My Norwex and e-cloths don’t get an easy ride. I use them for almost every cleaning job, no matter how dirty. Some of them have gotten pretty raunchy looking, but I’ve come up with an easy way to remove stains from Norwex and e-cloth cleaning cloths.
Remember last week when I “washed” my car at the carwash and came home and wiped it with my e-cloth? Remember how dirty my e-cloth got? No? Well here’s a little reminder…
That, my friends, is a D-I-R-T-Y e-cloth. It’s full of grease and road grime. And you’re probably wondering:
“Is Kate nuts? Who uses an ivory-coloured e-cloth to clean up really dirty messes?“
- Perhaps I am nuts, but this is an old “shower” e-cloth that accidentally got washed with my brown Pet Towel so it’s not as “ivory” coloured as it used to be and for some reason I relegated it to the “odd jobs” basket.
- I wanted to show you that you CAN keep your Norwex and e-cloths nice and stain-free (except if you wash them with something that bleeds colour… like the pet towel)
3 Steps to Remove Stains from Norwex and e-cloths and Keep them Stain-Free
- Within a couple of hours of getting your Norwex or e-cloth super dirty/greasy, put it in your kitchen sink with a bit (1/2 tsp) of dish detergent and the HOTTEST water you can get. I add boiling water from my kettle.
- Let the Norwex or e-cloth sit there for 10 minutes or more and agitate the water periodically with a wooden spoon (you can use your hands but obviously that’s not advised if you used boiling water). Microfibre cloths need HEAT and AGITATION to release dirt and grease.
- Most of the “stains” should be gone now but some may linger. Rinse the cloth in hot water to remove the soap and then wash it in the washing machine. This does NOT have to happen right away – my cloth sat for 3 days before I washed it. Again, wash in the hottest water possible. Take a look at this beauty (beast?) of a washing machine! They don’t make ’em like this anymore do they? Steel drum inside – you know this baby is meant to last.
And presto-chango! A nice, clean, stain-free e-cloth. 
If your Norwex or e-cloth has an old stain in it, boil the cloth for 10-15 minutes with 2-4 tablespoons of baking soda and a bit of dish soap. This may not get rid of the stain completely but should lessen it.
I’ve got more info on washing Norwex and e-cloths here: When and How to Wash Norwex and ecloth
If you’ve got stinky or smelly e-cloth or Norwex cloths, give this a try.
If your e-cloths or Norwex are “stiff or crunchy”, check this out.
I tried to clean a bunch of my daughters e clothes, kitchen, body, baby, together,. They were stinky. I found a recommendation to boil them in water 10 min with 3/4 c water and 1/4 c vinegar. Since there were so many, I used the biggest pot and added a cup of vinegar. Had to do it in batches since there were so many. Used up all the water. Spun out the water. They didn’t smell. Then washed them in a medium load, hot water with Tide. Dried them but now they feel wired like they are still wet or with s coating on them. What do you think? Have I ruined them?
Hi Norma – if you use fabric softener there is sometimes residual softener in the dryer that the cloths pick up. Otherwise, the only thing I can think of is perhaps too much detergent in the wash cycle. This is a big cause of stinky cloths. You think you’re washing them but then soap gets left on the fibres and leads to stink. Your vinegar and boiling cure is definitely the way to go with stinky or stiff cloths.
I had a Maytag like that. So far it’s been the best machine we’ve had. It lasted 16 years, and I was disappointed because my mother-in-law’s lasted 25. Great Machine.
Kate–
I do laundry with either Dr. Bronner’s Liquid Castile Soap or Sal Suds along with essential oils (tea tree, peppermint, or lemongrass) and usually follow up with a vinegar rinse. Is it okay to use this routine with e-cloths?
Molly – it’s important that oil NOT be left in the cloths. Oil will reduce the effectiveness of the fibers and can lead to stinky cloths. As long as the oils are being washed out fully, your routine is fine.
How about soaking stained Norwex/e-cloths in OxiClean – will that hurt them?
Susan – certainly you can soak e-cloths in Oxi-clean (I got verification from our techies on that some time ago). I would contact Norwex (the customer service peeps, not your consultant) to find out about those ones. I’m sure it’s fine but better to check right with the source.
Thanks, Kate. I soaked my cloths in Oxi-Clean and was amazed at the grunge that came out. They look so much better.
Susan – I’m so happy to hear that.
lol I have that same washer-yes its a beast and i love it:) Perfect for a huge-the only kind i do-load of clothes and my cloth diapers:) Quick question, just cuz I am lazy after reading all around and only wanting to post one question. I have some norwex products, love them but not the cost. I was going to try some ecloth products but have found that at present I really need a toilet/shower cleaning solution that is friendly with ecloth and the paste that norwex has to replace my barkeepers and bon ami stuff. Does ecloth have anything compareable? If not, is the norwex cleaning paste worth it? I should mention we live on a farm and I have two, soon three, children under 4 who believe the world is only good if there are no shoes and dirt on everything! Thats how I like it too:) I need stuff that cleans and doesnt just clean dust. Thanks for the reviews and any recommendations. Also, I have seen what I thought was “ecloth” for sale at a mennonite type store near us. Type of store that sells everything but it seems to only sell true ecloth online. Can it be bought in a retail store? Is there a way to tell if its geniune?
Stefani – Universal Stone is sold by e-cloth and is similar to the Norwex paste but can be used in many more areas because it’s completely non-abrasive. You can use it on wood, painted surfaces, silverware, glass, leather etc. It’s great for cleaning stainless steel (I use it on my kitchen sink), tubs/showers, and scuff marks on walls. I’ve also used it to clean rust off my car (type Universal Stone in the search box on this blog and you’ll see a couple of my posts about it with before and after pics). The only things I don’t find it effective on are hard water/mineral buildup and inside my oven (my oven needs something with some scouring power!).
Yes, some e-cloths are sold in select specialty stores. They often only carry a few of the items but may have what you need. You should know it’s genuine by the packaging – but it will certainly have the TADGreen Inc. address in NH on the packaging.
Thanks for all the helpful info! I have to tell you we had that same washing machine at a rental place for 10 yrs, it was 2 yrs old when we moved in & never a problem! Be glad, It’ll last you forever 🙂
Great news Ann! My washer is actually re-build from 3 separate old washers. There’s a great guy that rebuilds them down the road from me. He promised me years of cleaning. Looks like crap but built like a tank, for sure.