Is microfiber good for mopping floors?

17 Jun.,2024

 

How to Use a Microfiber Mop to Quickly Clean Your Floors

A microfiber mop makes it incredibly easy to clean your floors quickly and effectively. With microfiber mops, you can clean almost any hard surface in your facility, from tile and concrete to hardwood and linoleum. 

For more microfiber mop systeminformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

Benefits of Using a Microfiber Mop

There are two main advantages of using a microfiber mop: (1) you won&#;t need to haul a heavy bucket of water to the mopping location, and (2) you won&#;t need any chemicals. 

All you have to do is run the microfiber cloth under water for a few seconds until the cloth is damp. Then you&#;re ready to clean the floors.

Dry Dust Mopping

Another advantage of using a microfiber mop is that you might not even have to get the mop wet. This way of mopping is known as dry dust mopping. You use the mop to sweep any hard surface with the fibers displacing and removing crumbs, dust, hair, dirt and other solid particles. 

You need to ensure that you are using the correct mop pad while dry mopping. Otherwise, you won&#;t be able to remove those solid particles, and you might further stain your floors. 

Most manufacturers offer multipurpose pads for dry dust mopping, but you should consider purchasing special dusting pads for this function. The fibers in the dusting pads are noticeably longer than those in standard multipurpose pads, so they are capable of trapping more solid dirt particles. 

When your dry dust mopping is complete, just detach the microfiber pad and empty all the particles into the trash. To clean the pad, you can rinse it in warm water or put it in a washing machine. 

Wet Mopping With a Microfiber Mop

Wet mopping with a microfiber mop can offer deeper cleaning than dry mopping. To wet mop, remove the mop pad and rinse it under running water. Reattach the mop pad and start cleaning your floor. A chemical cleaner is unnecessary, but depending on your business needs or your preference, you can use one. 

If the mop pad gets too dirty before you&#;re done cleaning, detach it and clean it in warm water before reattaching it and resuming cleaning. Continuing to clean with a dirty mop pad will spread the pre-existing dirt around instead of absorbing the remaining dirt.

Wet mopping will remove different types of debris from your floors&#;the solid particles mentioned above, footprints, liquid spills, scuff marks and all kinds of stains. Your floors will be significantly cleaner after wet mopping with a microfiber mop. 

When you&#;re done wet mopping, you can simply wash the microfiber cloth, or you can put it in a washing machine. If you opt for the latter, make sure not to throw the pad in with your regular laundry because the motion of the washing machine will release the accumulated dirt onto your other clothes and linens. 

For drying, it is better to air-dry the mop pad than to put it in a dryer. If you do put it in the dryer, use a low heat setting. High heat can damage the microfiber pad.

Cleaning Effectively With Microfiber Mops

When choosing the right type of microfiber mop for your business, you should know that manufacturers typically offer a variety of pads. If your facility needs only dry mopping, be sure you only buy dry mopping pads because the longer fibers trap more dust and dirt between them. 

Furthermore, most mop pads are made to be cleaned in normal water, so be careful about using chemicals when you clean. Some microfiber pads can withstand exposure to chemicals, but some are not designed for that. If you combine those pads with cleaning solutions, you may damage them.

Having a clean, safe floor is important for everyone, from your customers to your employees. Alsco offers a variety of floor cleaning products, including microfiber mops and floor mats, to make your floors presentable and welcoming for everyone who walks through your doors. Contact us today to learn how we can help you keep your business clean.

References

How to Mop Correctly and the Best Mop to Use. (July ). Today

How to Clean a Floor With a Microfiber Pad. (January ). SFGATE.

How to Use a Microfiber Mop for Dry & Wet Cleaning. (July ). Tidying Mama.

The Cotton String Mop vs Microfiber Mop - Unger USA

Unger Professional Cleaning Blog

Cotton String Mops vs Microfiber String Mops: 8 Considerations for Commercial Floor Cleaning

Whether you own a cleaning business or procure commercial cleaning supplies for a facility, you understand the multitude of options when it comes to purchasing cleaning tools, specifically floor cleaning solutions. When it comes to choosing a mop head, cotton string mops were traditionally the selection of choice due to its gentle fabric and ability to mop up large amounts of liquid. Yet, with microfiber&#;s emergence in the last 20 years as the premium cleaning material of choice, there&#;s value in investigating the differences between cotton string mops vs. microfiber string mops to see which option will work best for you.

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What is Microfiber?

Introduced in the s, microfiber is a synthetic fiber that is extremely fine. It is made up of thousands of small tiny fibers that are each smaller than &#; the diameter of human hair. It uses these small fibers to break up dirt as compared to cotton, which uses bigger fibers.

