There’s a lot of confusion over how Norwex Antibac microfiber cloths work and what exactly the silver does. All Norwex microfiber works amazingly to clean surfaces and pick up dirt and bacteria, but here are 5 things you should know about your Antibac cloths:
- The Microfiber Cloth cleans your house (or car, or boat…) and the silver agent cleans your microfiber cloth! Let me phrase that another way: THE SILVER DOES NOT CLEAN THE SURFACE. Once you’ve wiped up dirt, bacteria and viruses with your Antibac cloth, the silver works to inactivate the bacteria and viruses within the cloth. It does this by suffocating the bacteria so that it doesn’t get the oxygen it needs to survive. After about 18 to 20 hours, your Norwex Antibac cloth will be much cleaner than it was when you finished cleaning with it. The key point here is that the silver agent does NOT help in the cleaning of surfaces. It’s only when you’re done cleaning that the silver starts working.
- The Silver is embedded into every strand of the microfiber and cannot be separated from the fibers. It is NOT nano-silver. It is significantly larger than nano-silver and cannot penetrate the skin.
- Your Norwex Antibac cloth must be wet to activate the silver. So if you’ve been using the Antibac cloth (or dusting mitt) dry and want to get rid of any bacteria that was picked up, you’ll need to moisten the cloth.
- It will take 18 to 20 hours for the silver in your antibac cloth to inactivate the bacteria.
- Sometimes there is more bacteria in the cloth than the silver can handle. So, if you just cleaned your toilet or raw meat juices, please launder your cloth before using it again.
Personally, it’s my opinion that if you’re washing your microfiber cloth regularly, you don’t need the confusion associated with the silver.
Cleanin' Up 
Question and suggestion; do you think that spraying the -cloths with a mix of tea tree oil and other antibacterial essential oil mix with water after the cloths have been rinse after will help with any bacteria left?
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Claudia – I’m not enough of an expert on essential oils to give an answer on that. I don’t like to use any oils on my microfibre cloths as the oil will coat the fibres. Rinsing the cloths in hot water should be enough.
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Thanks for the great article. I use both e-cloths and Norwex (although I do have a preference for Norwex). In the kitchen I use a home-made spray solution of distilled water, vinegar, and rubbing alcohol and wipe down with cloth after letting the solution sit for 10 mins. Norwex said it’s overkill, but will not hurt the cloth. I then rinse well with hot water and a drop of mild dish soap. In the bathrooms I spray everything down with Blue Diamond cleaner, wait 10 minutes, then use a damp cloths to wipe everything down. I do use separate envirocloths to wipe down each toilet, then launder all the cloths I used (including my kitchen and dusting cloths that I’ve used during the week) in the washing machine. Never has issues with stinky cloths, and they always clean very well. I’m sold.
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Can theses silver embedded cloths be used to wash dirty dishes?
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Yes… but (1) I find them very heavy when saturated and (2) you must rinse them VERY well afterwards to ensure all soap is out of them. I’d try one of these dish cloths/sponges instead.
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You aren’t supposed to use any soap with the Norwex Cloths, water only. When you wash them you are supposed to use either the Norwex laundry detergent or I’ve even used “All” Free and Clear Detergent”. Also you don’t use fabric softener or fabric sheets with these cloths. I have used them now for over 3 years have never noticed them to be heavy when saturated with water. Try wringing them out better if you think they are heavy and you wouldn’t have to Rinse Them Very Well To Get Soap out if you used these cloths correctly “No Soap”
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My sister has a Norwex cloth and it stinks to high heaven. She can’t smell it but it is overpowering to me. When these are sold, there should be something taught about the end life of these. I cannot believe that anyone would want to use a cloth that was so stinky. Yuk!!!
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Roberta – yes, once they start to stink, it’s almost unbearable. I have a post on here about how to cure stinky cloths. Maybe send the directions to your sister. It has worked on my cloths and I’ve had several comments that it worked for others too. Norwex cloths tend to get stinky if they aren’t being rinsed well after use. People start to rely too much on the silver. It’s important to rinse grease and dirt out (with hot water and a bit of dish soap if greasy) otherwise the fibers get coated and start to stink.
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Once my cloths start to stink I do a deep cleaning and laundry with UPP. They come out smelling fresh, all hints of stink is gone!!! 🙂
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Roberta, your sister must not be cleaning the cloth properly. I have had my Norwex cloths (of all kinds) for YEARS and none of them smell. We use them every day. She should check with her Norwex rep or contact Norwex to find out what she’s not doing right. Basically, they should be washed in hot water at least once a week (I always add a little vinegar to the wash as well). If a cloth get’s really stinky and stays that way when washed properly, it needs to be boiled with either a few drops of soap or a little baking soda added to the water. Stir occasionally while the cloth(s) boil gently (after coming to a full boil) for about 5 minutes. Then rinse and either hang to dry or put in the dryer.
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Are the clothes pet safe if they accidentally drink water that the wet ones have dripped on?
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Joan – I can’t guarantee it (because I don’t know what you’ve been cleaning with your cloths), but my 2 dogs had very strong stomachs (based on what I witnessed them eat/drink without feeling any impact later) and I can’t imagine a couple of drops from a damp cloth would have an impact on your pets. As a side note though, if your cloth is dripping when you hang it to dry, you haven’t wrung it out well enough.
