Archive for the ‘Dust Mops’ Category

Dust Mopping 101

The regular use of a dust mop will control dust which saves time and money while promoting a healthy environment. Routine dust removal will eliminate abrasive dust particles that ruin your floor and its finish. Dust mopping will protect your floors, help save you time and drastically reduce your labour cost for stripping and refinishing floors. Dust mops are an important factor to developing a floor care program. Marino offers quality dust mops in various sizes, designed for top performance.

There are several important factors to consider when choosing a dust mop. Use the guidelines below to choose the best dust mop for your floor care needs.

General Dust Mopping

The three main categories of mops are disposable, standard and launderable.  Disposable mops are the most economical and are used and throw away once they fall apart.  They can be slip on style or Velcro based.   Standard mops are generally constructed of cotton and have cut ends for general mopping.  Launderable mops come in many styles and are generally looped and reinforced to withstand multiple washings.  This may reduce the effectiveness of the mop in removing and holding dust from the floor surface.

Mops can be constructed of many different fibers.  The least expensive are constructed of cotton.  Other common materials are cotton blends, synthetics and microfibers.  These materials add cost and benefits to the mops durability and performance.   Mops can come in many different colors.  This can be used to specify mops for certain areas of a facility reducing the risk of cross contamination.

Some dust mops can be laundered.  Cotton cut end mops are generally not launderable. The launderability of a mop is based on the number of commercial washing and drying cycles it can withstand before the construction of the mop is degraded or the performance declines. Synthetic and blended fiber mops have the highest levels of launderability.

The durability of a mop is a measure of how long it will perform before needing to be replaced. Synthetic and blended fiber mops are the most durable.   Looped and twisted mops prevent or reduce snagging and are more durable than cut end mops. Mops with antimicrobial fibers have greater durability because they inhibit the bacterial growth that causes mop odor and discoloration.

Dust pick up is the ability of a mop to remove dust and dirt from the floor surface. Blended fiber, synthetic and microfiber mops have the highest degree of dust pick up. 

Choose mops with high dust pick up and durability. If laundering is available, launderable mops will be the most economical choice. Twisted loop mop heads with reinforced stitching and slip-on/slide-off backing offer the best performance and launderability.  Synthetic fibers can also offer static pick up characteristics that assist in picking up and holding dust particles.  Microfibers are an excellent cost effective choice for dust mopping material.

Mop Construction Features

Twisted and Looped mops are highly effective at capturing dust and dirt. Premium twisted loops are less prone to snags, frays, and unraveling during cleaning and laundering. This construction reduces fraying and de-plying for better durability and longer product life, more effective than cut-end mops.

Cut end mops are economical construction for general purpose dusting.

Backing Styles & Frames

Snap On  and Velcro

Snap-On Wire Dust Mop Frames and Handles make removal of used dust mops easier and cleaning more efficient. The handle has jaws that snap on the middle bar of the frame.  The less popular handle and frame combination is a clip on style where pins on the handle clip into holes on the frame.

Microfiber dust mops and some disposable mops have Velcro backings that utilize a Velcro pad holder.  The disadvantage of this style is the Velcro wears out over time and needs to be replaced on the pad holder.

Slip-on backing decreases setup time and increases product durability. Mops that use half-tie backing are less cost effective that those that use slip-on backing due to damage from torn ties.

Reinforced backing with double-needle stitching at key “wear” points increases product life.

Caring for your Dust Mop

1. At the end of each shift/usage, the dust mops should be shaken out, vacuumed or brushed completely, in order to remove the larger particles from the mop. If treatment is being used, it should be retreated when necessary.
2. If the dust mop is clean, it should be stored upright in a clean dry area, away from the wall and floor.
3. If the dust mop is soiled, it should be laundered. We recommend a laundry net be used. Cotton, Hi-Stat, Ferma-Twist and Hi-Static dust mops should be laundered separately.
4. When laundering use a laundry bag to eliminate snagging in the washer.  You can dry seperately.

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