Industry Moves Toward Microfiber Dust Mops

In addition to choosing mop ends that match the task at hand, end users should pay close attention to the dust mop’s material content. According to distributors, the industry is moving toward microfiber dust mops because the material doesn’t need to be pretreated and can hold a greater amount of soil.

“We felt it was important to incorporate microfiber into our looped-end mop because of its unique cleaning properties,” says Simerly. “It will pick up minute dirt and dust particles, even at a microbial level.”

For this reason microfiber dust mops are popular in healthcare facilities.

“I always recommend microfiber for any application, but particularly in a healthcare environment,” says Franiak. “From an infection control standpoint custodians are looking to eliminate as much bacteria, debris and cross-contamination as possible.”

Some microfiber dust mop heads are disposable, making them appropriate for applications such as mopping operating rooms where single-use, disposable products are commonplace. But the majority of microfiber dust mop heads are washable, which justifies their higher price tag.

“The durability of microfiber far exceeds anything else,” says Rick Kramer, sales manager for Performance Chemical, Tinley Park, Ill. “They can be laundered repeatedly, so they become more cost-effective.”

For some end users, however, the effectiveness of microfiber can become a hindrance.

“When you use a microfiber dust mop, the microfiber goes into the pores of whatever you’re dusting and scoops dirt and dust out of the floor finish,” says Banks. “Because it loads with soil really quickly, and you can’t shake off the load with a microfiber mop, you have to launder them more frequently than a traditional mop. A lot of people don’t have on-premise laundry machines, so that’s the only thing keeping microfiber mops from taking over the world.”