mop
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(mŏp) 
n.
v., mopped, mop·ping, mops. v.tr.
To wash or wipe with or as if with a mop: mopped the hallway; mopping the spilled water; mopped her forehead with a towel.
v.intr.
To use a mop to wash or dry surfaces: mopped along the baseboards.
phrasal verb:
n.
- A household implement made of absorbent material attached to a typically long handle and used for washing, dusting, or drying floors.
- A loosely tangled bunch or mass: a mop of unruly hair.
v., mopped, mop·ping, mops. v.tr.
To wash or wipe with or as if with a mop: mopped the hallway; mopping the spilled water; mopped her forehead with a towel.
v.intr.
To use a mop to wash or dry surfaces: mopped along the baseboards.
phrasal verb:
mop up
- To clear (an area) of remaining enemy troops after a victory.
- Informal. To perform the minor tasks that conclude a project or an activity.
[Middle English mappe, perhaps from Old French dialectal, napkin, from Latin mappa, towel, cloth. See map.]
mopper mop'per n.Related Videos:
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mop
Gale's How Products Are Made:
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How is a mop made?
Background
Mops are classified in two main divisions as either wet or dry mops. Wet mops are commonly used to clean kitchen and bathroom floors. They usually have sponge or cloth heads that can be put in water with a detergent or other cleaner (under the general term surfactant) and rinsed when cleaning is finished. Wet mop heads can be easily cleaned themselves, and this should be done regularly to make them efficient in cleaning and absorbing dust. Wet mops should be dried thoroughly before they are stored, and those with cotton strings that fray at the ends should be trimmed occasionally. Mop heads are replaceable when they begin to wear.
The dry mop is also called the dust mop and is characterized by a large, flat head that can be pushed easily over a floor surface. The strings making up the head pick up dust, lint, and hair as the mop glides across the floor. A swivel at the point where the mop head joins the handle allows the mop to be pushed under beds and in other places with limited access. A dry mop can be shaken outdoors to remove dust, but, if the dust clogs the mop, it should be soaked in soapy water overnight. A detachable mop head can be machine-washed. Treating the dry mop with dust mop oil after washing also preserves it and helps the dust cling to the mop head.
History
The mop is a patented invention that is part of social history as well as the evolution of house wares. Thomas W. Steward, an African-American inventor, was awarded Patent Number 499,402 on June 13, 1893, for inventing the mop. His creation joined a long list of household equipment invented by African-Americans. The roster includes the eggbeater, yarn holder, ironing board, and bread-kneading machine. Steward's deck mop, made of yarn, quickly became well used for household and industrial cleaning. A wringing mechanism made the process of mopping and cleaning the mop easier and faster.
Another pair of inventors, brothers Peter and Thomas Vosbikian, fled Europe just before World War I and patented over 100 inventions in 30 years. In 1950, Peter Vosbikian developed a sponge mop that used a lever and flat strip of metal to press against the wet mop and squeeze it dry. This automatic mop eliminated the need to bend over and wring the mop repeatedly by hand. Its development was aided by the many technological improvements in the plastics industry that grew out of World War II and made absorbent plastic mop heads possible.
Other modifications have made mops even more adaptable to different cleaning chores. In 1999, Scotch Brite released a new wet mop made of natural cellulose and reinforced with internal polyester net. The cellulose does not leave lint like a cloth mop and absorbs 17 times its dry weight.
Raw Materials
Dust (dry) or wet mops consist of the same three basic parts: the mop head including a frame, a mechanical attachment (linking the head and handle) that may be fixed or may swivel, and the handle. The head of a dust mop is typically made of yarn consisting of natural or synthetic fibers like cotton or nylon. The yarn is attached to a carrier substrate, which is almost rigid and holds the shape of the mopping surface. The carrier substrate is fabric, vinyl, or molded plastic. Heads for wet mops are either made of loosely woven yarn or sponge. Like dry mops, the yarn for wet mops may be made of natural or synthetic materials. Sponge mops usually have rectangular heads made of a natural material like cellulose or a synthetic such as polyurethane foam.
The mechanical attachment fixes the mop head to the handle, but the attachment varies widely depending on the type, shape, and use of the mop. The mechanical attachment for a dust mop is made of steel wire, plated metal, or plastic that supports the shape of the head and carrier substrate. It also usually supports a swivel, also made of metal or plastic, that fastens to the frame and handle. Plastic is the most common material for mechanical attachments and swivels on household dust mops, and the plastic attachments are made of durable resins that are injection-molded.