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I have 2 questions. I heard if I sprayed my counter top with vinager & water, and wiped with a norwex cloth, that would be ok for the cloth. Is that correct? Also, how often should the cloths be replaced?
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Hi Casey – yes, vinegar is fine with your Norwex cloths but not necessary. I typically only use vinegar if I’m trying to remove hard water stains or soap scum. Otherwise just the cloth and water.
By “replace” do you mean buy new cloths or launder? The cloths will last years and even though they may start to look stained or dingy, they still work fine. As long as you keep them away from bleach the fibers will continue to work. If you find the cloth is not absorbing water/spills like it used to, try boiling it for 10 minutes with a bit of detergent or vinegar/baking soda. If you’re wondering when to launder your cloths, I wrote a post about that a while ago that should be some help to you. Here’s the link to that.
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Curious to know if you know about the Norwex Body cloths. I forget if there’s silver in them, and wonder if silver eventually can be harmful to skin? I was just to a Norwex party and did buy a lot of stuff – mainly appealing to me because it eliminates cleaning w/ chemicals and disposable plastic containers, cardboard boxes w/ cleaning mop wet or dry cloths that are disposed of, in other words, eliminates the trash!
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NancyL – I am quite certain the Norwex Body cloths DO have silver in them.
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Nancy, I have the Norwex Body Cloths. Everyone in my family has used them for years. Yes, they do have the silver in them and it is not harmful to the skin as it does not transfer in any way. You posted your question a long time ago. I hope you’ve found the answer to this already, but just in case you didn’t, I thought I’d help out.
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I’m confused. Are you saying that after wiping surfaces with the norwex cloth, I need to then clean my surfaces with w/e natural cleaner I use? Or is just wiping with the norwex good enough b/c it picks up & traps all the germs? (Regardless of silver in it, I’d still wash my norwex cloths once a week, and I would never use it to wipe up raw meat juice.)
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No, I’m saying that the Norwex (or e-cloth®) will pick up the bacteria – then just rinse the cloth to get the bacteria out.
I’m curious why you wouldn’t use it to clean up raw meat juice. Remember that you need a commercial cleanser on a spot for up to 10 minutes for it to kill bacteria. It’s just a simple wipe with either Norwex or e-cloth.
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I guess I got confused by the one comment to wash your hands after handling meat or eggs instead of using the cloth. That seemed weird to me b/c wouldn’t the cloth clean your hands too (b/c they have the body packs)? I’m new to the whole norwex thing & a germaphobe 😀 So I have to start small with them. Like I couldn’t clean my toilet & then wait 24 hrs & use the same cloth to do my kitchen, lol.
Curious, if you use it to wipe up raw meat juice, you immediately rinse with hot water when you’re done cleaning right? But do you keep using it or set it aside for 24 hrs?
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Katie – because your hands are “textured” e-cloth (and Norwex) can’t guarantee a percentage of removal from them. So I recommend washing hands with hot soapy water after handling raw eggs and/or meat.
It is recommended that you rinse and then set the cloth (norwex or e-cloth) aside to be laundered after cleaning any areas of high bacteria count. Personally (and it’s important to note that I’m talking for myself here and not for e-cloth), if I’ve wiped raw egg or meat juices, I rinse the cloth in hot water and then let it soak in the sink with a bit of dish detergent for a while. I stir/agitate it around a bit and then rinse under hot water and then use it again. The cloths need agitation and hot water to properly clean out the fibers. Again, this is me speaking, not e-cloth®. I would do the same thing with Norwex (i.e., soak/agitate with a bit of soap in hot water) and not rely on the silver to kill the bacteria as depending on how much bacteria the cloth picked up, it is possible that the silver will not kill it all.
Personally, I would forget all about silver in a cloth and what it can do for you other than the fact that it may keep your cloth from getting stinky if you keep it all balled up and wet. The confusion over how it works, if it’s still working was a major factor in e-cloth’s decision to NOT add it to their cloths. The cloths are wonderful on their own.
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Industry News – Marino Vileda Professional
Marino- Vileda Professional are pushing hard to inform the professional cleaning industry of the remarkable affects NanoTech micro cloths have on eliminating bacteria in Hygiene sensitive environments. NanoTech micro is recommended for all areas where hygiene is paramount, such as hospitals, nursing homes, hotels, schools, and restaurants. The development of the NanoTech micro cloth was not an easy task. Dr. Andreas Eisenhut, R&D Category Manager for the Professional division of Freudenberg Household Products at the Regional Technical Center in Weinheim gave us some behind the scene insight.
Dr. Eisenhut of the Freudenberg Group of Companies was directly involved in the R&D that supported the product development of NanoTech micro. “Our goal was to find a micro fiber textile, where the antibacterial treatment continues to work also after several 100 washes and remains mainly inside the cloth..“ says Eisenhut.
