Dust Mop

Commercial Dust Mops: What You Need to Know

Traditional brooms made with straw or plastic bristles can scratch and mar the smooth finish of hardwood and laminate flooring when used for daily cleaning tasks. Industrial dry mops catch and retain smaller particles, such as hair, dust, soil, and small food crumbs, and are gentler on floors than brooms. Unlike conventional brooms, commercial dry mops keep debris trapped and won't fling it up into the air as the mop is pushed across the floor or baseboards. They cover a wider area and eliminate the need for a dust pan, streamlining daily cleanup in kitchens, grocery stores, warehouses, restaurants, and offices.

Common Questions About Dust Mop Heads

What is a commercial dust mop used for?

Industrial dust mops are good for trapping and removing fine particles, such as dust, soil, crumbs, and hair from smooth surfaces, such as uncarpeted flooring, painted or paneled walls, and windows. Some commercial dust mop handles are extendable, so they can reach high walls and ceiling corners to remove cobwebs and dust buildup. Specialty dust mop heads with an angled or narrow design make cleaning dust away from baseboards, in between blinds, and off ceiling fans quick and easy. Some styles are electrostatically charged, meaning they attract dust and hair like a magnet.

Commercial dry mops are useful for daily cleaning of surfaces such as hardwood, concrete, or laminate flooring, as well as windows, walls, and ceilings. They should be pushed in a consistent pattern in one direction without being lifted to collect dust and dirt. Pushing the dust mop back and forth or lifting it from the surface and setting it back down can discharge debris that has become trapped in the mop head, releasing dust back into the air and spreading it around the floor. Dry mops aren't suitable for cleaning up spills or removing wet, sticky, or dried-on substances from the floor or walls.

What's the best dust mop head for wood floors?

Any dust mop head can be effective at cleaning hardwood floors, as well as tile, marble, laminate, and concrete. Cut-end styles are typically low cost and designed to be thrown away as they can tangle and fray when washed. Looped end and twisted loop heads are more durable and can withstand recurrent laundering, making them a good option for locations with access to laundry facilities or a laundry service. Additionally, looped end and twisted loop options are designed to trap a larger amount of dust and debris with each pass for more efficient cleaning.

What are industrial dust mops and dusters made of?

• Microfiber dusters and mop heads come in looped end, cut end, and twisted loop varieties. Useful for picking up dirt, dust, and hair, microfiber options typically retain smaller particles than cotton while creating less friction against floor finishes. Microfiber is also durable, enabling it to endure washing and reuse.
• Cotton options also come in looped, twisted loop, and cut end styles, and are effective at trapping larger debris, such as crumbs of food and traces of dirt. Cotton heads are typically cheaper than microfiber options and will sometimes pick up less dust than a microfiber dust mop head can. For disposable use, cut-end cotton pads are an economical choice.
• Lambswool and synthetic lambswool are typically reserved for telescoping dusters that will be used to clean windowsills, blinds, light fixtures, and ceiling fans because they can trap even the tiniest of dust particles and prevent them from being released into dining areas during cleaning. Because most lambswool dusters attract dust magnetically, they quickly become clogged with debris if they're used to clean flooring, so this material isn't typically used for commercial dust mops.
• Feather dusters are customarily used for detailed work, such as dusting shelves full of knickknacks and framed photos hanging on walls. Some people can be allergic to feathers, and feather dusters can't be machine laundered, so most dust mop pads and dusters are made of other materials.

How do you clean a dust mop head?

Not all dust mop heads can be washed. Those that can't be washed can be shaken out into a trash bin after each use to loosen and release most of the dust and hair that were accumulated. Although this method won't remove all of the dust, it's useful for prolonging the mop head's lifespan. Another option is to lightly vacuum the mop head after it's been used to remove dirt and debris. Because it will eventually become too soiled to continue using, replacement dust mop heads are available for purchase.

Washable industrial dust mop heads will eventually become worn out from repeat launderings, so they can also be shaken out or vacuumed after daily use to extend the time between washes.

To remove heavy soil, most washable mop heads can be machine laundered with normal laundry soap. Fabric softeners, however, can disrupt the mop's ability to retain debris and shouldn't be used. It's important to inspect commercial dry mops frequently and replace the heads if they begin to fray excessively or lose their cleaning ability.

When should I use a disposable dust mop?

Commercial dust mops that are used to clean up shards of glass or metal or potentially toxic residue (as can be found in some warehouse and industrial applications) are best used with disposable dust mop heads, which should be thrown away after each use. Never shake, vacuum, or launder a dust mop head that may have been used to clean up materials such as metal shards, glass dust, lime, bleach powder, or other potentially harmful residue.