So if you purchase the e-cloth duster, please make sure that you get it nice and wet before you dust!

Norwex dusting glove #ecofriendly

2) All Purpose Cloth (Norwex ) vs Kitchen Cloth (E-Cloth)
The previous owners of our house must have put some voodoo magic curse on the kitchen granite because there has always been these bumpy areas. Seriously, it is the arch-enemy of my life. Nothing has ever worked to get any of it off! So, I did the obvious: I cleaned half of the bumpy areas with Norwex and the other half with E-cloth. Guess what?! It's 98% gone! These are amazing!! Just water! Seriously! Whhhhaaat?!?!

{mind blown} Pooooft!

I actually thought both product performed well, but I loved the added scrubber on the E-cloth product. The Norwex product has a ribbed side that is for scrubbing, but I liked the E-cloth scubber just a little more for tough spots. Seriously, both did great though!

3) Window Cloth (Norwex and E-Cloth)
OMG. It worked! Like Windex! Sure, it requires slightly more elbow grease than a typical spray window cleaner, but it's totally worth it! It removed pet nose stains, finger prints, dust and there were zero streaking on any window or mirror!

{sigh} I'm in love!

Both products are awesome, but I liked that you only needed one cloth for the Norwex window cleaner while you needed two (a cleaner and a polish cloth) for E-Cloth. But if we are going simply by performance-- they are just about equal.

4) And There is MORE!
The E-Cloth Home Cleaning Set also provides a stainless steel cloth, range and stovetop cloth, and a bathroom cloth which are not provided in the Norwex set.

#Clean range without chemicals and #toxinsI don't think that the stainless steel and bathroom cleaners are necessary because the Norwex "all purpose cloth" can do those functions too; but I LOVE the range and stovetop cloth. I'd definitely recommend it for daily cleaning of the range because it totally kicks butt. Seriously.

How did I never know about this?!

It also has been tested to remove bacteria from surfaces using just the cloth and water! WTF. {mind blown x infinity}. And they last up to 300 washes! Sweet.

So what's better than function? Cost and saving the world, of course. 
If you buy the Norwex packet with all three items, it's about $50. That's less than $17 per item, but it lasts for 300 washes and you won't need to wash it every time you use it. Win.

I've made a simple math problem to help you see how you could save money:

Cleaning supplies + paper towels = money
Reusable cloths + water= savings. 
Savings in cleaning supplies = more shoes

Now that's logical, people.

Plus, it will help save the world! No more chemicals and less waste! Plus Emily told me that 13 billion tons of paper towel are tossed into our landfills every year? Isn't that crazy?! But you can make a difference! I think these cleaning cloths are a great way to be more eco-friendly.

Conclusion
So which is better? Eh. It's hard to say. They both did very well! The E-Cloth kit does have a lot of "extras", but I feel like most of them aren't necessary except the range and stovetop cloth (love it) and I don't really like extra clutter (I have enough-- trust me).

The price tag on the E-Cloth set is about $20 less than the price of the Norwex kit. Is it worth it? Personally, I prefer the Norwex duster and window cleaner just a little more than the e-cloth, but I love the e-cloth oven range. Oh, the choices!

Here are some links to look at the products on Amazon.com (affiliate links-- if you buy the recommended product you pay the same price and I get an Amazon commission to buy more cool stuff from Amazon to blog about. True story.)

Norwex Household Package

E-Cloth Home Cleaning Set, 8 Count

Norwex Microfiber Dusting Mitt

You can search and find products separately as well if you only want to buy one or two of the products instead of the kits!

Have you tried Norwex or E-Cloth? I would love to hear if your mind was blown as much as mine! And I have to give a big shout out to Emily for introducing me to the idea of using Norwex! THANK YOU!!

**If you're interested in a E-Cloth GIVEAWAY check out this post!!***

Looking for Other Ways to Reduce Indoor Air Pollution: 
Clean up Indoor Air Pollution with these easy steps 

P.S. Due to the multitude of comments which contain Norwex affiliates who are trying to gain business by leaving comments on my blog: If you are a Norwex Rep and you leave a comment with your Norwex link-- that is spam and you will be deleted. Be respectful. This is my "home" and these are my visitors. 