NanoTech micro is made from endless microfibers by utilising Freudenberg technology. Nanosilver particles are imbened into the microfiber. The silver guarantees a strong antibacterial performance. Eisenhut continues “Together with our sister company Freudenberg Evolon in France, we analyzed the spun-bond non-woven material of our existing microfiber cloth and they found a clever way to embed Nano-scaled silver particles into the spinning process of the Evolon bi- component micro fiber base material. Those small particles are added like a master batch to the spinning resin and are equally distributed inside the split fibers. The advantage thereof is to have a maximum surface of silver at the outside of the fibers; however those particles are closely embedded and therefore keep their antibacterial properties for hundreds of washing cycles. Currently we are applying for a patent on this unique material and production technology.”
Product development was a very important part of this new venture by Vileda Professional. Due to the importance of testing the various samples of microfibers and nanotechnologies Dr. Eisenhut and his team of R&D expertes were responsible for establishing their own bio-lab within the existing R&D facitlity. Eisenhut expains “To be able to test all the trial materials we received from Evolon (and other suppliers of antibacterial fibers), we had to establish our own small bio-lab in our R&D center in Weinheim including the knowledge of how to analyze the microbiological behaviour of samples. By doing so we were able to optimize the amount of nano-scaled silver in the fibers and we could prove internally, that our cloth prevents bacterial growth also in wet conditions for up to 2-3 days.
As soon as we were sure about the desired properties of our NanoTech micro cloth we got confirmation of the antibacterial behaviour of our cloth through an independent German institute (Hohenstein Institute). During the Third party testing through the Hohenstein Institute they also discovered that the silver release on a surface during cleaning or during the laundry process is on a very small amount [in the range of parts per million].” The significance of this is the fact that the antibacterial effect of the silver will continue to have a strong impact on the cleaning surface for the life of the cloth.
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Clifferd Lee – thanks for the article. Interesting. I didn’t know that Vileda was considering silver in their cloths/mop pads. Looks like they have put a lot of effort into a manufacturing process that will keep the Nano particles in the cloths to the greatest extent possible but are still seeing some release of the nano particles onto surfaces.
I would like to stress to anyone reading the article however that when it mentions “antibacterial treatment” of the silver, they are referring to bacteria IN THE CLOTH, not on the surface that is being cleaned. The fibers of the cloth do the cleaning and the silver kills bacteria in the cloth. Like the article says, the silver “prevents bacterial growth also in wet conditions for up to 2-3 days”. That means, if you clean something with a damp cloth and then ball up the cloth and leave it for 2 to 3 days, the silver in the cloth will help prevent bacterial growth in the cloth (so maybe it won’t get stinky).
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Unfortunately, it appears to be nano-silver? (The bad kind. Norwex apparently uses microsilver)
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Kel – I’m sorry, I’m not sure what you’re referring to as having nano-silver. E-cloths® do not contain any silver (nano or otherwise).
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ecloths do have a line now that has silver in them there called the professional ones, then they offer the regular ones also.
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Jill, there are NO e-cloth products that contain silver. We did have a cloth that contained silver but that was discontinued in 2012 – here’s why.
The Professional e-cloth is double-stitched along the edges to make it last longer and hold up to more washings, which is why it has a longer warranty (and is more expensive than our General Purpose cloth). Otherwise, it is exactly the same at the General Purpose cloth. I only recommend it to professional cleaners who will be laundering their cloths more frequently than the average user.
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I think she’s talking about the article about Vileda that says it has nano-scaled silver particles.
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Thanks for explaining this. I went to my first demonstration/sales party the other night and just did not get the idea of the silver/antibac feature but did not want to ask because I didn’t want the whole sales pitch. This woman said that she doesn’t use soap for her kids anymore. When she’s in the kitchen with her kids, getting eggs, raw meat, etc. on their hands, she just grabs her Norwex cloth and wipes their hands and they are free of germs. Then she did the chicken on the plate test with the cotton swab, protein test, as one other person stated above, where you clean the plate by wiping it with the cloth. I didn’t understand that either. I am no germaphobe, but I would not be doing what she was telling me to do. Thanks, Kate. This makes a lot more sense to me, whether I am using ecloths or norwex.
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Mary – just a warning about using Norwex or e-cloth instead of soap to clean bacteria from hands. I had asked both Norwex and e-cloth techies about that a few years ago and was told to NOT suggest that. Bacteria removal tests for these cloths were done on smooth surfaces and therefore neither company can guarantee that their cloths will remove all bacteria from skin. I DO use the cloths for general face and hand wiping after sticky/messy meals but stick to soap and water for cleaning raw egg and meat juices from my (and my boys’) hands.
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#5 is not true. They’ve shown that after wiping up raw chicken, with one rinse, they wipe another surface and using professional grade protein swabs they’ve tested that second surface and there is no bacteria transfer so you do not have to clean the cloth after wiping up raw meat juice before using the cloth again….
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Jessica – I wish Norwex consultants would be a bit more careful with those tests and advise people watching that using the cloth again afterwards is not recommended. #5 is absolutely true and the warning/recommendation to launder the cloth after wiping areas with high bacteria count came straight from the Norwex training recordings back when I was a Norwex consultant. There is some chance that they’ve changed their recommendation but I doubt it since at the time, they were asking consultants to NOT wipe other surfaces after doing the protein test.
In any case, the ability of any Norwex or e-cloth cloth to pick up – and trap – bacteria (or in the case of the swabs, food protein), is purely a function of the microfibers, not the silver.
