An antimicrobial material having at least one yarn having fine fiber of 1.0 denier or less and at least one yarn having antimicrobial fiber that are engaged with each other, wherein the antimicrobial fibers impart an antimicrobial property to the entire material. In a preferred embodiment, the yarns of fine fiber and yarns of antimicrobial fiber are woven or knitted together. It is further preferred that the fine fiber be less than 0.3 denier, have a diameter of approximately 3 microns, and have a generally triangular cross-section with sharp edges, therefore allowing the fine fiber to substantially remove bacteria, fungi and other microbes from a surface. It is also preferred that the antimicrobial fibers comprise an acetate fiber spun together with polyester to give the antimicrobial fiber added strength.

FIELD OF INVENTION
 This invention relates generally to cleaning cloths. More particularly,
 this invention relates to a woven or knitted cleaning cloth comprising
 antimicrobial fiber combined with ultra-microfiber, microfiber or
 microfilament.
 BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
 It is presently known to use various types of woven and knitted cloths for
 cleaning purposes. Usually these cloths are made of natural fibers such as
 cotton or wool, or blends of such natural fibers with nylon, rayon,
 polyester, and the like. However, these cloths have several drawbacks when
 used for cleaning purposes.
 First, because the fibers contained in such cloths are relatively large,
 they are incapable of removing particles and microbes that are smaller
 than the fibers of the cloth. Thus, although the cloths are able to remove
 relatively large particles, a substantial amount of the smaller particles
 and microbes are merely spread around the surface desired to be cleaned
 without being removed. This results in an incomplete cleaning operation.
 A further problem with present woven or knitted cleaning cloths is that
 such cloths do not contain antimicrobial characteristics. As used herein,
 the term "antimicrobial" is intended to include both anti-fungicidal and
 anti-bacterial characteristics. Without antimicrobial characteristics, the
 prior cloths allow bacteria and fungi to propagate within the cloth, thus
 leading to unsanitary conditions in the cloth and a shorter useful life of
 the cloth. In addition, reuse of the same cloth may spread such bacteria
 and fungi to other surfaces.
 A recent advancement in fiber technology has been the advent of
 microfibers, microfilaments and so-called "ultra-microfibers," such as
 those sold by Olsson Cleaning Technology of Kristinehamn, Sweden. These
 fibers and filaments generally comprise polyamides and polyesters and are
 superior in many ways to traditional fibers due to their small size and
 structure. In particular, the ultra-microfibers are generally triangular
 in cross-section, have sharp edges, and have a diameter of approximately
 three microns. Because a bacterium typically has a diameter of two to five
 microns, the extremely small size and structure of the ultra-microfiber
 allows that fiber to get beneath the bacteria or other small microbes and
 particles that are smaller than the fiber, and substantially remove them
 from a surface. Additionally, to improve performance, the
 ultra-microfibers are usually mixed with polyester fibers in a 50/50 ratio
 in the case of woven material, and a 70/30 ratio of polyester to
 ultra-microfiber in the case of knitted material.
 The cleaning properties of the ultra-microfibers are further enhanced
 because they have a cationic (positive) charge due to the presence of the
 polyamide in the ultra-microfibers. Most dirt and dust particles,
 bacteria, pollen, oxidation on metals, etc., have an anionic (negative)
 charge. Thus, the ultra-microfibers naturally attract negatively charged
 particles, bacteria, etc.
 Besides the ultra-microfiber's ability to pick up small particles, the
 ultra-microfiber has superior absorption properties. This is because the
 ultra-microfiber's small diameter translates into a much larger surface
 area than that found in conventional fibers. The small diameter of the
 fibers also provides a particularly powerful capillary action, which, in
 addition to pulling in liquid, also pulls in particulates and microbes
 contained within the liquid. Thus, the combination of the increased
 surface area and capillary action gives the ultra-microfiber cloth the
 ability to absorb vast amounts of liquid many times its own weight.
 The ultra-microfibers may be woven or knitted together to construct a
 cleaning material. The ultra-microfibers may first be woven or knitted in
 an un-split form using techniques known in the art. After the material is
 woven or knitted, such material is then subjected to a chemical and
 mechanical process that splits the ultra-microfiber into its component
 filaments. This is accomplished by using a combination of heat and alkali,
 as is also known in the art.