Disclaimer: I was not paid or compensated for this review.

If you buy any of the products from my recommended Amazon links I will get a very tiny and rather small commission from Amazon (your price stays the same) which I will use to buy more stuff to blog about. True Story. 
Sherri Griffin
Sherri Griffin

Thanks for checking out my blog. I get serious about a few things in life: animals, chemicals, and food. For the rest I can't promise anything so keep the bar low. For more about me check out my "About Me" page! Happy DIYing!

57 comments:

  1. I haven't tried the Norwex but I do have an E Cloth and LOVE IT! for dusting I dampen it with water and wring it out really well so it's just barely damp then it picks up all the dust and doesn't move it around.

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    1. Thank you for your comment :) I was playing with the e-cloth duster today after I read your comment and I think I didn't wet it enough originally. When I completely wet it and wring it out, it does pick up dust a lot better! Thank you for correcting my technique. I'll amend my review to reflect that. Thank you! :)

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    2. Has anyone tried Quickie cloths? I have a Quickie stainless steel cloth that I love, but haven't tried the rest of their cloths. They cost just a few dollars per cloth.

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  2. Great blog post - fun to read :-)
    Have you compared the e-cloth vs norwex mops? There is a pretty big price difference.
    I have the e-cloth mop and LOVE LOVE it... with all my kids in and out of my house, this make cleaning my floors a breeze. I can even do it one handed (if on the phone or holding a baby). I purchased mine at www.MyEcloth.com - sometimes they offer a 20% coupon code on their facebook page - which is amazing as it's already like 1/2 the price of Norwex... If you compare them, it'd be fun to read your opinion because I've never tried the Norwex mop.

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    1. Thank you! {blushes}

      I actually just got the e-cloth mop a week ago, but the norwex is too expensive to buy at the same time. That's a lot for a mop.

      Isn't the e-cloth mop great?! I love it, too! Although, I didn't know about the 20% off coupons though-- that's a great tidbit of info!! I'm going to cyber stalk them now. :) I HOPE to buy the norwex mop in the next 3 months to do a comparison, but I have to save up some money first. The Man is threatening to cut off my money supply if I don't tone down my experiments! Eck! :) But I agree-- I'm DYING to know what the difference is and if the norwex is worth that much money. Hopefully soon I will have an answer for you.

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    2. The Norwex mop is AMAZING! I just got it 4 days ago and love it's versatility. I cleaned all of my mother-in-law's windows inside and out in about 30-45 minutes. My father-in-law was so amazed! I will tell you what I loved most about this mop. Sweeping is a breeze. I love the 180 degree rotation of this mop. I can get dirt from everywhere without having to move all of my chairs and table to get to the wall. I dusted my entire group level part of my home (1000 square feet) in about 15 minutes. It saved me sooooo much time! The swivel action was a definite plus in its ability to turn corners and keep right on going. I love the handle with the ball on the end. It allows me to really get in there and work it hard without me having to work hard at all. I have not tried the ecloth mop, but imagine it's pretty much the same without the 180 degree swivel or the ball on the end of the handle.

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    3. Diane! I love your experience! Now I REALLY want to get a Norwex mop! Haha! The e-cloth mop does swivel too, but there is no ball on the end. The swivel feature is pretty darn amazing!

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    4. I have both the e-cloth and Norwex mop and did a comparison of them some time ago. The pads are interchangeable and I often use my ecloth mop with a Norwex pad and vice versa. If you're interested, you can find my comparison on my blog: http://cleaninup.com/2012/03/06/e-cloth-mop-versus-norwex-mop-which-is-better-is-the-norwex-mop-worth-the-money/

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    5. when cleaning an icky kitchen floor, how often am I going to have to take off the pad and rinse it out, with either e-cloth or Norwex?

