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A mop (such as a floor mop) is a mass or bundle of coarse strings or yarn, etc., or a piece of cloth, sponge or other absorbent material, attached to a pole or stick. It is used to soak up liquid, for cleaning floors and other surfaces, to mop up dust, or for other cleaning purposes. [1]
The word (then spelled mappe) is attested in English in 1496, but new refinements and variations of mop designs have been introduced, from time to time. For example, American inventor Jacob Howe received US patent #241 for a mop holder in 1837 [2] and Thomas W. Stewart (US patent #499,402) in 1893. [3]
In her book Maggie's Memories, Margaret Wadkin (late of Hickling, near Melton Mowbray in England) describes the use of a mop nail for constructing homemade mops from old pieces of cloth during her village childhood in the early 20th century;
The mop nail was made by the blacksmith (if there are any still around, they will be antiques). This nail was several inches long with a point at the end and a flat head a couple or so inches wide. We would stand the nail on its flat head, cut pieces of old material into squares and push over the sharp end of the nail and when enough fix a piece of leather, then push the sharp point into the mop stale or handle. There was a knack of twisting these mops over the wrist to swish away surplus water, every woman could use one of these useful mops. [4]
Many different proprietary designs are available, but the classic string mop design is also still widely used. [5] [6]
A dry mop or dust mop is designed to pick up dry, loose contamination such as dust, earth, and sand from the surface of the floor. It consists of yarn and/or microfiber and can be used as a first step in cleaning a floor.
Professional dry mops consist of a flat sheet of microfiber textile or sheets with a surface of looped yarn, usually about 15 cm (6 in) wide, and comes in variable lengths (usually 30–100 cm (12–39 in)).
The dry mop can in many instances replace a broom and has the ability to hold a limited amount of dust, sand, and debris within itself. The heads of dry mops are often removable and can be washed and replaced when saturated with dust. [7] Another option is using a vacuum cleaner to suck surface dust away from the mop; however, this is much more limited in its effectiveness.
Single-use dry mops are also available and widely sold.
A wet mop or moist mop is, in professional cleaning, used as in the second step in the cleaning of a surface. The wet mop is swept over the surface to dissolve and absorb fat, mud, and dried-on liquid contaminations. Professional wet mops consist of a flat sheet of microfiber textile or a sheet with a surface of looped yarn (which might contain microfiber as well), usually about 15 cm (6 in) wide, and come in various lengths (usually 30–100 cm (12–39 in)).
Professional flat mops are made for pre-moistening. Mops are pre-impregnated with an ideal amount of water mixed with an appropriate amount of detergent. This means that the cleaner does not need to bring any additional water on the cleaning trolley. This ideal amount is often recommended by the manufacturer in terms of weight percentage of water per weight of the dry mop, for example "175% water per weight of the dry mop".
Mops for pre-moistening are flat sheets of (often microfiber) textile, usually about 15 cm (6 in) wide, and come in variable lengths (usually 30–100 cm (12–39 in)). Mops for pre-moistening are fastened on a handle with a flat pad mount with the aid of Velcro or a pouch on the mop, in which the pad on the handle fits.
Pre-moistening can be done with a special washing machine, or by hand by simply folding and packing the mops tight in a container and pouring the measured amount of water over them. The mops will then need about 5–10 minutes for the liquid to distribute evenly in their tissue before use. This offers some advantages:
The hot mop (or steam mop) follows a similar concept to a steam iron. After adding water, the water is heated to make it exude on top of a floor, which can then be cleaned without using a cleaning solvent. These can work best on surfaces where a regular mop would also be used, such as bare floors, hearths, and laminate.
Microfiber mops are constructed of a blend of polyester and polyamide fibers which are "split" and formed into a single fiber. This blend consists of 70–90% polyester that serves as the scrubbing and cleaning fiber and 10–30% polyamide which performs as the holding and quick drying fiber. This blend is usually expressed as a ratio on the label of the mop, e.g. an 80% polyester and 20% polyamide blend would be labeled as "80/20".
Sponge mop heads are constructed with a cellulosic, rubber, or plastic foam block, usually attached by crimping a metal clip on one side. Sometimes, the foam mop head may be covered by a cloth or mesh sheet, to improve its resistance to wear from heavy scrubbing.
The sponge is then attached to a handle mechanism which can compress the mop head, by means of rollers or a pivoted flat perforated blade. For consumer-grade sponge mops, the mop mechanism may be made of either plastic or metal. For heavy-duty or professional use, the mechanism is usually made of a corrosion-resistant metal such as stainless steel, and the mop head is often rubber or premium plastic foam.
For clean room environments, a stainless steel handle and mechanism are preferred, along with a mop head made of a foam which has been formulated to minimize shedding of small particles. For use in microbiological labs, mops are made of materials which can be sterilized by autoclave or by ethylene oxide treatment. [8]
A cloth mop (also called a "Cuban mop") is a simple T-shaped wooden handle, around which is wrapped a sturdy cloth towel. Its advantages are low cost and easy replacement of the mop head, which can simply be washed by hand or tossed into a washing machine. [9]
A mop handle consists of a long piece of wood or metal tubing fitted with a specific attachment for the mop head. The handle can be attached the mop head by means of:
A vacuum cleaner, also known simply as a vacuum, is a device that uses suction, and often agitation, in order to remove dirt and other debris from carpets and hard floors.