 Unfortunately, like the woven and knitted cloths before it, the use of such
 ultra-microfiber materials allows for the propagation of microbes that are
 removed during cleaning operations. As stated earlier, the propagation of
 such microbes causes unsanitary conditions in the cloth and leads to a
 lessened useful life of the cloth. In addition, reuse of the same cloth
 may spread such microbes to other surfaces. Thus, there is currently a
 need for a cloth that can remove small particles and microbes from a
 surface, and at the same time keep the microbes from propagating
 throughout the cloth.
 Other needs will become apparent upon consideration of the following
 detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings.
 SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 In one form of the invention, the aforementioned needs are fulfilled by an
 antimicrobial material comprising at least one yarn comprising fine fiber
 of 1.0 denier or less and at least one yarn comprising antimicrobial fiber
 that are engaged with each other, wherein the antimicrobial fibers impart
 an antimicrobial property to the entire material. In a preferred
 embodiment, the yarns of fine fiber and yarns of antimicrobial fiber are
 woven or knitted together. It is further preferred that the fine fiber be
 less than 0.3 denier, have a diameter of approximately 3 microns, and have
 a generally triangular cross-section with sharp edges, therefore allowing
 the fine fiber to substantially remove bacteria, fungi and other microbes
 from a surface. It is also preferred that the antimicrobial fibers
 comprise an acetate fiber spun together with polyester to give the
 antimicrobial fiber added strength.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
 While the present invention is capable of embodiments in various forms,
 there is shown in the drawings and will be hereinafter described a
 presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present
 disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the invention, and
 is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment
 illustrated.
 As stated above, the present invention relates to an ultra-microfiber
 material containing antimicrobial properties. Although the term
 "ultra-microfiber" is used herein, it should be understood that it is
 within the scope of the present invention that any other fine fiber can be
 used, such as microfibers and microfilaments. Typically, microfilaments
 are between 1.0 and 0.5 denier, microfibers are between 0.5 and 0.3 denier
 and ultra-microfibers are 0.3 denier or less.
 The material of the present invention is produced by combining
 ultra-microfiber yarns as described above with yarns of antimicrobial
 fiber. Preferably, the antimicrobial fibers have an acetate base, such as
 the antimicrobial fiber sold under the name Microsafe.RTM. by Hoescht
 Celanese of South Carolina. The acetate fiber is a manufactured cellulosic
 fiber made from wood pulp and acetic acid. Because the fiber is
 cellulosic, it has characteristics of a natural fiber in that it is
 breathable and absorbent. However, one drawback to such a cellulosic fiber
 is that it lacks the proper strength characteristics for use in many types
 of cleaning operations.
 Thus, to increase the strength of the acetate antimicrobial fibers, the
 fibers in the preferred embodiment are spun together with synthetic fibers
 such as rayon, nylon, or preferably, polyester. Usually, the acetate
 antimicrobial fibers are available in about 55 to about 150 denier
 weights, and it is preferable that the combination of polyester and
 antimicrobial fiber be in the range of about 250 to about 450 denier.
 In order to impart antimicrobial properties to the acetate fiber, the fiber
 available from Hoescht Celanese of South Carolina contains an
 antimicrobial agent such as triclosan embedded within the interstices of
 the acetate fiber. This antimicrobial agent has been scientifically proven
 to inhibit the growth of a broad range of bacteria, mold, mildew and
 fungi. Because the antimicrobial agent is not water soluble, the
 antimicrobial agent will not wash out of the fibers. Furthermore, the
 antimicrobial protection is engineered to be durable and long lasting, so
 that the fiber can continuously provide antimicrobial protection
 throughout the life of a product.
 The antimicrobial action of the fiber occurs as a result of the
 antimicrobial agent penetrating the wall of the bacteria and other
 thin-celled structures such as mold, mildew and fungi. When this
 penetration occurs, it prevents the thin-celled structures from
 functioning, developing and reproducing. Although the antimicrobial agent
 is able to destroy thin-walled organisms such as bacteria, it is safe for
 human contact due to the thick walls of animal cells. In fact, the
 antimicrobial agent has been shown to be considerably lower in toxicity
 than common products such as caffeine and aspirin.
 As stated above, the present invention is produced by combining the herein
 described antimicrobial fiber and ultra-microfiber. Now referring to FIGS.