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    6. The ball on the end of the Norwex Mop is for cleaning up scuff marks :O !!!!!!

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  3. Question I've been wonder for a while. Norwex cloths is woven with fibers that are 200th the size of a human hair. Does anyone know the size of fibers in the e cloth? Just curious if anyone can help me out here.

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    1. Diane, e-cloth says they are also 1/200th of the size of the human hair! Good question. That one took some digging.

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    2. Just wondering, does e-cloth products contain the silver like Norwex for antibacterial cleaning?

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    3. I would like to know the same! I was just at a Norwex party this weekend but of course I did some digging before and found out about e-cloth (which probably saved me $$$ since I didn't just dive into Norwex 100%). The Norwex rep we had stated that the silver is what has the antibacterial cleaning properties, but I'm starting to doubt that since the e-cloth says it is just as good without any mention of silver...

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    4. The silver in the Norwex cloths is for sanitizing the cloth itself and preventing stinkiness and mildew. It means that you don't have to wash the cloth but every 2 weeks, so you only have to have one or two on hand, rather than a handful of E-cloth to use while you wash the others.

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    5. Yup. Rebekah's right. So, when you go to use your Norwex cloth the next time, it will have dried, thus self-sanitizing itself because of the silver, so you know you're basically starting out with a completely germ-free cloth. If the e-cloth doesn't have the silver, I'm not sure a person could say the same thing about it. I know some germs can live a long time, so, depending on how often you use the e-cloth, you could be cleaning with a germy cloth from the day before. I think the silver in the Norwex is a pretty big deal.

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    6. Yesterday, I went to my first Norwex party, and I am currently doing internet research on whether or not to believe the Norwex self-sanitizing claims, and hence whether to purchase them or not. I came across a website by a stay-at-home mother with a Phd in Biochemistry doing all kinds of experiments on products in her own kitchen, and she has tested the Norwex cloths. It is very interesting and worth checking out. Basically, she showed that there is still bacteria present even after rinsing and completely drying. However, she still likes their products. If anyone wants to check it out, here is the link: http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/norwex-cloth-independent-testing

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  4. How did I not know about these????? I have cleaners coming out the wazoo - I am definitely going to check these out and order some. Thanks for the review and I am so using the shoe logic argument on my husband lol!

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    1. OMG! You will LOVE them! They have changed the way I clean for the better! And the shoe argument is also completely solid ;)

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  5. Do You know if using cleaners with the cloths would ruin them?

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    1. The instructions say to only use water. My boyfriend once used one of my DIY cleaners and it didn't seem to cause a problem, but that's not how they are recommended to be used so I'm not quite sure what long term use would do.

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    2. No problems using cleaners with them. Although bleach isn't recommended since it'll wear out the fibers. Everything else is fine. But do try with water first - you'll probably find you don't need the cleaners.

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    3. I was told to not use cleaners (other than the ones they sell) because the molecules in the cleaner can clog the microfiber and then they do not work.

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    4. I purchased a variety of ECloths after doing research about the difference between Norwex and ECloths from many sites like this one, since I am frugal. I been using them for a while and love them. In my research I found two major things to keep away from the cloths. One is bleach, because it will damage your cloth fibers and they will only be good for rags after tha, and the other is fabric softener, since it takes away some of the wicking properties of the cloths. However, if they go through your washer or dryer with fabric softener, another washing will bring them back to life.

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  6. I don't see that the E-cloth claims to have silver fibers. Silver is what makes the Norwex cloth anti-bac.

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    1. Both e-cloth and norwex have the nano-silver fibers.

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    2. Nowhere on e-cloths site do they talk about having silver imbedded in their fibers the way Norwex does. Not even in their video showing how the cloths work to trap the bacteria. Even their chicken demo is with a brand new towel, I have seen the chicken demo done with a Norwex towel that had been used to clean a toilet, two days before as well as the entire house, on top of the demos they did that night at the party and they came out with same results as a brand new towel would for e-cloth.