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Hi Jessica! I am a proud Norwex Consultant and I have protein swabs I use when I go to demonstrations. After wiping up chicken, the surface where the chicken was AND the cloth BOTH show that they are clean. To prove it at demonstrations, I always LICK the enviro cloth that wiped up the chicken and NEVER get sick. I’ve done this demonstration MANY times and always proves clean. And you don’t have to wash the cloth afterwards, just rinse it in the sink and it cleans itself. Sorry Cleaninup Kate, but #5 is not true.
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Abbey, #5 is taken straight from training webinars provided by the Norwex technical expert and from correspondence I have had directly with Norwex technical experts. In addition, licking the cloth after cleaning raw chicken is not advised, recommended or encouraged by Norwex. In fact the opposite is true. Please reconsider doing this in your demonstrations. Feel free to contact Norwex execs directly about this if you don’t feel that I’m trustworthy.
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If you don’t have the norwex cleaning being aware that it probably goes deeper in cleaning… ouch… can I use a soap nut liquid instead to help cleanse kill virus fungal and bacteria and clean the cloth. Is this just as good or helpful 😉
I’m learning a lot. I didn’t know anything about the cloth apart for what it does when I bought it but I’m glad I invested in it. Little fear in me is telling me is it the right one to buy. I don’t have a lot of enviro cloths though to use. By the sound of this I will need a floor one a bathroom one and a all purpose one for what have you living room and walls and windows and 2 kitchen ones. And if I were to use on toilet (not sure yet) a separate loo one. That’s 7 in total now I can see how it can be costly. Getting it over in UK seen as we don’t sell it here is double the price of one alone 😉 hmm can’t afford anymore just now. Need learn a bit more about soap nuts. For temporary cleaning for the rest of the rooms. Lol be helpful if I had 2 or 3 cloths in a pack. Not just one. 😦 boo
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Lorraine – I’m sorry but I’m having some trouble following your comment. I think you’re asking if you can use liquid soap nuts for general cleaning. I honestly have no idea. I’ve used soap nuts for laundry but not for cleaning and I haven’t read up on cleaning other things with them.
As for getting e-cloths in the UK, it is actually a UK company and they have a separate website e-cloth.com
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I’d like to weigh in on part of this post, and I’m guessing it’s going to make a lot of people go “EEEEUUWW!” I follow Kate’s blog because I love her information and her fairness about eCloths AND Norwex. I may at some point buy eCloth stuff, but right now I’m still using all my Norwex products that I bought 4+ years ago. I am very, very happy with everything, but I know it’s not the only way. Lorraine mentions needing a lot of Enviro Cloths for various places and uses in her home. Honestly, you only need one, but two or three would be helpful. You can use (and I DO) the same cloth for all these purposes. For instance, each morning after breakfast and the bathrooms having been used, I wet my Enviro Cloth, clean everything in the kitchen, rinse it with HOT water, move to the bathrooms (toilets and sink and whatever else), then rinse again in HOT water, and continue dusting and cleaning spots on walls as needed, and finish with another good rinse with HOT water. Can also do windows and mirrors. If something is really dirty from the kitchen or bathroom (beyond the “normal”), I will put a tiny bit of soap on the cloth, rub it in well, and then rinse in HOT water, and continue. I know this is tough psychologically for many, but it works for me and many others. I do have the Norwex wet and dry mop which I use for the floors, although sometimes I will just use a wet Enviro Cloth for the smaller bathroom floors. I wash all my Norwex stuff together at least once a week in HOT water and detergent. Occasionally I will boil a cloth or two in a pot with a drop of soap for about 5 minutes if the cloth is showing dirt that I can’t get out by rubbing it with soap or with a regular wash. The boiling water and the drop of soap loosen the dirt and actually fluff up the cloth(s).
I will also tell you that since using Norwex (and this would probably be true with eCloth as well), my family is sick MUCH LESS than ever before. I use to have problems with my airways when using chemicals (as did other members of my family) and all of that is gone now. We almost never get colds or flu or anything else. Don’t know that I can give all the credit to green cleaning, but I truly believe it helps. My house is cleaner now than it’s even been, it part because of the products I’m using, but also because it’s so easy to clean and I find myself keeping up with things better when it’s so easy to do!
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Yes! I had hard time cleaning before because most cleaners make me feel nauseous and give me a headache. They also irritate my airways and my breathing changes. Now that I use Norwex I can clean all day!
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What a difference it makes, eh Ariel?! My son has asthma and not having to use cleansers – especially anything that sprays – is very important in our house. Plus, I just love the feel of the cloths as they drag across dirty surfaces, knowing they’re picking up the greasy-yuck.
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Will soap nuts be a great cleanser then for washing the cloths 😉 they Re antibacterial etc etc 😉 though they are also a natural softner
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Lorraine – yes, soap nuts would be fine for washing your norwex or e-cloths.
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I have both Norwex and e-cloths and have been noticing tiny sparkly pieces left behind on the glass after using the Norwex purple polishing cloth – so I have to use a dry e-cloth to take those off. Is anyone else having this problem or does anyone have a solution for me?
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I’d recommend washing your cloth. Also don’t dry the glass completely let it air dry a tiny bit.
