mop

Mops are classified in two main divisions as either wet or dry mops. Wet mops are commonly used to clean kitchen and bathroom floors. They usually have sponge or cloth heads that can be put in water with a detergent or other cleaner (under the general term surfactant) and rinsed when cleaning is finished. The dry mop is also called the dust mop and is characterized by a large, flat head that can be pushed easily over a floor surface. The strings making up the head pick up dust, lint, and hair as the mop glides across the floor. Both dust and wet mops are trusted fixtures in most homes and businesses because their usefulness is proven and they are inexpensive cleaning tools. Manufacturers are always looking for innovative methods of improving their products, especially in the efficiency of performing what most people consider a mundane task. Wet mops and dust or dry mops are surface-specific, so as new types of flooring are developed, manufacturers adapt mops to them. Technical developments are also ongoing in fabrics used as mop fibers and in cleaning media like dust protectants, detergents, and polishes. With such long-standing reliability, mops surely will continue to be needed.