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    3. From talking to an agent, it is my understanding that they have changed their product line. Ecloth is now selling Cloth with the silver agent embedded.

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    4. But silver is NOT what CLEANS the surfaces. The fibers trap the germs, etc., basically; the silver has nothing to do with how well the cloths clean - it is the size of the fibers that do. The silver basically cleans the cleaning cloth - which is not a necessity since you are rinsing the cloths out after use anyway. If you look at the research done by an independent company, the e-cloth is shown to reintroduce less than .01%, I believe, of germs to a surface. I can't imagine that Norwex stats are any better than that. I actually have both e-cloth and Norwex and even sell Norwex, but I think e-cloth is a great product as well - even without the silver! In some instances I actually prefer e-cloth over Norwex.

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    5. But the silver technology is the only reason I wanted these cloths so that I don't have to wash them as frequently. I love the idea of the silver self cleaning the cloths, so does e-cloth have the silver or not? If not, I think Norwex is definitely superior and I'd rather pay extra for the silver.

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    6. Hi. I've been researching this exact topic and I THINK you are wanting the ecloth "antibac" cloth. That is their newest cloth that has the silver built in from what I have found online.

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    7. Hi. I've been researching this exact topic myself and I THINK you want the ecloth "Antibac" cloth. My understanding is that is their version with silver.

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  7. These were great on my granite counter tops I no longer have to was them to make them shine. I also love cleaning my glass cupboard doors....no more streaks!!!

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  8. Love this helpful post! I'm looking into these cloths for the first time and need all the help I can get.

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  9. Great info about cleaning chemical free. Never tried the Norwex, but I love the e-cloth too much to try. It really only needs water to be effective and can be washed over and over again and still works like new. We use the dust cloths dry and they do a much better job than the rag and duster spray we used to use.

    We purchased the grooming mitt and it works great on the cat and dog. It is truly better than anything we've tried before. My husband even uses one of the cloths with a built-in scrubbing area to clean his clubs between shots at the course and says it works much better than the towel he used to use.

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  10. Thank you for your great article. I've been researching microfiber and am going to switch to using e-cloth products in my home. There are a lot of products available and I want to make sure I'm buying what is needed and getting the most use out of my products since I have a tight budget.

    I've been using a Swiffer duster on everything - door and window frames/ledges, tops of books, shelving, nicknaks, etc. I need to replace the Swiffer duster for all of my dusting needs.

    1. The flexi-edge duster works on the floor but do I need it in addition to the deep clean mop with dry head for the floors? But the flexi-edge duster will work well on the door and window frames/ledges. Do I need to have both the deep clean mop and flexi-edge duster?

    2. I like the idea of the Norwex mitt instead of using a cloth. However, it doesn't seem like the mitt would work well with delicate nicknacks. The Swiffer duster is lightweight and easily and quickly dusts nicknacks. What do you recommend for replacing the Swiffer for nicknacks and especially more delicate ones?

    3. My new home will have ceilings fans, some pretty tall. What are you thoughts on a dusting wand and do you recommend a wand for this? It seems like a good idea, but if I can use the other products I will already buy instead of buying another product, that would be ideal. I found a Chenille microfiber dusting wand from Microfiber Wholesale on Amazon that comes with a pole. Do you think that wand would be as good as the e-cloth one?

    Thank you for your help. I'm really excited about switching to microfiber and the savings that we'll see.

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  11. Sheri! Thank you so much for doing what you do. Your blog was very helpful, packed full of tons of great, real life info. AND there's no one-sided hate-full or ultra-bias comments about anything! I also loved scrolling and reading through the comments. I'm pretty much decided on the E Cloth mop, but am still thinking about the cloths. I appreciate you and this blog a ton, it's so nice to read about other people's fun, friendly, helpful experiences! You rock. Wishing you all the BEST

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  12. Hi! Does anyone have experience with running either product through the washing machine? I believe Norwex advises you use their detergent. Does ecloth say the same? I would hope to be able to follow the instructions, but could see my husband accidentally washing these and don't want my investment ruined. ��. If the ecloth is more flexible then I might go that route instead. Thanks in advance!