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You are over drying if you see sparkles
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Hi Susan! For me, when I clean my glass, I wet my enviro cloth and then ring it out so its not too wet, then I wipe the glass with the damp cloth. Once the glass is all wet, I dry the glass until its completely dry with the window cloth and it always turns out spotless!!!
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Hi! Thanks for the great thread here. I have a question about laundering these things. I wash all my laundry in cold water. Sounds like I’m doing it wrong haha! The cloths need to be washed hot? Thanks!!
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Vicky – washing in cold water is not a problem however… I would suggest washing in hot water occasionally (every 3 or 4th washing at least) OR hand wash them in hot water OR boil them once/month. e-cloths need detergent, hot water and agitation to be properly cleaned. Otherwise, the cloths will trap grease etc and WILL get stinky.
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Well, I happily used my new Norwex for a few weeks until they got so darn stinky that no amount of care could get the stink out. Come to find out that since we have hard water and no softener that the cloths are probably not able to get cleaned. So, I went back to using a normal rag. Kinda stinks (literally!) but I seriously haven’t noticed a difference in cleaning. I never used chemicals to begin with and my kids are sick maybe twice a year if that. Very sad they didn’t work out for us after putting forth the money 😦
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I would recommend contacting the Norwex customer service department about your cloths. They’ll give you some tips on how to remove the stink, how to prevent stink in the future and they may… just may… offer to replace your cloths. Have you seen my blog post with instructions on how to fix stinky cloths? May be worth a try and then make sure to always hang your cloths to dry after you use them. And launder regularly – at least once a week. More often if you’re using them all day, every day. I know this sounds obvious but some people may be under the impression that because the Norwex cloths have silver in them, they don’t need to be laundered often. Not true.
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I’ve tried everything. I was told it was because we don’t have a water softener. I’ve used brand new cloths and washed, rinsed, hung dry, everything according to the recommendations. Used the Norwex detergent as well.
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That is interesting. Have you contacted your Norwex Rep or customer service?
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I just contacted the company and asked about norwex killing viruses and they stated that they have only tested on certain bacterias and they can not claim that it kills or removes any or all viruses such as the common cold. Our church nursery uses these products and my kids are sick alot more since they switched to this method. Has anyone else heard or had a problem with this.
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I know that this is an old comment/question. But the nursery should NOT be relying on microfiber alone to clean their toys/tables/etc. Viruses (like norovirus are way to small for a microfiber cloth to pick up). The thickness of a strand of microfiber determines the size of bacteria/virus that you can remove. Going off the statement that a human hair is 100 microns across, then a E-cloth/Norwex cloth would be .5 microns across. So that is small enough to remove many bacterias (though not all bacterias) but not small enough to remove most viruses. See this article for a more detailed description. http://www.explainthatstuff.com/microfibercloths.html To learn more about sizes of pathogens, you could also read this: https://www.wqa.org/Learn-About-Water/Common-Contaminants/Bacteria-Viruses
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Hi,
If the cloths pick up all the germs from the surface, and then you rinse to remove the germs from the cloth (and the cloth continues to kill bacteria in itself), wouldn’t the bacteria then be in the sink that you rinsed the cloth in?
Thanks,
gb
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gb – I’m not an expert but I’m going to assume that the bulk of the bacteria gets washed down the drain with the water. Then, if you’re iffy, you could wipe with the cloth and rinse once more. I usually give my sink a quick rinse with the sprayer afterwards.
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I would also assume that the bulk of the bacteria gets washed down the drain. But it does the same if you are using a sponge or ANY other cloth. The only thing that would help you avoid that is using a paper towel that could be thrown away, but then you’d have to use chemicals with it, and both Norwex and e-cloth are trying to help us avoid chemicals. I think it’s important to remember that we’re not going to be germ- or bacteria-free…and we shouldn’t be. First, it’s unrealistic. Second, we need to be exposed to some germs/bacteria in order to build up immunities in our bodies. There is absolutely no way to remove germs from every place. It’s a normal part of life and we just do our best to keep things as clean as we can. I’m just thrilled that now I can do that without the use of chemicals (except for a very few which are rarely used).
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🙂
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Well, I’ve been reading all over this site and I’m still confused. I started using Norwex about a year ago and love it. I have all kinds of Norwex products and they have made cleaning so simple and even enjoyable. But I was under the impression that when I wipe my counters, sinks, toilets, etc., I am removing the germs and bacteria. What I’m “hearing” here is that bacteria is picked up from the surface and held in the Enviro Cloth, but there’s nothing that says that the bacteria is actually killed or eliminated from the surface. What does “clean” mean in Norwex terms (or eCloth for that matter)???? I chop and prepare many meals on my granite counter tops and use the Enviro Cloth, rinsing with hot water after each use. I also kneed bread right on my counter tops, first wiping down with the Enviro Cloth. I haven’t used a chemical on the seats or rims of my toilets in a year. Haven’t used a chemical cleaner anywhere in a year. I wash my Enviro Cloths regularly in hot water and Norwex detergent. We rarely get sick in our home. I haven’t had so much as a cold in the past year. So what’s happening to the germs/bacteria on my counters and toilets and sinks, etc.???? Is it still there?? HELP!!!
