Benefits of Microfiber Mops Go Beyond Productivity and Cost Efficiency

Although mops have been gradually making headway since the mid-twentieth century, recent developments make the original model seem like a museum relic. The newer microfiber string mops not only claim to provide twice the cleaning power of a regular cotton mop, but they're also longer lasting and can help reduce operating costs.

Restaurant workers, hospital cleaning crews, and janitorial staffs have been using them for generations; but if you keep your eyes peeled, you may notice that fewer and fewer of them are in use. The traditional cotton floor mop has been "swabbing the deck" since before the Wright brothers invented the first airplane, but it may soon become obsolete if a more efficient version continues to gain notice. Although mops have been gradually making headway since the mid-twentieth century, recent developments make the original model seem like a museum relic. The newer microfiber string mops not only claim to provide twice the cleaning power of a regular cotton mop, but they're also longer lasting and can help reduce operating costs. In this era of tightening purse strings and closer scrutiny on expenses, a mop that cleans 48% faster and offers other efficiencies, makes economic sense to janitorial services, health care facilities, and commercial building managers.

In settings where it's especially desirable to eliminate mold and allergens, microfiber mops outperform cotton floor mops. Made of extremely thin filaments of polyester and nylon, microfiber mops grab more dirt, while needing less water and chemicals. These extremely thin fibers create a larger surface area that expands the cleaning, absorbing, and release capabilities of the mop.

Safety-conscious businesses and public facilities that use microfiber mops get the added benefit of reducing the possibility of injurious slips and falls occurring on their premises. It doesn't eliminate the need to display "caution signs" or "wet floor" signs, but microfiber mops are known to reduce the time that floors are wet and slippery. If you're developing a risk management program at your facility, these microfiber products might be worth incorporating into the plan.

In addition to enhanced safety, economy, and potential health features of microfiber mops, it's also an environmentally friendly product that uses recycled materials. These advanced microfiber mops contain up to 28% recycled PET plastic (Polyethylene Terephthalate) and up to 21% post-industrial cotton. It also withstands the wear and tear of at least 100 laundry washings, and fits on standard wet mop handles. If the scientific name of those recycled soda bottles sounds hazardous, the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR) says "The PET container has been safely used for 20 years and has undergone rigorous testing under FDA guidelines to ensure its safety as a food and beverage container suitable for storage and reuse." PET bottles are recycled into a variety of consumer and industrial products besides microfiber mobs, including carpeting, clothing, and automotive parts.

A growing trend among businesses, cleaning services, and public facilities is the use of so-called "green cleaning" products and practices that help protect the environment and the health of workers and occupants. Publicly-owned and funded buildings are increasingly being designed, built, and operated according to a widely accepted Green building rating system, called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). In addition to the U.S., LEED projects are also in progress in 41 different countries, including Canada, Brazil, Mexico, and India. The third-party certification program recognizes performance in five areas of environmental and human health.

Joel Sussman writes articles about and for ecommerce businesses, such as Rubbermaid Commercial Products, an online merchant of recycling, janitorial, food service equipment, and storage containers.