Each colour stands for a specific zone, task or set of tasks. You’d use a different colour cloth for washrooms than you would for food preparation areas, for example. There’s no single legal standard, so the exact allocation varies from sector to sector and depends on your own cleaning policy, although many organisations follow the same common conventions.

It comes down to the task, the surface you’re cleaning and whether you need a disposable or reusable option. If you’re not sure, our team is happy to help you match the right products to your areas and procedures.

Disposable options are used in the short term and then thrown away, which works well in high-risk areas where you want to rule out any chance of carry-over. Reusable wipes can be used again when they’re laundered properly, helping to bring down ongoing costs and waste. Plenty of sites find a mix of both works best.

It isn’t legally mandatory, but it has become the industry gold standard. Food safety laws don’t specify particular cloth colours, but failing to prevent cross-contamination does breach food safety regulations. Colour coding is the most widely accepted way to show you’re controlling that risk, which is why it’s so commonly used to support HACCP procedures and makes good practice easy to evidence during an audit.

A clear colour coded system shows at a glance that cleaning is kept separate by area, which makes it much easier to evidence good practice and demonstrate that contamination risks are under control.

You’ll find them right across healthcare, food production, hospitality, facilities management and contract cleaning, and anywhere else that controlling cross-contamination matters.

Yes, and it’s a comprehensive range. Harrisons Hygiene supplies both reusable and disposable colour coded microfibre cloths, alongside colour coded wipes, in a variety of weights and textures. That means we can find a wipe to suit every workplace’s process and requirements.

Yes, they are. The J-Cloth® Compostable is made from 100% natural materials and meets EN 13432, the European standard for compostability. Our Harrisons Hygiene Compostable Wipes certified to EN 13432 as well. Both let you cut down on waste without giving anything up on cleaning performance.

Only wash microfibre cloths with other microfibre cloths, as cotton and other fabrics shed lint that clogs the fibres. Use a gentle detergent at 40 to 60°C, since anything too hot can warp the fibres. Steer clear of bleach, softeners and conditioners, which break down or coat the microscopic fibres that trap dirt and moisture. Finally, tumble dry on the lowest heat or air dry, giving each cloth a shake first to open up the fibres.

Yes. We can take a look at the wipes you’re using now and send an expert out to carry out a free site survey, bringing samples for your team to trial in the way you actually work. That way you can see how they perform in practice before you commit to any change.