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Hi Marie – When you use an e-cloth or Norwex cloth, bacteria is picked up by the cloth. With an e-cloth, over 99% of bacteria is picked up! The bacteria is then IN the cloth, which is why you rinse it. E-cloth has had very good lab testing done and found that when you give the e-cloth a good rinse under warm/hot water after you use it, over 99% of the bacteria in the cloth will be rinsed away. Probably Norwex cloths are similar but I don’t believe they have done any tests to prove this. (I could be wrong about the Norwex testing but I’m sure any number of Norwex consultants will jump in and correct me if need be).
So, to answer your question, you clean the bacteria off your counters, sinks, etc. by wiping them with the e-cloth (or Norwex cloth) and then get the bacteria out of the e-cloth by rinsing it.
As you’re probably aware, Norwex has silver in some of their cloths. The silver speeds up the killing of any bacteria left in the cloth. E-cloth no longer produces cloths with silver in them because it’s really not needed. The silver in NO WAY improves upon the cleaning ability of the cloth and as I mentioned above, if you rinse your e-cloth after use, there won’t be any bacteria in the cloth.
I hope this helps. If not, feel free to ask more!
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Thank you for this! I’m still stuck, though, on your second paragraph. Is the bacteria and other germs GONE from the surface I’m wiping? To be more specific, if I accidentally get some raw chicken on my counter and wipe with my Enviro Cloth, is there anything left on the counter that would cause danger/sickness? I completely understand that I need to take care of the cloths properly after doing this (or cleaning toilets, etc.), but I want to know what’s left on the surface. Thanks for all information!
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Marie – e-cloth picks up over 99% of bacteria so when you use one to wipe your counter, the bacteria is gone from the counter and is in the cloth. I’d recommend that if you’re wiping raw meat juices that you rinse the cloth and then set it aside to be laundered instead of using it again – just to be on the safe side.
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Thank you. That is a very clear answer! Since I use the Norwex Enviro Cloth, can anyone tell me if that cloth does the same thing as Kate described for the e-cloth?
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Marie, Yes your Norwex cloth is doing the same thing. And all you would need to do is Rinse in the warm/hot water. If you want to be even safer after wiping raw meat juices using the anitbac towels then rinse it well and add a couple of drops of the Norwex dish soap lather and rinse well. A test that is often done my Norwex consultants is the Chicken test. We will lay raw chicken on a counter then clean it with a Norwex cloth. After we wipe up the chicken we rinse it well in hot water and continue cleaning but we test each surface before we clean with the cloth and then after and we have a) no transfer of chicken germs and b) removed germs that were there before we cleaned.
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Thank you! This is fantastic information!
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How do you test each surface? I would love to do that myself. Thanks!
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Do you know how long the silver lasts in the cloths (e-cloth or Norwex)? For example, Norwex says that if you wash the cloth with fabric softener, you lose the silver antibac effectiveness, but that you can still use it for the microfiber–just not antibac. If you take proper care, does the silver antibac last forever or does it ‘wear off’ after a couple years?
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Gracia – I’m not 100% certain but here’s what I think about the silver. Firstly, I should tell you that ecloth no longer manufactures cloths with silver in them as the silver in no way improves upon the amazing cleaning power of the e-cloths and only added confusion and cost to the customers.
The silver in the Norwex cloths is woven right in there somehow and will stay there for as long as you have the cloth. If you wash the cloth with fabric softener or too much detergent, etc., the silver can get coated and therefore won’t be effective (the silver has to be able to make contact with any bacteria in the cloth to kill that bacteria. So if it’s coated, it won’t work). If you mistakenly wash your cloth with fabric softener, just re-wash it. Or boil it.
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That’s great information! Thanks so much, Cleaninup Kate! 🙂
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The silver is Norwex antibac cloths are guaranteed for 2 years. They have done testing and after 500 washes the silver was still 99.5% effective.
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On the dust mitt, do I still need to use Pledge for wood furniture?
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Hi Cindy – No, you won’t need Pledge on your wood furniture. If you’ve used Pledge in the past, you might find the microfiber drags a bit as you dust. That’s because it’s trying to pick up the Pledge. If your furniture can stand it, I’d actually recommend using the dusting mitt damp and wiping the pledge right off. Then in the future it will just be a case of a simple dusting. If you’ve got a Glass & Polishing cloth, you can use it afterwards.
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What if you’re cleaning several areas with “high bacteria counts” at a time? I’ve just bought some Norwex cloths to use for cleaning my church. How many times can I go straight from one toilet to another without worrying about the cloth holding too much bacteria for it to handle(I normally clean up to 8 toilets at once)? And is there a point where it would get so full that it would transfer it to the next area you’re cleaning?
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Hi Kaylee. Thanks for the question. Because your cloths are Norwex, I’m going to suggest that you contact them directly with your question. I’d go right to the Norwex Customer Service (not your local consultant). You can email them at customerservice@norwex.com
For anyone that owns e-cloths, you already know that e-cloth picks up over 99% of bacteria. But did you know that if you rinse it in warm/hot water after use, you can use it again without worrying about spreading bacteria? Here’s a little post I wrote on how to clean multiple toilets with a single e-cloth…
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Ok, thanks for your reply
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Sorry I couldn’t be of more help (and that it took me so long to respond – busy days with my boys). I did just write a quick post on how to clean multiple toilets with e-cloth. I suspect Norwex is similar but better to hear it directly from them since I haven’t seen any testing from them to verify.
