Ultra Microfiber Outshines Traditional Cleaning Methods

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA
May 1, 2004

Cloths clean with no soap

ROBIN HARVEY - Life Writer

As someone with allergies, I've always disliked cleaning products because when I use them (even with gloves) I often get eczema and their odour makes me congested.

So when I heard about a brand of cleaning cloths that purported to clean with water alone, I was very interested. Called Tergo Cleaning Cloths, they are made from "ultra microfibres" - a very thin weave of a nylon blend of polyester and polyamide.

"The Ultra Microfibre is so small that one square centimetre contains over 30 km of microfibre," the manufacturer says on its Web site. "It's these thousands of individual micro strands in the fabric that does the cleaning, trapping and removing grease, dust and dirt particles from the surface." The maker says the microfibres mean dirt gets trapped deep inside the cloth, so you need to rinse less often. The cloths are supposed to hold four times their weight in "dirt, grime and liquid."

I tried three types of the cloths - the blue smooth one for glass and dusting, the green multi-purpose cloth for average cleaning and the white-and-green striped "scrubby" for heavy-duty cleaning requirements. I was highly skeptical they would perform as promised. But to my amazement they really work well cleaning surfaces without any soap or cleaning solution. The glass panes in the door at the top of my stair landing sparkled in a snap. Too bad that a gaggle of young girls soon swept upstairs, leaving fingerprints all over them again. But all I had to do was whip out the still damp cloth, swipe the glass and the prints were gone. (I glared at the girls all the while, mind you.)

The multi-purpose medium-nap cloth cleaned dried-up kitchen counter grunge with just a bit of elbow grease. And I'm talking mustard, ketchup, tomato, mayo and bread-crumb grunge and a sticky circle of orange juice left to dry all day on the counter after a teenaged male slapped together his lunch. I think there was some cat food in the mix, too, because it was his morning to feed the cat. And the "scrubby" cloth easily cleaned up dirty pots, even the ones my better half leaves sitting all night because they don't fit into the dishwasher.

The manufacturer says the cloths wipe away bacteria. But for the bathroom and kitchen sinks and kitchen surfaces that came into contact with raw meat or poultry, I used water with a small amount of disinfectant (not bleach because the manufacturer says not to use it).

The only task in which the cloths did not earn top marks was in cleaning heavy grease. I'm talking the kind of cooking grease that falls through the broiler rack and gets baked on the pan underneath. I did need to use mild dishwashing soap with the cloths. However, in the past I would have used steel wool for the same effect and the "scrubby" clothes did not scratch the pan.

You're supposed to throw the cloths in the regular machine wash and tumble dry without any fabric softener. The manufacturer recommends periodically boiling them in water for a few minutes to release grease and bacteria. They are touted to last more than 600 washes and have a one-year guarantee. I used mine for about four weeks and washed them about twice a week. They seem to stand up to wear and tear - they still look almost new.

The more you buy the cheaper they get. If you buy over 30 wholesale prices available. The Web site is www.ultramicrofibers.com and for more information,

OAKVILLE, ONTARIO, CANADA
Wednesday, December 1, 1999

Business trip turned woman into entrepreneur

Donna Fisher liked what she saw in the Tergo Cleaning Cloth, and the word is spreading...

NANCY ALEXANDER - Special To The Beaver

Donna Fisher loves a skeptic. In fact, she and business partner Carol Elliot thrive on turning the toughest skeptics into true believers.

The two Oakville women use a single tool to work their magic. It's called the Tergo Cleaning Cloth. Looking for all the world like an ordinary dust cloth, the Tergo cloth is actually created from a state-of-the-art microfiber, which enables it to clean just about any household surface with just water.

So, all right, you're skeptical already. Fisher and Elliot expect that. "It does sound too good to be true," confesses Fisher. "That's why we tell people they really need to try it out and put it to the test."

Fisher encountered the cloth for the first time during a trip over a year ago. She was so impressed she decided to take on the challenge of spreading the word in Ontario. Developed in Sweden for the cleaning industry but relatively new to North America, the cloth's secret lies in its thin microfiber, created from a blend of polyester and polyamide that has been woven to create thousands of individual micro strands of fabric. It is currently used on a large scale in Europe, even in hospitals.

Carol Elliot admits she was one of the skeptics when Fisher came calling at her former employer, the Framing Den. But watching the cloth go to work, leaving glass lint free and streak free with nothing but water, she was quickly won over.

"Ninety-nine percent of the people I've showed the cloths to have wanted one, " says Fisher. "I've checked back with almost everyone I've sold to and they're raving about it." A big selling feature of the Tergo cloth is that it promotes environmentally-friendly cleaning by eliminating the need for household cleaning solvents and paper towels.

Fisher explains that the cloth needs merely to be dampened with water. During cleaning, dirt is trapped in the fine strands of microfiber. Its incredible absorbency allows it to hold up to four times its weight in dirt, grime and liquid. Particles of dirt, grease and bacteria are absorbed into the cloth, releasing very little dirt back onto the cleaning surface. As an added bonus, the cloth leaves surfaces with a streak-free shine without drying. Even finishes such as mirrors, glass, chrome and stainless steel will shine without drying.

The cloth is machine washable up to 600 times and thus can be used for many years. "I've literally changed my cleaning habits," says Elliot. "I keep a set of cloths in the kitchen and each bathroom and it takes so little time to clean and shine everything that I find myself doing it more frequently."

There are basically two types of cloths, thick and thin - which can combine to clean everything form eyeglasses and jewellery to stainless steel and chrome in the kitchen, to windows, cars, boats and even golf clubs. The thin cloth is recommended for cleaning surfaces such as windows, glass, mirrors, silver, chrome, etc., while the thick cloth can be used dry for dusting and polishing and wet for heavily soiled areas such as boats, floors, kitchen grease, shower stalls and appliances. Elliot notes that the cloths are ideal for cottagers or homeowners on septic systems where the use of chemicals cleaning products is a concern.

Taking the approach that seeing is believing, Fisher says the Tergo cloth is an ideal item for a home party where clients can see the product demonstrated first-hand. She notes that the cloths are also great for fundraisers.

Anyone interested in selling the product is welcome to contact Fisher.