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Guide · Cleanup · Microfiber cloths, wiping rags and box rags

What should you not clean with a microfiber cloth, and wet or dry? How microfiber works, what ruins it, washing temperature, bleach and softener, microfiber vs cotton vs terry, how to tell real microfiber, shop rags and box rags, and rags in bulk

Microfiber is a split polyester-polyamide fiber finer than silk that grabs dust and oil by surface area and static, so a dry cloth dusts and a damp cloth (wrung nearly dry) cleans glass, screens and paint without chemicals; what it should not touch is anything that fills or melts the fibers: hot surfaces, grease and oil in quantity, solvents, tar, adhesives, paint, concrete dust and anything abrasive, and it should not be used on a rough surface that snags it. Wash microfiber warm (up to about 140°F), with detergent, no bleach and no fabric softener (softener coats the fibers and ends the static pickup), with other microfiber only, and dry on low. The jobs microfiber should not do are the jobs for cotton shop rags: wiping solvent, tar, adhesive, roof cement, oil and paint, then throwing the rag away. Rags are sold by the pound in 10, 25 and 50 lb boxes of white knit, colored knit, sweatshirt and turkish towel grades.

Bayshore Safety. Industrial safety, roofing tools and jobsite supplies since 2017. · Current as of November 2026 · the C&R rag product data on this site (yellow microfiber cloths in packs of 10; new white wiping rags in 10 lb boxes with 8.5 lb net; white and colored knit, sweatshirt and turkish-towel wiping cloths in 10, 25 and 50 lb boxes and bags; 1/2 lb retail bags of white knit); the microfiber manufacturers’ published care rules (wash with microfiber only, no fabric softener, no bleach, low heat); the recycled-textile trade’s grades (white knit, colored knit, sweatshirt, turkish towel)
Cloths and rags we stockAll roofing tools
C&R Microfiber Cloths, YellowC&R Microfiber Cloths, YellowThe product data lists the WP-CLOTH as a 10 lb net box of wiping cloths in white knit, colored knit, sweatshirt and turkish towel grades
$10.94See the product

Two different cloths for two different messes. A microfiber cloth is a precision tool for dust, fingerprints and light soil on smooth surfaces, and it is ruined by the things a jobsite is made of. A cotton rag is a consumable for everything else. The questions below sort which is which: what not to clean with microfiber, wet or dry, its downsides, whether all microfiber is the same and how to tell the real thing, what temperature to wash it, bleach and dish soap, microfiber vs cotton and terry, how often it can be used and when it is done, and then the rag side: what box rags are, the grades, rags for staining, and where to buy them in bulk.

Microfiber and rags, question by question

Care rules are the ones microfiber manufacturers print; rag grades are from the product data on this site and the recycled-textile trade.