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I just bought a few ecloth products due to your blog as i LOVE norwex but the price is so often a huge inhibitor for me.
Thanks for your blog.
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Hi Jo – please let me know what you think of the e-cloth products once you’ve had a chance to try them out.
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Do you know if Norwex cloths will clean up Norovirusa. Things I am reading say that only bleach kills the virus. I really dislike using bleach with kids around and because it stains things so easily. Thanks!
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Anne – sorry for my tardy response here. I don’t know if Norwex will pick up Norovirus. I don’t believe they have done any specific testing on that but you would have to contact them. Sorry.
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Hi, I have been using Norwex cloths for over 2 years and love them all. I would never go back to any other micro fiber cloth. Reasons are… They just clean better and you don’t have to go over and over it again. like the other cloths. there is No flicks of cloth nothing. I do find there is a drag when I use my cloths meaning they just clean great…
The one thing I have noticed I don’t see then cleaning the stainless steal as they advertize. maybe I am not useing it right.
What kind of cleaner is good for cleaning grout? I’ve not used it yet. I do have many cleaners ..
I did have Norwex for myself to get the discount but to get it is just to much money even if I orderd it every 3 months.
It would be great if few ppl went in with. Even if you have a cleaning business it’s hard to order every 3 months…
Anyways, I love Norwex and would never go back to another cloth even if it was cheaper.
Also…. it says on the lable.. used best with Soft Water…. I have hard water but I get a great clean with my Norwex products.
Thanks….
Debs
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Deb – thanks for the comment. Yes, the Norwex cloths are great! But if you’re ever looking for an equally good cloth, give the e-cloth General Purpose cloth a try. I think you’ll be very pleasantly surprised by it’s performance and the price.
For the Norwex (or e-cloth) microfiber cloths to properly clean Stainless Steel, you’ve got to make sure that any old spray cleanser/polish is removed first. It there’s ANY left, the microfiber will leave streaks where it has picked up some of the spray but left some of it behind. And you’ll definitely have to use either the Norwex Window Cloth or the e-cloth Glass & Polishing cloth after you clean for the real streak-free finish. If you’ve got the Norwex Paste, you can try it on your Stainless appliances – but try it on an inconspicuous area first as it is slightly abrasive – to get rid of any old cleanser/polish.
I don’t use any cleaner on my grout – just the e-cloth bathroom cloth. As long as I use the cloth at least once a week, everything is fine. Occasionally I spray some vinegar on first if I’ve got soap scum buildup.
You’ve probably gathered by now that I was also a Norwex Consultant. I sold mainly to my friends at my discount. Every few months I would send an email to all my friends that lived within driving distance to see if they needed/wanted anything. I’d offer it at my discount and submit the order as a party so that I could get the free stuff. Then they would pick it up at my place when it arrived. It was win-win that way and I didn’t feel I was ripping off my friends. Since discovering e-cloth, I gave up on Norwex. It’s just as good – better in many ways – and the price is right.
Like you, we’ve got very hard water and I find both the Norwex and e-cloth microfiber products to work wonderfully.
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So, I just went to my first Norwex party and have a question the consultant couldn’t answer. When I use the Antibac microfiber cloth, I understand the silver doesn’t clean the surface but instead self-cleans the rag…but how do I know the surface I just cleaned actually GOT clean, since there is nothing antibacterial actually cleaning that surface? For example, if I’m wiping up raw egg residue, I always use antibacterial soap on a paper towel to be sure the bacteria is gone. Is the idea that the microfiber is so good it catches all those bacteria off the surface so that’s no longer necessary?
Sorry if it’s a silly question, but it’s been bugging me! 🙂
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Hi Carolyn – Thanks for the question. It’s most definitely NOT silly. Since we can’t see bacteria, it’s hard to know if it’s there or not and you have to put your faith into the science. Even with chemical cleansers, it’s hard to know – especially since a lot of them actually have to be kept on the surface for 10 minutes to kill the bacteria (but who does that?).
High quality microfiber like Norwex and the e-cloth General Purpose cloth pick up bacteria off surfaces and trap it within the fibers until the cloth is rinsed or washed. I’ve got some more information about how the microfiber works on my website. You’ll see a link on that page to the results of the lab tests that were completed for e-cloth.
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Good morning. I realize the silver works AFTER you’ve cleaned, but are you spreading bacteria from one surface to another?
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Hi Terri. Great question. This is a major difference between high quality microfiber products like e-cloth (or Norwex) and the cheap ones you buy at the Dollar store. High quality microfiber products have more fibers per square inch (way more!) and are very good at picking up grease, dirt, and bacteria and trapping it. The bacteria gets trapped into the fibers and isn’t released until you rinse or wash the cloth. e-cloth has had some pretty impressive independent lab testing done that shows the e-cloths pick up over 99% of bacteria and then don’t transfer the bacteria when used again. The key is to rinse the cloth between uses, and the hotter the water, the better. If you’re cleaning areas of high bacteria counts (like around your toilet, or raw meat juices), please launder your cloth afterwards instead of simply rinsing.