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    1. If you are trying to clean up your home by using chenical-free methods, what a great time to switch to a chemical free laundry detergent as well. When I first started using Norwex I also worried about this. Then I started using their detergent and making my own dryer sheets along with the dryer balls. I now don't have to worry about what laundry gets mixed up.

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  13. The Norwex rep I spoke with said to use an all natural detergent (like 7th generation or Honest detergent, etc); clean them separately from your other garments; let them air dry. Or you can soak them in a bucket of hot water for 4-5 hours & rinse them afterward. I imagine this would apply to the e-cloth since they are so similar. I wash my e-cloth and norwex cloths together like this.

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  14. I have used eCloth and Norwex. I felt the same about not needing all the extras with eCloth and I wasn't sure how to wash them exactly. So I didn't use them very often. Because of using a consultant with Norwex, I felt a lot more educated on HOW to use it and what works best where, etc. I still have barely touched my eCloths but I use my Norwex all the time. I would suggest going through a consultant (your friend Emily!!) because you don't get the guarantees if you buy them through Amazon.

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  15. I just found MojaFiber towells and want to order the glass cleaning cloths. One is to clean and one is to polish.
    Is this another microfiber brand that anyone has heard about?
    It looks like the same concept as Norwex...and I have not heard of e-cloth.
    Any mojafiber knowledge, folks?
    how do I get in on the cloth giveaway...or is it over and done with?

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  16. any one know about he MojaFiber cloths? I saw the glass cleaning cloth packet on Amazon and want to use that one.
    Any reviews or knowledge.?
    And what about the giveaway? When is that a happening?..
    I'd love to win it!!

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  17. Scum and random textured things on your granite that don't belong can be removed with a razor blade! Just skim it across the surface!!

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  18. I just attended a Norwex party and what I can see as a difference is that Norwex has Silver fibers in their cloths that are suppose to pick up all the bacteria and not contaminate other areas after using it. The demonstrator had swabs that showed there was contamination from raw chicken on the counter and after she cleaned the counter with the Norwex cloth she used another cloth and the bacteria was gone.

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  19. i have the norwex cleaning cloth and polishing cloth love them don't use anything else to clean my windows, mirrors, and glass table tops. just saw the e-cloths while out shopping today. bought the start up set and a scrubby cloth will see how their polishing cloth compares to norwex. i mostly bought them because i was going to get more norwex but after adding up everything i wanted it was over 275.00 if the e-cloth works as well and gets rid of bacteria like norwex does at a lower cost it's a win win to me. still will go to norwex for a few things that e-cloth doesn't have. anxious to see how the e-cloth compares. i already clean my hard surface floors with water (steam) so don't need a mop yet.

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  20. Hi! I hope this isn't a dead thread, because I'm having trouble coming up with a proper answer from a non-Norwex rep :-) I was at a party and the rep claimed that it also sanitized surfaces. Everything I see from Norwex, including the packaging says it's for self cleansing purposes only. I understand what that means, but I also want to make sure that my counters are free from bacteria! eill using natural cleansers with the cloths ruin them? I use a Castile soap/vodka cleanser. Any thoughts?

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    1. I am not an Norwex rep, but my understanding is that with any of these products you aren't supposed to use soap or any kind of "harsh" cleaning agent because they can damage the fibers which are what does the cleaning. I will use water with a couple of drops of essential oils added in because I feel that is diluted enough to be gentle and safe, but add a little something-something to the cleaning as well. Plus, who doesn't love that lemon fresh smell?!

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    2. Hello. Very useful threads. First, maybe because I'm a guy my first choice was to study microfibers and what they even are. I've been using them to wax my cars for years and preferred them over cloth diapers but now I know why after reading the article on Wikipedia athttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfiber

      Please read the article. Some microfibers will absorb much better because the fibers have much higher surface area. These split fibers if cut across and viewed as a cross section magnified look like an asterik versus a circle: much higher absorbency and mechanical cleaning action. So, different fibers for different purposes. One type is "scratchier" vs absorbent.