What should you not clean with a microfiber cloth?Hot surfaces (the polyester melts above about 300°F; a hot stovetop, a torch head, a just-welded seam). Heavy grease, oil, tar, roof cement, adhesive, caulk and paint, which fill the split fibers and do not wash out. Solvents (acetone, lacquer thinner, mineral spirits) that attack the fiber. Rough or sharp surfaces (fresh-cut metal, rough concrete, unfinished wood) that snag and pull the loops. Abrasive dust (concrete, drywall, sanding dust) that lodges in the fibers and then scratches the next surface. Anti-reflective coated glass and lenses with a cloth that has picked up grit. And anything that must not be lint-free, since a worn microfiber sheds. For all of those, a cotton rag that gets thrown away.
Is it better to dust with a wet or dry microfiber cloth, and are they used wet or dry?Dry for dusting: the static charge on a dry cloth lifts dust and holds it; a wet cloth smears. Damp (wrung out until it does not drip) for cleaning: glass, screens, stainless, painted surfaces, counters, with water alone or a mist of cleaner; a cloth that is wet rather than damp leaves streaks and does not pick up. For glass, the standard is two cloths: a damp one to clean and a dry one to polish. Folding the cloth in quarters gives eight clean faces before it goes in the wash.
What are the downsides of microfiber cloths?They are ruined by fabric softener, bleach, heat and grease; they shed microplastic fibers in the wash; they hold onto dirt so well that a dirty cloth scratches; they must be washed separately or they pick up lint from everything else; cheap ones are not split (see below) and do nothing cotton does not; and they are polyester, so they melt and they are a fire hazard near a torch in a way cotton is not. On a jobsite the practical downside is that one wipe of roof cement ends a cloth, so microfiber is kept in the truck cab for the windshield and the phone, and rags are kept in the bed.
Are all microfiber cloths the same, and how do you identify real microfiber?No. Real cleaning microfiber is split: an 80/20 or 70/30 polyester/polyamide blend whose fibers are split lengthwise into wedges, which is what gives the surface area; it is sold by weight (GSM, grams per square meter: 200 to 300 for general purpose, 300 to 400 for glass and polishing, 500 and up for plush drying towels). Unsplit microfiber (100 percent polyester) is smooth, cheap and wipes like any synthetic cloth. Tests: a split cloth drags on dry skin and catches on calluses, and it sucks up a spill instead of pushing it; an unsplit cloth slides and pushes. A microfiber towel is the same fabric in a larger, heavier size; a cloth is 12 to 16 inches square.
What temperature should I wash microfiber cloths, and can I use bleach, OxiClean or dish soap?Warm to hot, up to about 140°F (60°C) for general cloths; many manufacturers say warm for routine washes and hot only for heavily soiled ones. Detergent: a plain liquid or powder with no softener in it, or a microfiber-specific detergent; a little dish soap in a bucket is fine for a hand wash and rinses out. Bleach: no; chlorine bleach weakens the polyamide and the fibers go stiff. Oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate, the OxiClean type): yes in moderation for stains and odor; it does not harm the fiber. Fabric softener and dryer sheets: never, because they coat the fibers with a waxy film and the cloth stops picking up; a cloth that has been softened can sometimes be revived by a hot wash in plain detergent with a cup of white vinegar. Dry on low or air-dry; wash microfiber only with microfiber.
Is microfiber better than cotton, and microfiber vs terry cloth?For dust, fingerprints, glass and light cleaning on smooth surfaces, microfiber picks up more and streaks less than cotton or terry and uses less chemical. For absorbing a spill, terry (looped cotton toweling) holds the most water per weight and does not care about grease. For wiping solvents, tar, oil, paint and adhesive, cotton rags, because they are thrown away. Cotton can be washed hot with bleach and softener and lasts for years; microfiber cannot. On a jobsite, both: microfiber in the cab, cotton in the bed.
How often can you use a microfiber cloth, does it need washing, and when do you throw it away?A general-purpose cloth is good for 200 to 500 washes if it is never softened or bleached; it needs washing when it stops picking up, smears, smells or leaves lint, which in practice is after each day of use. Retire it when it has thinned, sheds, has stiff spots that will not wash out, or has wiped grease or paint. Do you throw microfiber towels away after use? No, unless they have met grease, tar or paint; then yes.
What are shop rags and box rags, and what are the grades?Shop rags are cotton cloths bought by the pound for wiping and then discarding or laundering; new rags are cut from unused fabric, recycled rags are cut from laundered used clothing and linens. Grades in the recycled-textile trade, which are the ones on our product pages: white knit (T-shirt material, soft, lint-free, absorbent, the general-purpose rag and the one for staining and finishing), colored knit (the same cloth in colors, for anything where dye transfer does not matter: oil, grease, cement), sweatshirt (heavier fleece-backed knit, more absorbent, for spills and solvent), and turkish towel (terry, the most absorbent, for water and wet work). New white rags in 10 lb boxes (ours lists 8.5 lb net) are the choice where a lint-free, dye-free cloth matters: finishing, glass, food areas.
What rags for staining, and what rags for solvents and tar?Staining and oil finishes: white knit (lint-free, no dye) in a size that can be folded into a pad; and the rule that stain- and oil-soaked rags self-heat and are laid flat outside to dry or kept in a sealed metal can of water, never balled in a trash bag (linseed and some oil finishes ignite). Solvents: sweatshirt or knit, used once. Tar and roof cement: colored knit or sweatshirt, used with the citrus remover from the roof cement guide linked below, then thrown away as the local rules require. Hand cleaning wipes (the canister wipes in our line) take the last of the tar off hands; the hand cleaner guide covers them.
Where can I buy rags in bulk, and where must cloths be stored between uses?From industrial supply and janitorial distributors by the 10, 25 and 50 lb box or bag, which is how we sell them, nationwide, with the grade on the label. Wiping cloths in food-service work are kept in a sanitizer solution between uses (the health codes say so); on a jobsite, clean rags stay in the box and used rags go in a lidded metal can, with the oil-finish rule above.

