The $4 Cleaning Gem That Makes My Bathroom and Kitchen Sparkle Every Day

Earlier this month, I had to give my apartment a pretty major deep clean. Luckily, the situation never gets too dire because it’s so small and easy to maintain, but I needed to go above and beyond with family visiting for the weekend. My aunt was planning on staying on my couch for a few days, so I knew a cursory clean wouldn’t be good enough. Nope, I needed to bring out the big guns.

Usually when this happens, I go through more paper towels than I should. I know it’s not the greatest practice for my wallet or the environment, and in my defense, I’ve cut down on them since getting an electric spin scrubber for my shower. For some reason, though, I just never got around to buying a microfiber cloth for wiping down every other surface in my bathroom and kitchen.

So, I decided, what better occasion to finally make the switch than with my family’s visit? Even beyond deep cleanings, Scotch-Brite’s three-in-one microcloth has become something I use every single day — and in every room.

I’ve heard all about the benefits of microfiber cleaning cloths for years — it didn’t earn a spot on our Ultimate Cleaning Supplies list for nothing. The synthetic material has a positive charge, which makes it wildly effective at picking up things that have a negative charge like dirt and debris. The strands are also split so that they’re even thinner than a human hair, making them ultra-absorbent. In fact, microfiber can hold seven times its weight in water!

Scotch-Brite’s version consists of 90% polyester and 10% nylon, with a generous size of about 11 inches by 12 inches. It claims to absorb up to 50% more than regular cotton dishcloths while still drying and rinsing quickly. It’s built for making everything — from appliances to windows to countertops — spotless and streak-free, and when you’ve finished with it, you can toss it in the wash and reuse it again and again. Oh, and it’s so soft that it won’t leave any scratches behind!

Before putting it to work, I read up on all of the best ways to use microfiber cloths. According to Logan Taylor, owner of The Dazzle Company, you should “use the ribbed side for scrubbing and the fluffy side for dusting.” Takeaway number two: Leave it dry for dusting and use a wrung-out wet cloth for spots with heavier grime. And finally, they’re not really built for tackling caked-on messes. (That’s when a spin scrubber or sponge comes in handy.)

Armed with my new knowledge, I started off using the cloth in a more unexpected way: to dry dishes. I’ve only ever used regular old cotton towels on my dishes, and they become damp and ineffective way too fast. (And before you ask: I don’t have space for a dish rack or the patience for air-drying.) The difference between that and Scotch-Brite’s cloth has been mind-blowing. It took seconds for my dishes to be completely free of droplets, and after a good half hour of washing, the cloth itself was hardly soggy.

After using the cloth to wipe down my splashed countertop, I took it to my bathroom. It only took a couple of passes for my mirror to be totally clear and streak-free — zero cleaning solution required! My metal bathroom fixtures were gleaming near-instantly, too. Not too thick or thin, the cloth also fits into corners and crevices easily.

I even ended up taking the cloth to my bathroom ceiling, where little yellow dots had formed. (From what I can tell, they’re a result of bad ventilation and improperly cured latex paint.) They were pretty stuck-on, and even though I know you’re not supposed to use microfiber for scrubbing, the cloth got the job done pretty quickly. After tossing it in the wash, it doesn’t show any signs of wear either.

I immediately bought an extra cloth so I can use one for cleaning and the other for dish drying. It’s become an everyday staple. (At this rate, I should’ve gone with the $10 12-pack.) My next order of business is to snag a Guppyfriend bag to make sure microplastics don’t pollute the wastewater during my laundry cycle, and then I’ll be golden!

Buy: Scotch-Brite 3-in-1 Microfiber Cloth, $3.84