 1 and 2, it is preferable that the antimicrobial fiber and
 ultra-microfiber are first made into separate yarns (10 and 12,
 respectively) and then incorporated into the base 14 of a woven material
 (generally designated as reference numeral 16) or knitted material
 (generally designated as reference numeral 18 in FIG. 2), where the base
 material is preferably polyester. Furthermore, a singular yarn (not
 shown)comprising both antimicrobial fiber and ultra-microfiber can be
 combined into the base material of a woven or knitted material, or such
 yarn can be woven or knitted without such base material. Alternatively,
 the antimicrobial fibers and the ultra-microfibers can be intermixed by
 twisting two or more yarn ends, core spinning, air jet texturing, or the
 like (not shown). After the ultra-microfiber is combined with the other
 materials of the present invention, it is then subjected to the
 aforementioned heat and alkali process, which splits ultra-microfiber into
 its constituent filaments.
 It is not necessary to use high concentrations of antimicrobial fiber to
 get the desired antimicrobial effect in the completed material of the
 present invention. Indeed, an antimicrobial fiber will create an effective
 zone of antimicrobial protection, thus imparting antimicrobial
 characteristics to other surrounding fibers, even if those surrounding
 fibers do not intrinsically have antimicrobial properties.
 Thus, to produce the required antimicrobial properties in woven or knitted
 materials, it is preferable that approximately eighteen (18) percent of
 the total material comprise acetate antimicrobial fiber, while the rest of
 the material comprises ultra-microfibers or a combination of
 ultra-microfibers and other natural or synthetic fibers, such as
 polyester. It is presently known that a woven or knitted material
 comprising approximately eighteen (18) percent acetate antimicrobial fiber
 is effective at inhibiting the growth of both gram-positive and
 gram-negative bacteria. However, higher and lower concentrations of
 antimicrobial fiber may be acceptable in particular circumstances. It
 should be noted that the addition of dyes to the material of the present
 invention is known to have a detrimental effect on the antimicrobial
 properties of the antimicrobial fiber. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of
 the present invention, no dyes are used in the production of the material.
 Furthermore, the concentration of ultra-microfiber to the antimicrobial
 fiber and the polyester fiber of the base material may vary depending on
 the particular application of the material. For example, where a woven or
 knitted material is used for a mop, a high concentration of
 ultra-microfibers makes movement of the mop difficult due to the high
 coefficient of friction between the fibers and the surface to be cleaned.
 This high coefficient of friction is caused by the small denier and
 diameter of the ultra-microfibers. Therefore, when the antimicrobial
 ultra-microfiber cloth is used in a mopping application, it is preferable
 to have a lower concentration of ultra-microfibers to reduce the friction
 of the material against the surface which is to be cleaned.
 As will be apparent from the foregoing description, operation of the
 present invention is easily accomplished by wiping the antimicrobial
 ultra-microfiber cloth over a surface, in either a wet or dry state. As
 the cloth is wiped over a surface, the ultra-microfibers enable the cloth
 to remove substantially all of the particles on such surface, including
 very small particles and organisms such as bacteria, mold, fungi, etc., by
 getting beneath such particles and microbes. Furthermore, the cationic
 charge of the ultra-microfibers facilitates the removal of particles and
 microbes. If water is used in conjunction with the cleaning process, the
 capillary action of the ultra-microfibers also assists in drawing the
 particles into the cloth. Thus, after the cloth of the present invention
 is wiped over a surface, virtually no particles or microbes are left
 behind.
 After the particles and microbes are removed from a surface, the
 antimicrobial fibers prevent the microbes from reproducing or growing. As
 stated earlier, the antimicrobial fiber creates an effective antimicrobial
 zone around the fiber, thus imparting antimicrobial properties to
 surrounding non-antimicrobial fibers, and that a cloth containing
 approximately eighteen (18) percent acetate antimicrobial fiber imparts an
 effective level of antimicrobial protection to the entire cloth.
 It should be noted that it is within the scope of the present invention to
 provide a material that may be used for a multitude of purposes such as
 mops, dishcloths, towels, washing and wiping cloths, diapers, sanitary
 napkins and other feminine hygiene products, bed sheets, pillow cases and
 the like.
 The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the invention has
 been presented for purposes of illustration and description, and is not
 intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form
 disclosed. The description was selected to best explain the principles of
 the invention and their practical application to enable others skilled in
 the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various
 modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is
 intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the
 specification, but be defined by the claims set forth below.