The frame for the wet mop is also made of stamped metal. Steel is commonly used, but it is plated with zinc to protect it from water damage. The mop head does not swivel, but the mechanical attachment linking it to the handle may be a single plate, a double hinged plate that folds like a butterfly to squeeze the mop dry, or a roller mechanism that squeezes the head between two rollers. The mechanism is integrated into the frame along the major axis (the widest portion) of the sponge and has a lever that parallels the handle so the person operating the mop can activate the hinge to squeeze the mop without bending down. Attachments on wet mops also allow for removing and replacing the mop heads when they get dirty.
Handles for dust and wet mops are similar. Dust mops are made with tubular steel or wood handles. Sometimes fiberglass or aluminum is used, but these are less common and much more expensive. Historically, wood handles have also been used in making wet mops, but tubular steel coated with plastic or chrome-plated is the preferred material today.
Design
New designs for mops are driven by changes in technology, consumer demand for products with specialized functions, or internal resources within the manufacturing company. The basic shapes of mops are well suited to their uses, but they do not have to be unattractive to perform their functions. Some mop makers focus on color schemes and other fashion trends in designing new products. New types of fibers and light-weight components are technical improvements that are built into new mop designs.
Since the mid 1990s, static cleaners with disposable cloth covers have been heavily marketed, and they have had some effect on the mop industry. Mops, however, are much more durable and can be cleaned many times before the heads must be replaced. Nylon mops also hold static electricity charges and are just as effective as the static cleaner cloths in attracting and holding dust and hair.
The Manufacturing
Process
- The manufacturer's receiving department accepts raw materials and components made by subcontractors. All materials are inspected, accepted or returned to the supplier, logged in, and stored until they are needed on the production lines. Most of the components for mops are made by outside suppliers specializing in producing plastics, metal products, wood handles or tubular metal handles, and sponges. Yarn fibers that are used to make dust and wet mops are ordered in bulk quantities and processed by the manufacturer.
- The manufacturer's production area includes many specialized workstations. Yarn for the mop head is cut to a specific length, sewn together by industrial weight sewing machine, and attached to the carrier substrate also by machine stitching. The substrates of molded plastic, vinyl, or heavy fabric are made to the manufacturer's specifications by outside suppliers. Assembly line workers pull frames from bins next to their workstations and fix them to the carrier substrates. Usually, the substrate is fitted to the frame, and the worker stitches it in place. While the substrate forms the general shape of the mop, the frame holds that shape rigid.
- At the next work station, the wire metal frames are connected to the mechanical attachments. For dust or dry mops, the attachments are usually swivel devices. The connections between the swivels and the frames are designed to fit together securely. Usually, connections that are stamped in the metal pieces guide them in place and clip or snap features fix them snugly together.
- The other end of the connection is designed to fit the handle. Before the two are connected, the handles are inspected and finished. Wood handles may be sanded or smoothed and painted, and tubular steel is inspected for rough edges or irregularities. Plastic-coated steel handles for wet mops are also checked carefully to make sure that the coating is uniform so water will not damage exposed metal. Mechanical attachments and handles are joined together; again, metal stampings usually lock them in place.
- Finished mops are carefully bundled together and taken to the shipping department. Preprinted labels and card paper wrappers or preprinted plastic bags are fastened around the mop heads. Specified numbers of units are packed into shipping containers for bulk distribution to retailers.
Quality Control
Mop manufacturers use an inspector-based system of quality control. At various steps in assembling mops, the inspectors look at materials, methods or processes, and the products themselves to see if there are any visual defects. Mops that have scratches, cracks, or loose threads are discarded. Assembly line workers are not responsible for quality control. The inspectors typically check raw materials and materials from suppliers as they are received. They observe and control processes on the production line and audit quality and quantity of work. Finally, the inspectors check the finished goods including the mops that are packed and ready for shipment.
Byproducts/Waste
Mop manufacturers do not generate byproducts, but they usually make a wide variety of dust and wet mops in different sizes and shapes to suit residential and commercial consumers. Mops are also one category of product that may be made by manufacturers of many other small house wares and cleaning products.
Waste is only produced in tiny quantities. The inspection and quality control process prevents inferior mops from being made on the production line. Most waste consists of yarn trimmings and loss of yarn fiber that generates dust. The waste is controlled and disposed, and workers are protected from the dust in keeping with the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Mop production does not result in any hazardous wastes.