As the idea of microfiber caught on, it eventually proved to clean more efficiently than the traditional cotton string mop. Fast-forward to today and further analyzing the performance of microfiber mops against its cotton competition may have you making an informed switch to the way you clean floors.

1. Is a Cotton String Mop or Microfiber Mop Tougher on Germs and Microbes?

Microfiber is made from synthetic materials and is a very fine blend, allowing it to trap and hold bacteria, dust, and dirt within the actual fibers. Compare this to cotton, which pushes dirt and debris around instead of picking it up. And because cotton comes from organic materials, it can be a desirable home for undesirable odors and bacteria.

According to a study published by the American Journal of Infection Control, microfiber mops removed far more microbes than standard cotton string mops. This finding amounted to a difference of 95% removed microbes with standard detergent using a microfiber mop, while only 68% of microbes were removed with standard detergent and a cotton string mop.

The best cloths are .33 microns wide, which means it can clean up everything to the right of it (and miss anything to the left of it)

2. Which Mop is Better for the Environment?

Microfiber can be thought of as a somewhat green product given that it requires less water as well as cleaning products. According to the EPA, conventional Wet Loop Mops use 105 gallons of water per 100 rooms. Microfiber uses only 5 gallons per 100 rooms.

Using less cleaning solution is incredibly important because many professional cleaning products contain chemicals that will eventually be washed down the drain after being used. They are then absorbed into the air, soil, and water.

Conventional wet loop mops use $11.55 of cleaning solution per 100 rooms, while microfiber uses $.50 of cleaning solution per 100 rooms.

3. Which Mop is More Expensive?

Microfiber mops can cost up to three times more than a cotton mop head. However, they also last longer, standing up to more frequent washings (some up to 500) and maintain effectiveness longer. So, whereas the initial price may seem like a significant investment, microfiber&#;s durability and effectiveness produce an ROI within the first 150 washings.
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Additionally, when factoring in-floor cleaning costs, other than the primary cost of the mop head, it&#;s also important to look at other cost components, such as:
&#; Frequency of mop head replacements
&#; Cost of water and cleaning solutions (The most common sizes of cotton string mops weigh between 16 and 24 ounces; these mops can triple in weight when wet due to their level of absorbency.)
&#; Loss of employee labor from physical injury due to the weight of mop and repetition of movement
&#; Incidental costs of cross-contamination within a facility

4. Which Mop Cleans More Surface Area?

According to an EPA study, the density of microfiber allows it to hold six times its weight in water as compared to regular cotton mops. This means that one mop head can go for about 400-500 square feet at a time before being stored for washing.

On the other hand, regular cotton mops can go for about 100 square feet before needing to be dunked back into the water and wrung out.

5. Which Mop is Easier to Use?

Ease of use is associated with a few characteristics such as maneuvering, carrying, ease of wringing out, setting up, and ability to clean both small and large areas.

One consideration to make would be if there was a very large, greasy spill that you needed to clean in an industrial complex. In this case, microfiber may not be the best option due to its small fibers and a cotton mop would most likely do a better job and be easier to use.

For other jobs, cotton mops need to be wrung out after being fully soaked in water and solution, which puts a higher amount of strain on the worker&#;s body. Cotton string mops are also 80% heavier than microfiber and do not have the ability to connect a water source directly to the mop.

6. Which Mop is Easier to Clean and Dry for Reuse?

Both cotton mops and microfiber mops can be easily laundered after each use. However, microfiber mops typically withstand the repetitive laundering process better than their cotton counterpart which take a toll with each wash. Cotton mop heads tend to shed strands and easily knot during the process, only adding to their shorter shelf life when compared to microfiber.

7. Does a Cotton String Mop or Microfiber Mop Last Longer?

Regarding the mop head, one string mop head normally lasts around 15-30 washes, while microfiber heads usually have a span of about 150-200 washes. Microfiber is more durable than cotton, therefore it lasts longer. However, cotton holds up better than microfiber when bleach or acidic chemicals are required. The use of these products can break down and destroy microfiber.

What the Professionals Recommend

When choosing a mop for commercial floor cleaning, there are benefits to every type of mop. Although the upfront costs might be a bit higher, when you take into account your total cleaning costs &#; time, staffing, loss of work, etc. &#; in the long run microfiber is going to be the most economical option when compared to a cotton string mop.

Want to See How Floor Cleaning Professionals are Using Microfiber String Mops for a Faster, Safer and Cleaner Experience?

Take a look at Unger&#;s comprehensive product line of professional floor cleaning products

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