Originally published April 14, 2013 • Updated September 2026
If you’ve been using Norwex for a long time, you may remember a time when boiling Norwex microfiber cloths was commonly recommended as a way to deep clean them and remove stubborn buildup and odors. “Should I boil Norwex cloths?” In fact, years ago I taught this method myself! We used to recommend boiling Norwex cloths for about 10 minutes every 6–12 months, if needed.
Today, however, I no longer recommend boiling as the preferred way to deep clean your Norwex microfiber.
Can You Boil Norwex Cloths?
Technically, you may have heard this recommended in older Norwex training and cloth-care information—including from me! But our cloth-care recommendations have changed over the years as products and best practices have evolved.
Today, I prefer using the Norwex Deep Clean method with Microfiber Cleaner Laundry Booster. I’ve found this to be a much gentler option for the microfiber long-term while still doing a great job of removing the buildup that can accumulate in heavily used cloths.
Boiling also comes with some obvious risks. You’re dealing with a pot of extremely hot water and wet microfiber, and excessive heat or improper handling can potentially damage your cloths or cause burns.
For those reasons, boiling is no longer an official Norwex recommendation, and I no longer recommend it as my preferred deep-cleaning method. If you choose to boil older Norwex microfiber based on previous instructions, you would be doing so at your own risk.
What Should I Do Instead?
If your Norwex cloths have become stiff, smelly, less absorbent or just don’t seem to be performing the way they once did, I recommend doing a Norwex Deep Clean with Microfiber Cleaner Laundry Booster instead.
This is different from the old deep-clean method you may see in some of my older content using Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent. Today, Microfiber Cleaner Laundry Booster is my preferred product specifically for giving heavily used microfiber a deeper clean.
I’ve put together a complete, updated guide explaining exactly how I wash, care for and deep clean my Norwex microfiber after more than 17 years of using these cloths.
→ Read my updated guide: How to Wash Norwex Cloths + Deep Clean Them
How Should I Wash Norwex Cloths Regularly?
For everyday cloth care, you usually don’t need to do anything complicated. Wash them in the washer. Dry them in the dryer. 😉
The three big things I tell people to avoid are fabric softener and dryer sheets, bleach, and washing microfiber with linty loads. Proper everyday care goes a long way toward keeping your cloths working well and reducing how often you need to give them a deeper clean.
For all the details—including washing, drying, odors, buildup, deep cleaning and my current cloth-care recommendations—head over to my complete Norwex cloth-care guide.
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What happens when you over boil your cloths? Would they become slimy?
Great question, Anastasia! I actually very rarely boil my cloths at all… once a year at most. My preferred method of deep-cleaning is to bring water to a boil, remove from heat and add a teaspoon of the Norwex Ultra Power Plus Laundry Detergent. Let that dissolve and then add cloths to soak for a while. After this soak, rinse very well and launder as usual. If you have very hard water, try boiling distilled water instead of tap water.
With that said, I’ve never experienced slimy cloths after boiling, but wouldn’t recommend overboiling anyway.
Hello! I was wondering do you wash all different norwex cloths together? Such as all your enviro cloths, kitchen cloths, and bath towels? Or do you do bath towels and kitchen cloths, bathroom cloths(for the toilet) separately?
Excellent question! Yes, I wash all of my Norwex together on HOT and then dry them. Just be sure you don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets (which tend to be quite toxic, anyway, so worth eliminating from your laundry routine!)