About a week ago, I was doing some shopping in Tescos when I spotted a pack of two microfibre cloths for £1. I vaguely recalled reading something about using them as face cloths, so I thought why not give them a try?
Now as far as I’m aware, these are bog standard cloths designed for cleaning your car. Basically, they are made up of microscopic fibres that capture dirt and grease without damaging the surface they are being used on. I discovered that there are several different formulations, the most common being an 80% polyester 20% polyamide mix which is what mine are comprised of.
It seems that many people find microfibre cloths work very effectively using just water. However, I recently invested in a pricey natural cleanser so I wanted to utilise that as well. My routine now involves application of said cleanser then I soak the cloth in water, squeeze out all the excess and wipe the cleanser off in small circular motions. I have found this to work very well, with no trace of cleanser left on my skin afterwards.
But onto the really important stuff – has it made any difference to my acne? I have to answer that question with a resounding yes! I have had maybe two tiny pimples since I started using it and no blackheads! The light exfoliating action of this cloth seems to be successfully removing whatever it is that clogs up my pores before they have any visible impact. I’m very interested in seeing how it deals with my hormonal acne when that time of the month comes around and will update this post accordingly.
For those that use the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM), these cloths are apparently wonderful for removing final traces of oil. I really wish I had known this when I was using the OCM as it might have made quite a difference for me.
The cloth is also very gentle on my sensitive skin. You might think it would be very harsh if it’s exfoliating so thoroughly, but it’s actually very soft with a slight sticky grip that doesn’t pull at the skin.
These cloths can last several months with daily use, but I wouldn’t mind having to replace them more often due to the low cost. Do be careful not to wash/dry them with other fabrics though – they have a tendency to pick up lint and coloured ones will also run very easily. The best method of care is to simply soak them in water, squeeze the excess out and allow to dry naturally. If necessary, use a gentle detergent, but never apply fabric softener which will clog the fibres.
When I start getting low on cleanser, I’m going to try the water-only method and see if this is as effective. By all accounts, it may work even better, but I don’t want to waste the products I’ve already bought.
I would heartily recommend giving one of these amazing cloths a try. Like any product, they don’t work for everyone but they are so cheap it’s really worth a try. Don’t worry that all the marketing says they’re for cars and other hard surfaces – it’s not what they’re used on, but how they work that matters. Many companies offer microfibre cloths especially for the face and body, but they are essentially the same thing. The only difference is that you will pay considerably more.
I’d love to hear readers thoughts and experiences (positive and negative) so please pop a note in the comment box if you have anything to say. :)
Tags: acne, cheap, cleansing, face, microfiber
Good idea about the microfiber (American spelling :)) cloths. I’ve been using them around the house for a while now because they get all the dust, but it makes sense that they would get all the cleanser too.
This is a fabulous idea! Just curious, how often do you wash the cloths? When I used to do the oil cleansing method, I was told to use a new washcloth every couple of times since the cloths build up bacteria so easily. Is it any different with the microfiber?
Hi Skincare Lady,
I pop my cloth in the wash about once a week, but I also rinse it very thoroughly straight after each use. This seems to prevent any build-up and involves very little effort. I may even be doing it too often lol.
I’m not sure how often other people clean theirs, it’s not something I saw mentioned anywhere when I was researching. I suspect it ultimately depends on how often you wash with it and how much dirt and stuff it takes off.
I’d say experiment with it and if it looks like a lot of product/dirt/oil is accumulating on the cloth or it feels a bit slimey or smelly, wash it more often. If it’s clean, it will grip your face solidly (but gently).
Hope this helps. :)
Hi Becky,
I think that is it actually a great idea and a cheap and effective alternative to muslin cleansing cloths (which I am a great great fan of!)
I always advise using a clean muslin cloth every day, but I know this isn’t always practical! The next best thing is rinsing them out in hot water and leaving to air dry as soon as they’ve been used. I should think the microfibre cloths would be the same (although cheap enough to use a clean one daily ;))
Sharon
Hi Sharon, thanks for posting your thoughts. :)
A lovely feature of microfibre cloths is that they dry quickly, so if you do need to wash it often, you don’t have to worry about having spares on hand. I imagine muslin cloths dry quite quickly too being such a light fabric.
