cleaning without chemicals

[Teabaglady]

Has anyone tried using enjo cleaning cloths?
Apparently they clean without the need for chemicals - just cold water and they work because of microfibres.

It would be great to get rid of some of the chemicals in the house but do they actually work?

[apple&dog]

you can actually make it at home. just google: homemade windowcleaner.

[Teabaglady]

thanks - enjo not just for windows though - they have cloths to clean everything including greasy dishes, toilets, cars without chemicals (no, not the same cloth!)

look them up - sounds good

[TS888]

Not looking to influence or judge the product, but to add to the general knowledge -- there's nothing magic about microfiber. It's just filament yarn drawn to a very small diameter.

Most of the microfiber cleaning cloths you see are finished on an abrading device to rough the surface of the fabric, pulling the ends of the fibers free from the weave so it creates a lot of voids and loose ends. Due to the tiny size of the fibers, this enhances the wicking behavior of the fabric.

This may be the logic behind the "no chemicals" argument. Generally soaps and other cleaners contain surfactants -- substances that reduce the surface tension of liquids, which is why they can get grease to "dissolve" in water. It doesn't really dissolve, it just disperses into very small amounts that remain in solution with the water instead of clumping.

The microfiber cloths will "wick" liquids, and the many, many tiny fibers could increase the contact area, allowing you to collect more contamination than with a conventional large-fiber cloth.

Still, greasy substances like animal fats have a lot of staying power. Also, bacteria are microscopic, much smaller than the fibers, so they will remain behind, and nothing about the microfiber will kill them. Might tickle them a little... I'd still want to use some kind of soap when cleaning cooking tools and kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Doesn't have to be a nasty chemical, just something to get the majority of the grossness flushed away.

[Teabaglady]

Thank you TS888 - have to admit I was wondering about that.
Apparently though, these particular cloths pass lots of comparative swab tests for bacteria and are being used in some hospitals in Australia.
Anyway am curious (and skeptical) enough to want a demo - would be good to be rinsing less chemicals into the water system.

I'll let you know!

[ytv]

If you want to clean with out chemical just try using vinegar and water, it kills germs, mould, and gets rid of lime scale. It's great to clean your kettle with. just pour a cup of white vinegar in the kettle and leave it over night. You can use it with practically everything, floor, kitchen surfaces, bathroom, windows etc.
you can even use baking powder and lemon juice. It cost less too.

[Teabaglady]

wow - so I had my home demo today and I have to say it was very impressive. Using just cold water and the right type of enjo cloth we were able to wash:
butter from my stove (not a normal occurance, it was put there for the demo!)
lipstick from a mirror - which after drying, shone with no streaks

grease from the top of my cooker hood (yes, really with cold water),

the grout between my floortiles

the floor - dust them mop

dusting hard to reach places

windows were amazingly clean with just cold water - no trace of dirt, grease or smears and SO quick and easy to do

and my toilet - at this point the enjo host did a swab test (before and after cleaning) - half the toilet cleaned with bleach, half with the enjo cloth. The swabs showed the toilet to be cleaner on the half cleaned with enjo than the one cleaned with bleach!!

its guaranteed for 2 years, works out cheaper than all the cloths and chemicals you would buy and is so much better for the environment.

needless to say, i ordered some!

wouldnt it be nice if the government would consider using enjo instead of the standard "bleach-everything-including-things-that-children-put-in-their-mouths" policy that they use
That way we would be putting less chemicals into our children aswell as the environment.

[apple&dog]

I would agree on that. better living future for kids.

[Teabaglady]

has anyone else tried these cloths yet?

or am I the only convert?

[PDLM]

Just out of curiosity, what is your definition of "chemicals"?