      Second, there is still major confusion about the silver embedded in the microfibers. My understanding is the Norwex does NOT leave any silver behind. The silver kills bacteria that would otherwise cause the cloths to reek and make whatever they touched reek as well. What is not clear to me is which Norwex products have the silver.

      Third, if you use bleach it will deactivate the silver. Bleach has a pH of about 13.5 on a scale of 0-14, where 7.0 is neutral. A pH of 0 is very, very Acid and 14 is Base like lye. Your skin and eyes are about 7.4 for reference. I used to build and service pools and bleach in your eyes is very painful so use caution but sanitizing has to do with killing bacteria. Norwex cloths do not kill bacteria or sanitize. Norwex cloths use microfibers to remove stuff vert well.

      Fourth, lets be honest. All those norwex promos are putting raw chicken on granite and tile counters, a relatively non-porous surface. I'd like to see the products clean a breadboard used to chop meats, cheese, and other oily, bloody foods and then do that swab test.

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  21. I am chuckling here. I have been doing my own comparisons. I am, after all, a bit of a mad scientist at heart. (And a true scientist by profession.....) I started this journey after looking at car washing products and microfiber cloths for the new vehicle, and coincidentally had my friend, a professional cleaning lady, introduce me to Norwex. So I bought Norwex. And eCloths. And then various ones one the Internet. Have not tried Mojafiber, nor have I ordered from The Chemical Guys, although their products look quite nice. I have ordered from The Rag Lady, and love her products, love her prices, and love her sense of humor. It is definitely worth a phone call. Here is my take on the whole microfiber thing: it WILL change the way you clean, definitely for the better. There is a distinct difference from the "fake" microfiber, made of 100% polyester or nylon, and true microfiber, which is 70-80% polyester, and 30-20% polyamide. The polyamide is the key in making it true microfiber. This is what allows the fiber to be spun and then woven so tightly. It is this tightness of weave which allows the cloth to pick up dirt and bacteria. The silver has natural antimicrobial properties, so the cloth will not allow bacteria to continue to live on the cloth. The fluffiness of the cloth is a personal choice, and it depends on what you are going to do with the cloths. Cars, you want one to clean, so get a fluffy one to wash, and a waffle weave to dry. Windows, glass, granite, you want to shine, so use a polishing cloth. I prefer one wet to clean and take off grunge, and one dry to polish. One for dishes in the sink. And a different one for the bathroom. I love the Norwex, but that is because I like a tightly woven cloth and a thicker cloth for general jobs. But now that I have found alternative sources, at prices like $2-3 per cloth, I will be buying those in multiples. I prefer to use different cloths for different tasks. And I have enough that I can and do launder them frequently, with detergent (preferably no dye, perfume, or additives) and hot water. If you use them to polish granite counter tops after sealing or applying wax, you might notice the cloths have lost absorbency. Just boil them on the stove for 10 min or so. The swelling of the fibers in the heat will force the dirt, wax, etc out of the cloth. And, of course, no fabric softener or bleach ever. The idea of cleaning counters, etc with no chemicals is a big win-win. But why push it, and think that you are somehow being brave by only having one cloth and not laundering? My conclusion is buy great quality for the cheaper price. Have multiples and embrace options! (And not have to worry about e coli or salmonella or gastrointestinal viruses....)

