Issue 5, July 2003

Advances in technology don’t always have to be "high tech". The last few years has seen the introduction of new tools that help make cleaning:

• easier
• convenient and
• effective

These new products include the "Ready-To-Use Mop" and microfibre cleaning cloth.

"Ready-To-Use Mop"
This innovation introduced in Australia in 2003 includes products such as the Sabco "Smart Mop" and Clorox "Ready Mop". These tools offer convenience by eliminating the need for a "bucket" when cleaning a floor. The floor cleaning material is provided in a ready to use container attached to the mop. The floor cleaner is then sprayed onto the floor and the mop head is a disposable or washable absorbent pad.

The benefits of this tool include:

• No need to rinse the floor after cleaning, as the floor cleaner has been formulated to be quick drying;
• You can use it on a variety of floor surfaces, eliminating the need to buy and store different cleaning products and
• It has a highly absorbent cleaning pad, sometimes incorporating a microfibre cloth.

CETEC helped Sabco in the "concept to market" for their "Smart Mop" system. CETEC developed the advanced floor cleaner that is used with the "Smart Mop". 

Microfibre Cleaning Cloth
Microfibre is a man-made product that has found a niche in cleaning applications. Two basic fibres form the backbone of the microfibre:

• polyester, which is the scrubbing fibre and
• polyamide, which is the absorbing and quick drying fibre.

The term microfibre is used as each fibre is 100 times finer than a human hair.

To be effective for cleaning/polishing applications the microfibre must be "split". This creates a unique structure of hundreds of thousands of "hooks" per square inch that grab, lift and hold dust/dirt without the need for a cleaning solution.

Ordinary cleaning materials move or push dust/dirt from one point to another. Microfibre actually scrapes the dirt or stain from the surface and stores the particles within the material until it is washed.

Microfibre can be used with or without chemicals. When dry the microfibres are positively charged while dirt/dust is negatively charged so electrostatic attraction does the cleaning. Used wet with water the fibres become formidable scrubbers, easily trapping the toughest grime.

Different styles of microfibre are available for particular cleaning tasks:

• Terry style for all-purpose cleaning and suede style for polishing.
• The thicker the material the more it will grab, lift and hold grime.
• A tightly hooked finish is better for grabbing and holding grime and residues, while a feathered finish is best for glass cleaning.

CETEC provides advice about the selection of microfibre materials for cleaning/polishing applications. Using laboratory-cleaning tests Cetec was able to compare the performance of different microfibre materials to conventional cleaning fabrics. 

CETEC can help you to develop your new product using our available in-house laboratory testing, research and analysis skills and innovative solutions.  We have extensive networks and links to the broader research and technical community.  Please be assured, that as in any of our discussions, your confidentiality is assured. 

For more information or a confidential discussion about your new project call us NOW on +613 95449111 or link here.

To read other related articles:
Technology Capabilities Alignment Project

For more information about microfibre in cleaning technology:
Clean and Green article - as published in The Age