Cotton: great for shirts, bad for glass surfaces. Microfiber: great for glass surfaces, less comfortable than cotton as a shirt material. Cotton shirts: veeeerrrrry tempting to use for cleaning glasses and smartphone screens because it gets the job done and is always handy (you're wearing it, after all), but prone to leaving scratches. Microfiber cleaning cloths: great for cleaning your glass surfaces, does the job and doesn't scratch, but prone to not being around when needed. Microfiber shirts: available, but not as comfy or ubiquitous as cotton shirts.
The solution: microfiber bands, about 4 inches wide like a sash, which you have sewn onto the bottom of your undershirts. It stays clean because it gets tucked into your pants, separated from your body by (I hope) underwear. Whenever you need to wipe off your glasses or smartphone screen or camera lens, you now have a readily available, safe to use cloth.-- 21 Quest, Mar 05 2013 the difference is in the thread construction http://en.m.wikiped...fiber-vs-Cotton.png [21 Quest, Mar 06 2013] Since the hem of my shirt serves the purpose of all-purpose wipe, from lunchtime napkin to hankerchief to engine degreaser (typically in the span of a single day), I give this a nice sticky bun. Don't worry about the icing, just wipe it on your shirt.-- Alterother, Mar 05 2013 Cotton, provided it's clean and is not new cotton (which may contain abraisive 'fillers', is great for cleaning glass. Also, both cotton and microfibre cloth are just as likely to pick up abraisive bits of dirt, so just as likely to scratch your glasses when you've been wearing them for a bit.-- hippo, Mar 06 2013 My understanding is that microfiber cloth is designed to draw the scratchy particles into the cloth, away from the outer surface. Cotton, not being so designed, absorbs things like fingerprint oil just fine, but simply pushes the scratchy particles around instead of drawing them away from the surface.-- 21 Quest, Mar 06 2013 + I think it's a good idea. It's something that I always do with my glasses and camera lens, so a special band of (whatever fiber) that works best will help a lot!-- xandram, Mar 06 2013 I used to do it all the time, too. I just replaced my glasses because the lenses were scratched to hell, and every optometrist I've spoken to says wiping the lenses with your shirt is the leading cause of that kind of damage. I also noticed my smartphone screen has a permanent scratch on it that occured while I was cleaning it with my shirt. So for now, I'm making a conscious effort to always keep a microfiber cloth in my pocket, but it gets covered in lint and pocket debris there, so I have to shake it out and blow on it to clear off the cloth before using it. I'm seriously considering buying some large microfiber cleaning shams for cars and taking them to a tailor to get them sewn onto my shirts.-- 21 Quest, Mar 06 2013 I have microfiber cloths that are great at removing grease. The problem is, it's hit or miss. I've had microfiber cloths from the same package that absorbed grease and just spread it around. I try to hang on to the good ones.-- DIYMatt, Mar 06 2013 The first link is closest, but still not what I have in mind. The microfiber band is too high to be tucked into the waistline of one's pants. Worn as-is, it is prone to getting dirty, covered in dust and food spillage.
The second link is neat, but not an undershirt, and only has microfiber cloth in the back. My idea calls for a wrap-around- band, which provides more wiping surface area and flexibility of use. The sleeve bit is neat, but again prone to picking dust and other filth. If you slosh a drink, it'll run down your wrist and soak into the microfiber.-- 21 Quest, Mar 06 2013 You could concatenate, with layers like a squeeze-box held closed by velcro until needed, to keep the fluff out.
I suggest microfibre, sandpaper, emery paper, a baby wipes layer, kevlar (for our transatlantic cousins) and possibly one layer of neutronium for some situation I can't quite imagine at the moment.-- not_morrison_rm, Mar 08 2013 Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a network of miniature battle stations orbiting around you, kid.-- 21 Quest, Mar 08 2013 In my country, we call bottom shirts "boxer shorts".-- bungston, Mar 11 2013 Why isnt this magic cleaning cloth used for pocket linings?-- pocmloc, Mar 11 2013 Bungston, note the placement of the hyphen. Poc, that's a good question. A damn good question.-- 21 Quest, Mar 11 2013 random, halfbakery