Reusable or Disposable Cloths for Toilets? What the Evidence Says
Both can work. Reusable microfibre cloths can clean a toilet well if they are used on toilets only and washed properly afterwards. Disposable cloths skip the washing step because they are thrown away after one use. The research does not show that either one beats the other every time. What matters is that a cloth used on a toilet never touches another surface. At Anna MK Clean, we use disposable materials for toilets.
This guide is for homeowners, tenants and landlords. The studies it draws on were done in hospitals and laboratories, not homes, so read them as a guide to principles and not as household rules. Sources were checked on 19 October 2026 and are linked at the end. It is general information, not medical advice.
Where the risk sits
The cloth is not the hazard in itself. The hazard is a used cloth reaching another surface. A 2009 laboratory study found that damp microfibre cloths substantially reduced microorganisms on a dirty surface, but that a folded cloth then spread some of them onto the clean surfaces wiped afterwards.
Hospitals manage this with colour coding. The NHS national colour coding scheme reserves red for bathrooms, washrooms, showers, toilets, basins and bathroom floors. It applies to reusable and disposable cloths, mops, buckets and non-disposable gloves, and it exists to stop cloths moving between types of area, such as bathrooms and kitchens. A stricter rule is easy to follow at home: a cloth that has touched a toilet is not used on anything else.
What the research shows
The evidence on microfibre is mixed. It does not support the idea that microfibre always beats other materials.
A 2008 laboratory study found ultramicrofibre cloths, moistened with water only, removed bacteria more consistently than conventional cloths across all the surfaces tested. The authors said more work was needed on how to launder such cloths safely.
A 2006 study compared six microfibre cloths used wet. Most were not significantly better than paper towel or a conventional cloth, and the authors said the name microfibre does not guarantee better cleaning.
A 2019 study found microfibre used with detergent or disinfectant did significantly better than water alone, including in limiting the spread of microorganisms between surfaces.
A 2010 hospital study found new microfibre cloths performed best, but after 10 and 20 washes at 90°C for 5 minutes, cotton did best overall. A later review questioned the study’s statistics and noted that for E. coli the result went the other way. Treat it as one data point, not a rule.
Put together, the result depends on the cloth, the cleaning product and how the cloth is washed.
Washing reusable cloths
If you use reusable cloths, the washing matters as much as the wiping. HSE guidance for used linen in healthcare sets a standard of 65°C held for at least 10 minutes, or 71°C for at least 3 minutes. Microfibre has limits of its own. One trade guide advises keeping wash temperatures at or below about 71°C, and some makers advise cooler washes, so the care label comes first.
Trade guidance also says to wash microfibre apart from other fabrics, because it picks up lint, and never to use fabric softener, which clogs the fibres. Whether bleach is acceptable depends on the maker. Care home guidance from Lincolnshire County Council says cleaning cloths should be washed separately from other linen. Dry cloths fully before storing them. One trade guide suggests keeping microfibre drying temperatures below about 60°C. Replace any cloth that has gone matted or stopped absorbing.
When disposables are the right choice
Blood and other body fluid spills are one case. NHS infection control guidance for England sets out disposable paper towels with a chlorine-based product, and in healthcare settings the used materials are thrown away as healthcare waste. Chlorine products can damage carpets and soft furnishings, so the same guidance treats those separately. Disposables are also the right choice where a site or client requires single-use materials.
Outside those cases, a review of healthcare cleaning policies found that they did not require single-use wipes.
The cost in waste
Disposables create more waste. A 2022 life cycle study compared reusable cotton and microfibre cloths with single-use cloths for cleaning surfaces in healthcare, each used with three disinfectants. The lowest environmental impact came from a reusable microfibre cloth used with a common hospital disinfectant. Most of the impact came from the disinfectant itself and from travel. The study was done in healthcare, not homes, but choosing disposables for toilets still adds waste, and that applies to our work too.
How we clean toilets at Anna MK Clean
We use disposable materials for toilets. A disposable cloth is used once and thrown away, so it cannot carry anything onto the next surface and does not depend on a wash cycle. The trade-off is the waste described above. This is how we work, not a rule: the research supports reusable cloths too, when they are kept for toilets and washed properly.
You can request a quote for end-of-tenancy cleaning or deep cleaning in Milton Keynes. Our end of tenancy checklist and guide to what a professional deep clean covers explain what a clean involves.
Frequently asked questions
Are reusable microfibre cloths hygienic enough for toilets?
They can be. The cloth has to be used on toilets only, washed on its own, dried fully and replaced when worn. The studies show results vary by cloth, cleaning product and washing, so the word microfibre does not guarantee a clean result.
Are disposable cloths more hygienic than reusable ones?
Not by themselves. In one laboratory comparison, most microfibre cloths were not significantly better than paper towels. A disposable cloth helps because it is thrown away after use, and it only helps if one cloth is not used on a second surface.
Can I wash toilet cloths with other laundry?
No. Wash them on their own. Microfibre picks up lint from other fabrics, and care home guidance says cleaning cloths are washed separately from other linen.
What temperature should reusable cloths be washed at?
Follow the care label first. Hospital guidance for used linen is 65°C for at least 10 minutes or 71°C for at least 3 minutes, but some makers advise cooler washes, and one trade guide keeps microfibre at or below about 71°C.
What do you use to clean toilets?
Anna MK Clean uses disposable materials for toilets.
Sources
Checked on 19 October 2026.
National Patient Safety Agency, Colour coding hospital cleaning materials and equipment, and Say No to Infection, National colour-coding scheme fact sheet (September 2025).
NHS England, National infection prevention and control manual, Appendix 9: management of blood and body fluid spills.
Bergen et al., Spread of bacteria on surfaces when cleaning with microfiber cloths, Journal of Hospital Infection, 2009.
Wren et al., Removing bacteria from hospital surfaces: a laboratory comparison of ultramicrofibre and standard cloths, Journal of Hospital Infection, 2008.
A laboratory evaluation of the decontamination properties of microfiber cloths, Journal of Hospital Infection, 2006.
Robertson, Barrell and Maillard, Combining detergent/disinfectant with microfibre material provides a better control of microbial contaminants on surfaces than the use of water alone, Journal of Hospital Infection, 2019.
Diab-Elschahawi et al., Evaluation of the decontamination efficacy of new and reprocessed microfiber cleaning cloth, American Journal of Infection Control, 2010, and Healthcare Purchasing News, Microbial efficacy of new and reprocessed microfiber in a clinical setting, which summarises the later review.
Maloney et al., The environmental footprint of single-use versus reusable cloths for clinical surface decontamination: a life cycle approach, Journal of Hospital Infection, 2022.
CleanLink, Microfiber laundering tips.
Lincolnshire County Council, Guidance for the safe management of linen.