Cleaning – Mops

Wet Mops

What Type of Mop Head to Choose?

Choose natural cotton for general mopping. Rayon is ideal for finishing. Looped end/tailband mops reduce linting, fraying and unraveling. The tailband also prevents tangles and provides more coverage with each stroke.

Yarns:

Yarn Type	Advantages	Applications
Cotton	• Highly absorbent • Economical • Good liquid retention	• General cleaning • Quick spill pick-up
Rayon	• Highly absorbent • Little break-in required • Good release of liquids • Holds 6-7 times its weight in water • Mildew resistant	• Floor finish applications • Application of chemicals • General cleaning
Blended (Rayon/Cotton/Polyester) (Rayon/Polyester)	• Highly absorbent • No break-in required • Great for laundering • Yarn color choices for color-coding • Durable stable fibers • Holds 6-7 times its weight in water	• Healthcare • Application of chemicals • General cleaning
Knitted Cotton/Polyester Fleece Blend	• Highly absorbent • High tensile strength • No linting • Yarn color choices for color-coding	• Foodservice • Rough surfaces
Microfiber	• Inherent ability to clean without chemicals • Great launderability (200-500 times) • Lightweight • No linting • Color choices for color-coding • Good release of liquids • Holds 7 times its weight in water	• Healthcare • Floor finish applications • General cleaning
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET)	• Environmentally responsible • Washable and fast drying • Low linting • Good release of liquids • Holds more than 4.4 times its weight in water	• Healthcare • Schools and universities • Government agencies • Office buildings

Construction:

Construction Type	Advantages
Cut End	• Low cost
Loop End (Tailbands)	• Launderable • Durable • Wider floor coverage • Prevents tangling • Faster mopping for labor savings
Flat Mop	• Launderable • Durable • Lightweight • Prevents tangling • Faster mopping for labor savings

Headband Size*	Material	Applications
1¼" Narrowband	Polyester Weave	• Economical mops • Launderable mops
5", 7", 9" Widebands	7-oz. Polyester Twill	• Launderable mops • Heavy scrubbing mops
5", 7", 9" Widebands	Vinyl Mesh	• Launderable mops • Scrubbing mops
* The narrowband is usually applied to a cut end type mop that is used for a short time and then disposed of. The wideband is usually applied to a looped mop that may be laundered many times.

Are There Mops for Special Uses?

There are mops with a built-in scrub pad, anti-skid mops, rough floor mops, cleanroom mops, antimicrobial mops and special finishing mops. Some styles are available in different colors; color-coded by mopping use.

What is the Proper Mop Handle?

This depends on the mop head style, the headband size and special features desired. A standard head uses a clamp style handle; a saddleback head uses a clamp or gripper style handle; a lieflat head requires a lieflat screw-in handle. Some handles hold only mop heads with a certain size headband. There are antimicrobial handles and quick-change handles, and handles with various connecting mechanisms.