ELECOM Microfiber Cleaning Cloth (L) After 4 Years: Still Almost as Good as New

This is the English edition of a review from my Japanese YouTube channel, iestaLife. I review gadgets from my home studio in Japan, so product links go to Amazon Japan.

Quick take

I have used ELECOM's large "super strong" microfiber cleaning cloth for about four years, washing it in the washing machine the whole time. I bought a second one and wiped the same fingerprint-covered iPad with both. The new cloth may clear smudges a touch faster, but the four-year-old one still does the job in a single pass.

Four-year-old and new ELECOM cleaning cloths — The four-year-old cloth next to the new one

What I tested

ELECOM ultra-fine fiber cleaning cloth, size L (¥1,280 list, ¥1,080 on a time sale when I bought it)
My original cloth of the same model, used and machine-washed for about four years
Wiping an iPad screen covered in fingerprints, half with each cloth

What I found

Little loss of performance: the old cloth's pile has flattened, but cleaning results were nearly identical.
Size helps: the large cloth wipes a whole tablet in one sweep. It also works fine on a phone.
Ages well: after four years it shows few stains, so it does not look worn out.
My off-label uses: sunglasses, camera protective filters and an old guitar. These are my own trade-offs; dedicated cloths are gentler.

Wiping an iPad with the ELECOM cloth — Wiping my iPad

	4 years old	New
Pile	Flattened	Soft and fluffy
iPad fingerprints	Gone with a light wipe	Gone slightly faster, if anything

Who it is for

Tablet and laptop users who want screens clean in seconds
People who want one inexpensive cloth that survives machine washing
Not ideal if you need a dedicated lens or instrument cloth with no risk of micro-scratches

【超長期レビュー】4年間使い倒したクロスと「新品」を比較検証。エレコムのクリーニングクロスの耐久性がバケモノだった

The video is in Japanese. The side-by-side wipe test starts around 2:00.

Limitations

This is one person's long-term use of one cloth, not a lab test. My iPhone and iPad have glass screen protectors, so I did not judge the risk of fine scratches on bare screens or coated lenses. ELECOM is a Japanese brand, and this exact cloth may be hard to find outside Japan.

Products

ELECOM microfiber cleaning cloth, size L: on Amazon Japan

The Amazon Japan links above are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Check the listing for the exact model, current price and shipping availability in your region.

More reviews in English