How to Clean Your Norwex Microfiber Rags

Norwex Microfiber Clothes cleans surfaces up to 99.9% of bacteria with the power of just water and microfiber science. These cleaning products reduce wasted time and money, while also eliminating exposure to toxic chemicals in your household. With all the heavy lifting Norwex cleaning products do, it is important to know how to clean Norwex rags so they continue to keep your home sparkling clean for many happy years to come.

When Josh and I got married in 2020, we were generously gifted a set of Norwex products. A family friend is a Norwex consultant and shared with me her passion for these products. The set included the Norwex Envirocloth, the Norwex Kitchen cloths, the Norwex Dusting mitt, Norwex EnviroScrub, the Norwex Window cloth, and the Norwex Mop System which included the Norwex Superior Dry Mop Pad and the Norwex Wet Mop Pad. Like I said, very generous!

After learning about Norwex’s cleaning philosophy, I was a bit skeptical. Really? You can clean with just water alone? This doesn’t feel right.

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I never owned any Norwex products before getting married, but as a first-time home-owner, my Norwex rags were quickly put to work, like cleaning my bathroom and Frigidaire oven!

Again, it felt strange to clean the surfaces of my house with just a microfiber rag and some water, but honestly, I was impressed. My favorite products that I consistently use are the Norwex Dusting Mitt, Norwex Enviro Cloth, and the Norwex Window Cloth.

The dusting mitt locks onto so much dust and debris, while the enviro cloth and window cloth clean mirrors to perfection with a streak-free finish. Just lovely!

So you could imagine, with all of that cleaning around my home, my Norwex clothes were in need of a little cleaning themselves. Considering Norwex’s recommendations and years of personal use, I would love to share with you how to clean your Norwex rags.

What makes Norwex Microfiber Cloths different?

The Norwex company practices a different form of cleaning. They educate their customers about the two most common cleaning methods – chemical and mechanical.

Most households practice the chemical cleaning method through the help of cleaning products. Norwex rejects the use of harmful chemicals. Instead, the company encourages the practice of mechanical cleaning.

Norwex ensures that with their microfiber science, water, and a little bit of elbow grease, any surface can be cleaned.

What is Microfiber Science?

Microfiber rags and cloths are made of just that, microfibers or very fine strands of fibers! Most microfiber clothes use fibers as small as 1/6th the size of human hair. Norwex microfibers, however, are even smaller – 1/200th the size of human hair, to be exact.

What’s the benefit of having smaller fibers? The smaller the fiber, the more absorbent it becomes. When Norwex rags are wet, each cloth has millions of small pockets that lift and trap household debris and bacteria. Norwex Microfiber rags are so absorbent that they can hold onto 7 times their weight in water.

When using a dry cloth, Norwex microfibers rub together, creating a charge to magnetically grab onto negatively charged dust, dog hair, dander, mold, or pollen spores.

What are the Benefits of Cleaning with Norwex Rags?

1. Save money on cleaning products: All you need to start cleaning your home is a Norwex rag and some water. Just think of all the cleaners under your kitchen sink that can all be removed from your future shopping lists!
2. Save money on paper towels: Norwex Microfiber cloths are reusable and can be used for years to come with the proper care and appropriate laundering.
3. Reduce exposure to harmful substances. This is a huge benefit for anyone with allergies or chemical sensitivities.
4. Norwex’s Baclock technology comes with self-purifying properties. So less laundering for your cleaning rags and everyday products? Yes, please!

What is Norwex’s Baclock Technology?

Norwex’s Baclock technology is a self-cleansing property included in some of their microfiber clothes. Each microfiber is embedded with silver antibacterial agents that are designed to inhibit odor, mold, and/or mildew growth on the rag.

After a light cleaning, all you need to do is a little rinse, rub it with soap and hang it to dry. Baclock will rid of 65-70% of bacteria after drying for 24 hours!

When is it Time to Clean My Norwex?

Product	How Often	How to Clean
Norwex  Microfiber – Low Bacteria	After each use	Hand wash with dish soap and warm water, rinse well, and hang to dry Launder weekly Deep clean every 6-12 months
Norwex Face Cloths (Body Pack cloths or makeup removal cloths)	After each use	Hand wash with dish soap and warm water, rinse well, and hang to dry Launder weekly Deep clean every 6-12 months
Norwex Kitchen Cloths or Counter Cloths	After each use	Hand wash with dish soap and warm water, rinse well, and hang to dry Launder every 2-3 days Deep clean every 6-12 months
Norwex Microfiber – High Bacteria	Immediately after use	Launder immediately
Norwex Dusting Mitt or Cloths for dusting	After each use	Use a rubber brush or hit on the deck rail after each use to rid of dust bunnies Launder every 2-3 months
Stinky & Smelly	When needed	Deep Clean
Dirty & Stained	When needed	Launder or Deep Clean

How to Clean Norwex Rags:

Daily Cleanings:

Just finished some light cleaning around the house? No need to launder! With the help of Norwex’s BacLock technology, all you need to do is a little rinse, rub, and dry before your next use.

How to Clean Norwex Rags By Hand:

Norwex Cloths / Face Cloths:

1. Rinse with warm running water and put a drop of dish soap, like Dawn, onto the cloth.
2. Use a little friction to agitate the fibers. This will release some of the dirt and debris.
3. Thoroughly rinse again with warm water and ring out any excess water.
4. Lastly, hang to dry until the next use.