A towel is a piece of absorbent cloth or paper used for drying or wiping a surface. Towels draw moisture through direct contact.
Sandpaper, also known as glasspaper or as coated abrasive, is a type of material that consists of sheets of paper or cloth with an abrasive substance glued to one face. In the modern manufacture of these products, sand and glass have been replaced by other abrasives such as aluminium oxide or silicon carbide. It is common to use the name of the abrasive when describing the paper, e.g. "aluminium oxide paper", or "silicon carbide paper".
Microfibre is synthetic fibre finer than one denier or decitex/thread, having a diameter of less than ten micrometers.
A mat is a hard floor covering that generally is placed on a floor or other flat surface. Mats serve a range of purposes including:
A bed sheet is a rectangular piece of cloth used either singly or in a pair as bedding, which is larger in length and width than a mattress, and which is placed immediately above a mattress or bed, but below blankets and other bedding. A bottom sheet is laid above the mattress, and may be either a flat sheet or a fitted sheet. A top sheet, in the many countries where they are used, is a flat sheet, which is placed above a bottom sheet and below other bedding.
A bathrobe, also known as a housecoat or a dressing gown, is a loose-fitting outer garment worn by people, often after washing the body or around a pool. A bathrobe is considered to be very informal clothing, and is not worn with everyday clothes.
Housekeeping is the management and routine support activities of running and maintaining an organized physical institution occupied or used by people, like a house, ship, hospital or factory, such as cleaning, tidying/organizing, cooking, shopping, and bill payment. These tasks may be performed by members of the household, or by persons hired for the purpose. This is a more broad role than a cleaner, who is focused only on the cleaning aspect. The term is also used to refer to the money allocated for such use. By extension, it may also refer to an office or a corporation, as well as the maintenance of computer storage systems.
Swiffer is an American brand of cleaning products that is made by Procter & Gamble. Introduced in 1999, the brand uses the "razor-and-blades" business model, whereby the consumer purchases the handle assembly at a low price, but must continue to purchase replacement refills and pads over the lifespan of the product. Swiffer has become a half-billion dollar brand in fifteen countries.
Plasterwork is construction or ornamentation done with plaster, such as a layer of plaster on an interior or exterior wall structure, or plaster decorative moldings on ceilings or walls. This is also sometimes called pargeting. The process of creating plasterwork, called plastering or rendering, has been used in building construction for centuries. For the art history of three-dimensional plaster, see stucco.
Carpet cleaning is performed to remove stains, dirt, debris, and allergens from carpets. Common methods include hot water extraction, dry-cleaning, and vacuuming.
A cleaner, cleanser or cleaning operative is a type of industrial or domestic worker who is tasked with cleaning a space. A janitor, also known as a custodian, porter or caretaker, is a person who cleans and might also carry out maintenance and security duties. A similar position, but usually with more managerial duties and not including cleaning, is occupied by building superintendents in the United States and Canada and by site managers in schools in the United Kingdom.
Horse grooming is hygienic care given to a horse, or a process by which the horse's physical appearance is enhanced for horse shows or other types of competition.
The conservation and restoration of textiles refers to the processes by which textiles are cared for and maintained to be preserved from future damage. The field falls under the category of art conservation, heritage conservation as well as library preservation, depending on the type of collection. The concept of textile preservation applies to a wide range of artifacts, including tapestries, carpets, quilts, clothing, flags and curtains, as well as objects which "contain" textiles, such as upholstered furniture, dolls, and accessories such as fans, parasols, gloves and hats or bonnets. Many of these artifacts require specialized care, often by a professional conservator.
Vapor steam cleaners or steam vapor systems are cleaning appliances or devices that use steam to dry, clean, and sanitize surfaces. The steam is produced in a boiler that heats tap water to high temperatures to produce low-pressure, low moisture water vapor.
Floor cleaning is a major occupation throughout the world. The main job of most cleaners is to clean floors.
In textile manufacturing, finishing refers to the processes that convert the woven or knitted cloth into a usable material and more specifically to any process performed after dyeing the yarn or fabric to improve the look, performance, or "hand" (feel) of the finish textile or clothing. The precise meaning depends on context.
Evolution Robotics was an American technological company based in Pasadena, California. It specialized in robotics technologies, with computer vision, localization, and autonomous navigation products.
Textile manufacturing is one of the oldest human activities. The oldest known textiles date back to about 5000 B.C. In order to make textiles, the first requirement is a source of fibre from which a yarn can be made, primarily by spinning. The yarn is processed by knitting or weaving to create cloth. The machine used for weaving is the loom. Cloth is finished by what are described as wet process to become fabric. The fabric may be dyed, printed or decorated by embroidering with coloured yarns.
A floor scrubber is a floor cleaning device. It can be a simple tool such as a floor mop or floor brush, or in the form of a walk-behind or a ride-on machine to clean larger areas by injecting water with cleaning solution, scrubbing, and lifting the residue off the floor. With advancements in robotics, autonomous floor-scrubbing robots are available as well.
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