If I get a microfibre cloth dirty (e.g. by dropping it on the ground), is it possible to clean it (in a washing machine, for example)? Or should I just throw it away and get a new one?
Thanks!
Just to be clear: what I'm concerned about is: will washing the cloth get rid of all the grit?
It is possible to wash most of them in a washing machine -- just be careful not to use any fabric softener.
If you're ultra-paranoid about your glass (like me), you may want to write off any dirty cloths for use as screen wipes, or pass to relatives for use as glasses wipes, and replace with a brand new cloth for your lenses.
I wash them with just a bit of liquid hand soap, in the basically the same way I wash my hands.
However you wash them, another good tip is to boil them for one or two minutes after washing, which helps release the fibres and restores the cloth a little closer to how it was when you bought it.
When washing microfiber cloths, I've noticed it helps to use a liquid detergent, rather than a dry granular one. I've had small granules of dry detergent get stuck on some of my microfiber cloths, and the grit in them is enough to smudge or scratch a lens.