Norwex Dusting Mitt / Dry Mop Pad:

1. Take the Norwex Rubber Brush and brush away dust bunnies. (This will also recharge the fibers!)
2. If you don’t have the rubber brush like me, hit the mitt or pad against the deck rail. This will get the job done!

Launder Cleanings:

After a week’s worth of cleaning, it is time to launder your Norwex cleaning products. A few rules when it comes to cleaning your Norwex rags in the washing machine.

1. No fabric softener or dryer sheets
2. No bleach
3. No linty loads (no to terry towels)

Now you may be asking, why? Let me explain.

1. Fabric softeners and dryer sheets are not recommended because they leave a coating on the fibers. This inhibits the fibers to trap as much dirt and grim.
2. Bleach is also not recommended because it can damage the microfibers, also reducing their ability to effectively clean.
3. Norwex Microfibers are very good at collecting lint, especially when dry. Dry your Norwex rags in a lint-free laundry load to avoid a plethora of lint on your rags.

How to Clean Norwex Rags in the Washing Machine:

1. Pour an eco-friendly, non-filler, non-fragrance laundry detergent into the washer drum.
   • Norwex liquid laundry detergent: 2 pumps for high efficiency / 3 pumps for regular washer
   • Norwex powder laundry detergent: 1 tsp in high efficiency / 1 scoop for regular washer
2. Add Norwex cleaning products into the washer and run the cycle on hot like normal.
3. After the rags have been washed, dry them in the dryer with dryer balls.

Can I use regular laundry detergent?

That depends. If you are using a top-selling liquid detergent, powder, or pod, then the answer is most likely no. Most of those are full of fillers and chemicals that clog the fibers.

Instead, Norwex recommends using a laundry detergent that doesn’t contain fillers, is highly concentrated, dissolves easily, and rinses out fully. Conveniently, Norwex sells its own laundry detergent, Ultra Power Plus, that meets all of these needs.

Some great substitutes are Seventh Generation Ultra Power Plus, Rosey’s by Thrive Market, and Molly’s Suds. I have been using Molly’s Suds since our daughter was born and have been so impressed! Our clothes are so clean and her skin has never had a reaction. Plus, I love the mission behind the company.

Deep Cleanings:

Deep cleaning for Norwex rags should be done every 6 months, or after a dirty job, like washing outdoor windows or outdoor furniture, or if your rags become stained.

Think of it like your teeth. We brush every day, but we go to the dentist 2x a year for a deep clean. The same is needed for your Norwex cleaning products.

Doing a deep clean extends the life of your Norwex products.

How to Deep Clean Norwex Rags:

1. Bring a large pot of water just before boiling (where you can see tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pot).
2. Plug up 1 or both sides of your sink. I would only soak 10-15 items per sink. (You could do this in a bucket or the bathtub as well!)
3. Pour 1 scoop of enzyme powder into the sink, like Norwex’s Microfiber Cleaner Laundry Booster.
4. Carefully add the pot of hot water to the sink. Mix with a wooden spoon until combined.
5. Drop all Norwex cleaning cloths, face cloths, and mop pads into the hot water.
6. Take a wooden spoon to mix and move the clothes in the hot water. This helps the enzymes to start breaking down some of that gunk.
7. Soak the dirty rags for at least 30 minutes.
8. After 30 minutes, ring out each item really well and put it in a bowl (The water will stink and look very dirty – lots of dirt and debris – one step close to cleaner rags! You can do the above steps a second time if needed)

Next, you have 2 options:

Option 1: Machine wash, then dry.

1. Scoop about 1-2tsp (depending on how many items you are washing) of Norwex Ultra Power Plus laundry detergent, into the drum of the washer.
2. Place Norwex cloths in the washer on top of the powder.
3. Run on high efficiency on hot.
4. After, put the Norwex Microfiber rags into the dryer on high.

Option 2: Skip the machine wash and head straight to the dryer.

1. Put Norwex cleaning products in the dryer straight away on high.

How to Clean Norwex Rags with Hard Water:

1. Use a spray bottle of distilled water for cleaning (rather than using your tap water)
2. Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to your microfiber loads
3. If you have a standard washing machine, the Norwex Magnet Ball can help decrease the effects of hard water. The magnetic ball pulls all the calcium deposits and minerals toward the center of the ball during the wash cycle.

What Can I Use to Clean Norwex Rags?

Dawn dish soap	Yes	But use sparingly and rise out well. If left on, the silver’s effectiveness will reduce at killing bacteria.
Vinegar	Yes
Baking soda	Yes
Bleach	No!	Bleach degrades the fibers, causing the cloth to not clean as efficiently.
Fabric softener	No!	Fabric softener leaves a coating on the fibers. Use vinegar instead.
Laundry Detergent	Depends	Laundry detergent full of fill, fragrances, and dies will leave a coating on the fibers. Instead, use a laundry detergent without fillers, fragrances, or dies.
Dryer Sheets	No!	Dryer sheets leave a coating on the fibers. Use a dryer ball instead.
Tide Pods	No!	Laundry detergent pods leave a coating on the fibers.

Happy Norwexing!