Microfibre Cleansing Cloth

[divadoll]

I use the oil cleansing method - OCM to remove my make up at the end of each day. I put massage the oil on my face for about 5 minutes to loosen the gunk including mascara and waterproof eyeliner and I use a microfibre cleansing cloth to wipe it all away. It removes most of the oil and all of the make up from my face gently and thoroughly. The MF cleansing cloth is not the same as the ones you use to scrub your counters, it has a different weave. I buy them from the dollar store but they are labelled as face cloths.

I was wondering what you guys use?

 

[Dragonfly]

If they are disposible, then why not use them. Unscented baby wipes work great.

But it the clothes are going to be used repeatedly, they will harbour bacteria.

The last thing you want to to reintroduce bacteria to your hair, face or body.

No amount of machine washing or drying can kill bacteria - you need to an autoclave.

 

[divadoll]

Bacteria as actually quite easy to kill - bleach, high temperatures from a dryer, detergents, lack of growth medium (no water), tea tree oil, alcohol, vinegar will kill bacteria. Moist situations will breed bacteria such as moist towelettes that have been improperly handled like baby wipes.

Throwing a wet towel in a microwave for 3 minutes is enough to kill any bacteria there.

 

[Dragonfly]

Chemical agents destroy only pathogenic organisms that at ON or IN an object.

This process of destroying the pathogens is called Disinfection, and the object is said to be disinfected.

However, this is not sterilization, and the chemical agents do not sterilize anything.

Microwaves may kill some microbes but it depends on the strength and the duration. I can assure you that home microwaves are not capable of this.

Same with dishwashers, washers and dryers - they don't kill bacteria either.

Also, freezing does not kill microbes either - they have a nice nap until they are thawed. Then they are just are lethel.

I work in a surgical unit - we have to sterilize everything. Autoclaves are most commonly used, but dry heat, gas, radiation, submersion with agents are also used.

Bottom line:

If you want to use any face cloth or sponge, throw it out after each use. If not, you are only encouraging unnecessary bacteria to colonize on your face, hair and body.

 

[internetchick]

I have never heard that your face cloths need to be sterile. Your face brushes don't, so why cloths? Baby wipes aren't sterile once you start using them, so how are they better? Just curious.

 

[divadoll]

Originally Posted by Dragonfly /img/forum/go_quote.gif Chemical agents destroy only pathogenic organisms that at ON or IN an object.
This process of destroying the pathogens is called Disinfection, and the object is said to be disinfected.

However, this is not sterilization, and the chemical agents do not sterilize anything.

Microwaves may kill some microbes but it depends on the strength and the duration. I can assure you that home microwaves are not capable of this.

Same with dishwashers, washers and dryers - they don't kill bacteria either.

Also, freezing does not kill microbes either - they have a nice nap until they are thawed. Then they are just are lethel.

I work in a surgical unit - we have to sterilize everything. Autoclaves are most commonly used, but dry heat, gas, radiation, submersion with agents are also used.

Bottom line:

If you want to use any face cloth or sponge, throw it out after each use. If not, you are only encouraging unnecessary bacteria to colonize on your face, hair and body.

I agree with Internetchick. You are overthinking this. I use it to wash my face, not perform surgery and for its intended purpose, disinfection is more than sufficient. Like I previously wrote, you will contaminate your wet wipes the moment you opened it and it has a lovely growth medium to help them thrive. You may work at a surgical unit but this isn't surgery and I know the difference between sterilization and disinfection. Just because I like make up doesn't mean that I didn't go to university and have a biology degree (far from my current line of work, I know) To expand on your theory, you'll have to throw away your bath towels, brushes, makeup, lipstick, face creams, clothing after each use, but you don't. You just wash them and that is sufficient and you dont go all septic and die. These are all external uses, I will remember to autoclave or radiate my instruments the next time I perform surgery tho

Bleach will kill bacteria. It will kill viruses as well which are harder to kill bacteria. Cooking food will kill bacteria, heat will kill bacteria. It may not kill all types of bacteria but it will kill bacteria.

 

[Dragonfly]

"I have never heard that your face cloths need to be sterile. Your face brushes don't, so why cloths? Baby wipes aren't sterile once you start using them, so how are they better? Just curious."

I don't use face clothes because they harbour bacteria from the last time I used them.

Since I still suffer from cystic acne, the last thing I want is to encourage more bacteria to grow on my face. A very wise Dermatologist encouraged me to stop using face clothes years ago - and my acne did improve.

I wash my blush brush regularly and I use disposable triangular sponges. But I agree that I can still get bacteria on my face, from make up applications.

If you open a box of wipes and pull one out, this is not going to contaminate the entire box. If you rubbed your fingers all over them, that's another story.

I just wanted to share some of my knowledge on bacteria - and how to avoid unnecessarily contaminated one's face with them.

As I said before, it's your face - use reusable clothes if you want to.

 

[divadoll]

Thank you for the microbiology lesson but it was definitely overkill for a thread about a cleansing cloth. I wash mine everyday. I alternate the 3 that I have, washed, dried and use.

I also wash my face with facial soap after I use it to remove my makeup. We don't need anymore things that are disposable. It is so contradictory that we are all talking about the environment and then we use so many disposable things. I have also began to make my own laundry soap to cut down on packaging and chemical usage.

The air will contaminate anything because there are airborne microbes as well that is why Sterile bandages are individually wrapped. Normally, you will touch at least 1 wetwipe that you did not take out of the container. That will contaminate your whole batch.

 

[internetchick]

Carolyn, what brand of baby wipes do you use? I have never used them on my face, but think they might work for really hot days when I want to do a quick clean.

 

[Dragonfly]

I don't use any wipes - just my bare hands to be honest.

I've heard that Huggies Unscented do a good job.

They are quite strong and have no scent (which can be irritating to the skin).

keep them in the fridge so they will be extra refreshing.

 

[divadoll]

I find wet wipes on my face rather drying. The chemicals that keep it moist makes my skin feel tight and irritated. It also contains Propylene Glycol which may cause skin irritation, other places says it causes liver abnormalities and cancer as well. It is a petroleum product. I am avoiding all petroleum products on/in my body at all cost. I know sometimes they will be there but if I know its there, I will stay away.