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  22. I am chuckling here. I have been doing my own comparisons. I am, after all, a bit of a mad scientist at heart. (And a true scientist by profession.....) I started this journey after looking at car washing products and microfiber cloths for the new vehicle, and coincidentally had my friend, a professional cleaning lady, introduce me to Norwex. So I bought Norwex. And eCloths. And then various ones one the Internet. Have not tried Mojafiber, nor have I ordered from The Chemical Guys, although their products look quite nice. I have ordered from The Rag Lady, and love her products, love her prices, and love her sense of humor. It is definitely worth a phone call. Here is my take on the whole microfiber thing: it WILL change the way you clean, definitely for the better. There is a distinct difference from the "fake" microfiber, made of 100% polyester or nylon, and true microfiber, which is 70-80% polyester, and 30-20% polyamide. The polyamide is the key in making it true microfiber. This is what allows the fiber to be spun and then woven so tightly. It is this tightness of weave which allows the cloth to pick up dirt and bacteria. The silver has natural antimicrobial properties, so the cloth will not allow bacteria to continue to live on the cloth. The fluffiness of the cloth is a personal choice, and it depends on what you are going to do with the cloths. Cars, you want one to clean, so get a fluffy one to wash, and a waffle weave to dry. Windows, glass, granite, you want to shine, so use a polishing cloth. I prefer one wet to clean and take off grunge, and one dry to polish. One for dishes in the sink. And a different one for the bathroom. I love the Norwex, but that is because I like a tightly woven cloth and a thicker cloth for general jobs. But now that I have found alternative sources, at prices like $2-3 per cloth, I will be buying those in multiples. I prefer to use different cloths for different tasks. And I have enough that I can and do launder them frequently, with detergent (preferably no dye, perfume, or additives) and hot water. If you use them to polish granite counter tops after sealing or applying wax, you might notice the cloths have lost absorbency. Just boil them on the stove for 10 min or so. The swelling of the fibers in the heat will force the dirt, wax, etc out of the cloth. And, of course, no fabric softener or bleach ever. The idea of cleaning counters, etc with no chemicals is a big win-win. But why push it, and think that you are somehow being brave by only having one cloth and not laundering? My conclusion is buy great quality for the cheaper price. Have multiples and embrace options! (And not have to worry about e coli or salmonella or gastrointestinal viruses....)

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    1. Hi Katydid! (I am replying to you in the hopes that you can answer my Qs, but no pressure lol) I have been obsessing over this whole microfiber cleaning revolution after stumbling upon Enjo on Pinterest, so anyways, the more research I do the harder it has become to make a choice since there seems to be many high quality microfiber products in the market. My contenders are microfibertech, microfiberproducts, ecloth, and ultramicrofibers. Have you (or anyone) had experiences with these other companies? All I every see are reviews of eCloth and Norwex, but how about other brands? such as starfiber and simple clean? Does anyone know how they compare to eCloth/Norwex? Are eCloth/Norwex really that special? Or will any high quality microfiber towel and mop do the job?

      Thank you!

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    2. Hi, Katydid! Great research and I'm thankful to have your input as I make my own decision about choosing microfiber cleaning products. You mention in your conclusion that you've found alternative sources at $2 - $3 per cloth - were you referring to the e-cloths as opposed to Norwex? If you've found other brands that are comparable and this reasonable, would you be willing to share that information, too? I'd really appreciate it and I know others would, too! Thanks :D

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  23. Thanks. I have a similar experience. I do find that I take some comfort in knowing that the Norwex contains silver which is demonstrated to kill bacteria, and similar cloths are being tested to see if they can be used to scrub pre-surgery patients.

    I also like the Norwex cloths that can be used for personal bathing. I didn't see those mentioned in your review.

    The Norwex video on cleaning glass does actually recommend using the general purpose cloth wet to clean glass and the glass towel for polishing. I think this works well. I found the Norwex cleaning cloth + polishing cloth to be effective, and I like that the water for the Norwex does not have to be heated for glass cleaning.

    The glass cleaning is excellent for cleaning both interior and exterior windows on cars and gets rid of the excess stuff on the inside. The cleaning cloths can also be used on interior cleaning to great effect. Throw away the invisible glass and other products and use thise. They are marvelous. Also work well on glass top stoves. Two great products. Probably some of both is best. Love them both. For general use I use the e cloths to save money, but like to add the Norwex as well. Oh, the deep cleaning mop of e cloth is also great. They're available in some stores, and on amazon, whereas Norwex has to go through a dealer.

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