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I assumed that the mitt has antibac because you’d wet it to rinse off the dust. If you use any reusable dusting cloth you’d have to rinse it or wash it after use right?
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Hi Nat. No, you don’t have to rinse a microfiber dusting cloth after eash use. Just brush it off/shake it out as much as possible. I recently posted something on how to clean off your microfiber mop and those tips would work equally well for your microfiber cloth/mitt. I generally only wash my microfiber dusting cloths after every 3 or 4 uses – when the cloth actually looks dirty even after I brush it off.
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Hi, I’d like to set something straight (as an objective viewer here and admirer of e-cloth.. just about to purchase some to try). In my new Norwex catalogue that I have sitting here, it says the dustmitt IS antibac. Plus the silver works BETTER when wet, not only when wet. I’m sure the same would be said of e-cloth’s silver cloths since they are pretty much the same.
Oh and here’s an all-purpose cloth that doesn’t have any silver, it’s the grey all purpose cloth .. I think it used to be called the grease cloth.
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Hi Zippy. Thanks for the comment. I see from another of your comments that you are a Norwex Rep. I also see that you refer to $AUD. Are you in Australia? You’re certainly a long way from me!
You are correct in that the Norwex Dusting Mitt is “antibac”. I think I’ve eluded to that in my post by mentioning that if you use the Dusting Mitt dry, you’ll have to wet it to activate the silver.
The information I provided about the microfiber having to be wet to activate the silver was presented in a Webinar from the North American Norwex Head Office for consultants in North America (back when I was one). To my knowledge, Norwex has not changed their stance on how the silver works and it must be wet to be activated. If you have other information, I’d welcome you to post it here as I think it will be useful to anyone using Norwex products.
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Pingback: When and how to Launder / Wash your Norwex or e-cloth ® Microfiber Cloths | Cleanin' Up
But… regular microfibre dries really fast – and since bacteria can’t thrive in dry conditions – doesn’t the microfibre itself do a bang-up job of – as you say – inactivating the bacteria? Wouldn’t wetting the microfibre to “activate” the silver be counter-intuitive to just letting the microfibre do its thing as it dries? Does Norwex sell any plain old microfibre without silver? I hear it’s a really good product in terms of how well it cleans – but I feel the addition of silver is a waste and it must also contribute to what I see as – in my opinion – ridiculously high prices.
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Lainy – Thanks for your comment. I was smiling when I read it because I’ve frequently asked myself the same questions. My biggest question is “why does Norwex make and antibac dusting mitt?”. You’re going to dust and THEN wet the cloth to kill bacteria? Norwex does sell some products without the silver (like the dry mop pad) but you can’t get a plain microfiber cloth without it. Thanks for the comment.
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I like to have it in there… just to think I am using the cloths. I know I am not sick like I was before. maybe it’s due to the silver in the cloths…. maybe not.
The Blue or Green dust mitt. it cleans really nice on blinds. damp. it’s the best. I am glad Norwex is out there for us to have…. it is a choice and I love it.
I have thought is it safe to use it all the time? Cuz I do. everyday I use mine with the silver in it.
Thank you.
Deb
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Good post Kate. I didn’t realize how the cloth actually worked. I had a very different story in my head 🙂
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Thanks Megan. I think it’s important to know that the silver is not important to the function of the cloth. I think a lot of people think that the silver is actually doing the cleaning when in reality, it’s the high-quality microfiber that does it all.
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So if we buy a good quality microfiber rag we should be good to go?
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Generally, yes. By “good quality” I mean one that has tests to prove their effectiveness if you’re wanting to ensure removal of bacteria.
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Not ones in regular stores…but the ecloth yes! The high quality microfiber strands are a different size.
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I just got my first enviro cloth and I can’t even touch it. The feeling is….”sticky” or something but it gives me the willies! Are the ecloths the same? Someone gave it to me because they didn’t like the feel of it either 😦
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That’s the microfiber – it grabs stuff. And that’s why it works so well. When you use the cloth damp, the “grabiness” on your skin pretty much goes away. Some people use gloves with them when using them dry – but over time, as you use the cloth more and launder it a few times, the grabiness on your skin seems to lessen without effecting the performance of the cloth.
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Okay. Thanks! I don’t use gloves so I could see that being a real deterrent to using the clothes.
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Hi Kate ~
As I have learned from you and others over the years, the silver in the Norwex cloths is not important to the function of the cloth and it does not clean the bacteria/germs from surfaces better than the e-Cloth. I really don’t know why they put silver in the dusting mitt – that seems silly just for dust! However, for me, there is something comforting in knowing that the silver – as you wrote in a previous answer to one of my questions – “speeds up the killing of any bacteria left in the cloth.” Maybe in the end it doesn’t matter, but to me it is comforting as well as a plus. Also, while I admit the cost of Norwex products is way higher than e-Cloth, I did some calculating for what I spent for Norwex and how long and how much I’ve used these products and how long I should expect to use them before having to replace them………and found that for each use the cost is minimal, especially compared with what I would have spent over the years on chemicals. I realize if you do the same calculations with e-Cloth, the cost would be even less. I’m not promoting Norwex over e-Cloth; it’s really a matter of what you’re willing to put out up front and any “comfort” level you get out of the silver in the Norwex products.
Thanks for all your great information!
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