Funnily enough, I was planning on trying a muslin cloth, but I got sidetracked by the cheap pack of microfibre ones and I’m so happy with them that I don’t really want to try anything else. I know a lot of people love muslin though and I’m thrilled to hear you’ve found something that works well for you too. :)
I have always had bad skin, not really bad but never clear. I have tried everything to clear my skin, but everything is too harsh as I also have extremely sensitive skin, described by a doctor as nearly like a kind of eczema or dermatitus. I started using muslin cloths to cleanse my skin about two months ago and stopped using any products to moisturise of a night and my skin has changed dramatically. It is smoother, brighter and most importantly clearer. I still get the occasional spot but I don’t think there is anyone who doesn’t so it doesn’t bother me. I have also started using it on my back when I am in the shower which has also never been clear of spots and that too is nearly clear, think it’s just marks from old spots now. Luckily it also seems to be having an effect on these marks, both on my back and face. I only wish I’d always cleansed with muslin cloths as I wouldn’t be left with marks from spots that I would not have suffered. I strongly reccomend everyone to use muslin cloths, they work with any kind of cleanser but I would always say to use the gentlest cleanser you can get as there is no need to use something to chemically clean your skin and strip it if you are using a muslin cloth to cleanse. I use an oil cleanser by origins, it is reasonably cheap and lasts for about 6 months, it is really gentle. The only thing I would warn against is using the muslin cloth too roughly, try to just let it rest on your face for about 30 seconds then just lightly wipe your face with it bit by bit and keep rinsing then ringing the cloth and repeating this process, finish with the same process but with cold water to close the pores and calm the skin.
As I mentioned I also stopped putting any creams etc on my skin at night. This I have read allows the skin to rebalance and is reccomended by eve lom aswell. You will probably find that your skin might feel a bit dry or look a bit flaky or something for a little while but this soon stops so if it does happen do not be detered. Any problems like this soon dissapear if occur at all when cleansing with a muslin cloth. Maybe this advice won’t work for everyone as I have some friends with perfect skin who just use cleansing wipes and then a really think cream on their skin at night, but if I was to do this I would get the worst spots ever. However if you have sensitive skin that you can’t seem to clear of spots try this and see how you get on. It certainly won’t do you any harm. Oh another thing, I have found that muslin cloths differ from brand to brand. I use liz earles muslin cloths, I got them with their hot cloth cleaner but I didn’t like the cleanser so just use the cloth. You can buy them seperately on the website, they are really soft and big enough to cover your entire face. I bought some by the sanctuary before christmas as I had left my usual liz earle one at home and was going away for christmas. They were really small and rough in comparison. They made my skin quite red, a problem I have never had with the liz earle cloths. So that’s it, everything I have to say about muslin cloths. Hope this helps someone.
Hi Becky!
I just dropped in after googling ‘using a microfibre cloth to wash face’. Sounds quite promising! I love Tesco <3 In Morrisons it’s 1 cloth for 99p!
I’m really quite tempted to pick up one now. I have noticed though, that you know the cloth is really ‘clingy’ when it’s dry? Like there’s tiny hooks which catch your skin? It seems to lose that quality when wet?
Hi, have just become involved in direct selling of a particular brand of high quality microfibre cloths for every purpose you can imagine. The only concern I have is with the thought that microfibre is a ‘disposable’ item (reading comments about lasting only several months) and that we need to keep in mind that they are not biodegradable and also that they are manufactured from petrochemical by-products. They are more of a green option if they are thought of as having a long life. Therefore if you do use them pay more for a better quality cloth which is guaranteed to last, the ones I am selling are guaranteed for 2 years or 300 washes and can withstand hot water up to 95 degrees celsius.
I am really thrilled with the time-saving, and no need for chemicals or hot water for cleaning, and I absolutely agree with the above comments about exfoliation and my skin hasn’t felt softer for years!