Microfiber and rags in plain words

  • Microfiber: dry for dust, damp for cleaning glass, screens and paint. Fold in quarters for eight faces.
  • Keep microfiber away from heat, grease, oil, tar, adhesive, paint, solvents, rough surfaces and abrasive dust.
  • Wash warm with plain detergent, no bleach, no softener, no dryer sheets, with microfiber only; dry low.
  • Real microfiber is split polyester/polyamide and drags on dry skin; unsplit polyester slides.
  • Cotton rags for solvents, tar, cement, oil and paint; use once and discard.
  • Grades: white knit (lint-free, staining), colored knit (grease and cement), sweatshirt (spills, solvent), turkish towel (water).
  • Oil- and stain-soaked rags self-heat: dry them flat outside or seal them in a metal can of water.
  • Rags are sold by the pound, 10, 25 and 50 lb boxes.

Questions people ask

What should you not clean with a microfiber cloth?

Hot surfaces, grease, oil, tar, adhesive, paint, solvents, rough or sharp surfaces and abrasive dust; use a cotton rag for those.

Is it better to dust with a wet or dry microfiber cloth?

Dry for dusting; damp and well wrung for cleaning glass and surfaces.

What are the downsides of using microfiber cloths?

Ruined by softener, bleach, heat and grease; must be washed separately; shed microplastics; melt near a torch; a dirty cloth scratches.

Are all microfiber cleaning cloths the same?

No; real cleaning cloths are split polyester/polyamide rated by GSM, and cheap unsplit polyester wipes like any synthetic cloth.

What temperature should I wash microfiber cloths?

Warm, up to about 140°F, with plain detergent and no softener or bleach; dry on low.

How do I clean microfiber towels?

Wash with other microfiber only, warm, plain detergent, no softener, no chlorine bleach, extra rinse, low dry.

How to identify real microfiber cloth?

It drags on dry skin, catches on calluses and absorbs a spill instead of pushing it; the label says split polyester/polyamide and a GSM weight.

What is microfiber used for?

Dusting, glass, screens, stainless, painted surfaces, polishing and damp cleaning without chemicals.

Is microfiber cloth better than cotton?

For dust and smooth surfaces, yes; for spills, solvents, tar, oil and paint, cotton rags.

Can I use bleach on microfiber towels?

Not chlorine bleach; oxygen bleach in moderation is fine.

What are alternatives to microfiber cloths?

Cotton knit rags, terry towels, cellulose sponges and paper wipes, depending on the job.

Can you use dish soap to clean microfiber cloths?

A little in a bucket for a hand wash, yes; rinse well. Plain detergent in the machine.

What is the difference between a microfiber cloth and a microfiber towel?

Size and weight; the towel is larger and heavier (higher GSM) for drying and polishing.

Do you throw away microfiber towels after use?

No; wash them, unless they have wiped grease, tar or paint.

What are microfiber cloths made of?

Split polyester and polyamide, usually 80/20 or 70/30.

What ruins microfiber towels?

Fabric softener, dryer sheets, chlorine bleach, high heat, grease and abrasive grit.

Can I wash all my microfiber towels together?

Yes, together and only with other microfiber; separate heavily soiled ones.

Where can I buy rags in bulk?

From industrial and janitorial suppliers by the 10, 25 and 50 lb box; we ship them nationwide.

Is microfiber or terry cloth better for cleaning?

Microfiber for dust and streak-free glass; terry for soaking up water and wet work.

How often can you use a microfiber cloth?

Daily, washed after each day, for 200 to 500 washes if never softened or bleached.

Related guides

Heavy-duty hand cleanersPumice, citrus and waterlessDust mops and mop headsCleaning a dust mop and when it beats a broomRoof cement, sealant and primerASTM D4586 and D41, and removing tarContractor bags, drum liners, stretch wrap and tapesSizes, mil and what each is forWhich gloves protect against chemicals?How to read a chemical resistance chart

The ratings, test results and standards shown here are the manufacturers' published values, reproduced as published. Nothing on this page is a recommendation by Bayshore Safety that any product is suitable for a particular task, hazard or workplace. Selecting safety products and protective equipment is the responsibility of the end user and the employer, based on their own hazard assessment and the regulations that apply to their work. Confirm every value on the manufacturer's own documentation before use.

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