Microfiber Glass Cloth: What to Look For and How to Use It
Quick Answer: A good cloth for glassware is large enough to cradle a bowl, clean, and leaves no lint. Glassmakers ask for a lint-free or soft, non-fluffy cloth, and none of the maker pages cited here names a specific fabric. Use it on a washed, rinsed glass, dry or barely damp. It finishes a clean glass. It does not remove film or etching.
Most searches for a microfiber glass cloth come from someone drying or polishing glassware, and some from someone cleaning windows. This post is about glassware: what to look for, how to use the cloth, how to keep it clean, and what the makers actually ask for. The full wash routine comes first, and it is in how to clean wine glasses. For why streaks appear in the first place, see The Secret to Streak-Free Crystal.
What is a microfiber glass cloth, and is it for glasses or windows?
It is a microfiber cloth used to dry and polish glass. The Excalibur Brothers listing describes its cloth as lint-free, smooth to the touch, and suitable for stemware, wine glasses, glass doors, windows and kitchen appliances. A cloth that has cleaned appliances may carry residue, so it is simplest to keep one set for drinking glasses only.
What should you look for in a cloth for glassware?
No lint, softness and cleanliness. None of the maker pages cited here gives a weight, a fiber blend or a thread count to look for, so this post does not either.
| Look for | Why | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lint-free | Waterford says to dry with a lint-free cloth. Libbey asks for a towel that leaves no fibers behind | Waterford, Libbey |
| Soft, non-fluffy | Val Saint Lambert says to dry crystal with a soft, non-fluffy cloth | Val Saint Lambert |
| Clean | Rückl says to wipe glass dry with a clean cloth so water does not settle | Rückl |
| Large size | A large cloth can support the bowl while you polish. This is technique, not a maker rule | None |
How do you use a microfiber cloth on a wine glass?
Start with a washed, rinsed glass and a clean cloth, dry or barely dampened. Hold the bowl in one hand with a cloth under it, and polish the inside and outside with a second cloth. Then hold the base firmly and polish it. Waterford's warning is not to twist the bowl in the opposite direction to the stem when washing or drying, because that can cause damage. Refold to a dry face of the cloth when the one in use turns damp.
Is microfiber better than a cotton towel or glass cloth?
The makers do not say. Waterford and Libbey ask for lint-free, Val Saint Lambert for soft and non-fluffy, and Rückl for clean. None names microfiber, linen or cotton, so the test is whether the cloth sheds fibers, not what it is made of. The Corning Museum of Glass conservators add that after a rinse in distilled or deionized water, towel drying and air drying are both acceptable, because the minerals that cause spots are gone.
How do you keep a polishing cloth clean?
Wash it as its care label says. The product page for the Excalibur Brothers cloth says machine washable. A cloth that sheds lint fails the lint-free rule in the table above, so retire it if it does. A polishing cloth is for a clean glass. It does not disinfect anything.
Where does the Excalibur Brothers cloth fit?
The Excalibur Brothers Premium Glass Polishing Cloth is our own product, sold on this site. It is listed at 23.5 x 20 inches per cloth and sold as a pack of two, and the collection offers white, gray and an assorted pair. Full details are on the page for the Premium Glass Polishing Cloth in an assorted pair. The pack of two suits a two-cloth method: one to support the bowl, one to polish.
When this is not the right choice: if the glass is still cloudy after a proper wash, the cause is film or etching, and no cloth fixes either. If you already own large, clean, lint-free cloths, you do not need another pair.
Frequently asked questions
What is microfiber glass?
The phrase is usually shorthand for a microfiber cloth used on glass. In this post it means a cloth for drying and polishing drinking glasses.
What is a polishing cloth for glass?
A clean, lint-free cloth used after washing, to take water off the glass so it does not dry into spots. The glassmakers cited here ask for a lint-free or non-fluffy cloth.
Can you use a microfiber cloth on wet glass?
Yes, but a cloth that is already damp dries less. The Excalibur Brothers product page says to use its cloth dry or barely dampened, and Libbey says to hand-dry glasses promptly.
Is microfiber better than a tea towel for drying glasses?
The makers cited here ask for lint-free, not for a fabric. A tea towel that sheds lint fails that test. One that does not shed is acceptable to Waterford and Libbey.
Can you machine wash a polishing cloth?
The Excalibur Brothers product page says its cloth is machine washable. For any other cloth, follow its care label.