You'll never want to go back to sponges and paper towels when you try these Scandinavian inspired cloths...they absorb about 15 times their weight in water! They soften when wet, and wash & dry like a dream! They're made out of 100% cellulose, a natural fiber, and printed with water based inks. Since they're all natural you can even compost them should you tire of them! Can be cleaned in the dishwasher and is washer and dryer safe up to 90°C (190°F). To keep germ-free is to microwave it daily when damp for 1-2 minutes. The Swedish Cloth will be extremely hot when removing from the microwave so please use caution and wait a moment. Immediately run under cool water to rinse. Happy cleaning!