The Future
Both dust and wet mops are trusted fixtures in most homes and businesses because their usefulness is proven and they are inexpensive cleaning tools. Manufacturers are always looking for innovative methods of improving their products, especially in the efficiency of performing what most people consider a mundane task. Wet mops and dust or dry mops are surface-specific, so as new types of flooring are developed, manufacturers adapt mops to them. Technical developments are also ongoing in fabrics used as mop fibers and in cleaning media like dust protectants, detergents, and polishes. With such long-standing reliability, mops surely will continue to be needed.
Where to Learn More
Books
Aslett, Don. Do I Dust or Vacuum First? Cincinnati: C. J. Krehbiel Co., 1982.
Moore, Alma Chestnut. How to Clean Everything. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1977.
Vare, Ethlie Ann, and Greg Ptacek. Mothers of Invention: From the Bra to the Bomb: Forgotten Women & Their Unforgettable Ideas. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1988.
Other
OCedar Brands, Inc. Web Page. December 2001. <http://www.ocedar.com>.
Quickie Manufacturing Corporation Web Page. December 2001. <http://www.quickie.com/aboutbody.html>.
Robinson, Maisah B. "African-American History. 19th Century African American Inventors—Part 1." Feb. 26, 2001. December 2001. <http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/africanamericanjhistory/61415>.
[Article by: Gillian S. Holmes]
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(Millionaire On Paper) Refers to people who have wealth tied up in company stock options, which cannot be exercised until a certain date. During the dot-com boom, tens of thousands of MOPs were created, but many unfortunately never cashed in before the stock became worthless. See also MOPS.
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noun and int
noun and int, US
A final cadence of three triplets at the end of a jazz number; also used as an exclamation of surprise. (1944 —) .
Village Voice I wait a while, eyes closed, and I look, mop! I'm in the bathtub, all alone (1959).
[Imitative; cf. bopnoun , type of jazz.]
noun and int, US
A final cadence of three triplets at the end of a jazz number; also used as an exclamation of surprise. (1944 —) .
Village Voice I wait a while, eyes closed, and I look, mop! I'm in the bathtub, all alone (1959).
[Imitative; cf. bop
| mootah, moose, moonlighter | |
| moral, morning-glory, morph |
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or MOPS
abbr. for 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid; a Good buffer substance, pKa (20°C) = 7.2.
abbr. for 3-(N-morpholino)propanesulfonic acid; a Good buffer substance, pKa (20°C) = 7.2.
| Monte Carlo method, Monod-Wyman-Changeux model, Monera | |
| Morgan's unit, Morquio syndrome, Motrin |
Random House Word Menu:
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categories related to 'mop'
- Miscellaneous Tools, Objects, and Supplies - mop: absorbent cloth or fibers attached to handle, used for cleaning, esp. floors
- Functional Household Articles and Appliances - mop: absorbent material fastened to long handle, used to clean floors
See crossword solutions for the clue
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This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason specified. Please add a |reason= parameter to this template. Please help improve this article if you can. The talk page may contain suggestions. (November 2009) |
For the acronym, see MOP (disambiguation). For other uses, see Mops (disambiguation).
A mop (such as a floor mop) is a mass or bundle of coarse strings or yarn, etc., or a piece of cloth, sponge, or other absorbent material, attached to a pole or stick. It is used to soak up liquid, for cleaning floors and other surfaces, or to mop up dust, or for other cleaning purposes. The word (then spelled mappe) is attested in English as early as 1496, but new refinements and variations of mop designs have been introduced, from time to time. For example, American inventor Jacob Howe received U.S. patent #241 for a mop holder in 1837 [1] and African American inventor Thomas W. Stewart (U.S. patent #499,402) in 1893.[2]
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Contents
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Types
Classic yarn mop for wet use
In daily speech, the term "mop" has been used in reference to a yarn mop. The mop (eye) consists of thick lengths of yarn (about 25 cm / 10 in) or, in newer models, soft strands of water-absorbing fabric. A yarn mop is usually mounted on a long (about 1.5 m or 5-foot) handle with a threaded-screw end on which the mop can be fastened by turning it clockwise.
To clean a floor, the mop is soaked in a bucket of water, into which some cleaning solution has usually been added, and swept against the floor surface. Some buckets include a wringer to strain excess water from the mop, to control the amount of water transferred to the floor. Leaving excess (contaminated) water on the floor will result in a dirty residue.
Dry-mop, dust-mop
A dry-mop or dust-mop is designed to pick up dry, loose contamination such as dust, earth and sand from the surface of the floor. It consists of yarn and/or microfiber and is used as a first step in cleaning a floor.
Professional dry mops consist of a flat sheet of micro fiber textile or sheets with a surface of looped yarn, usually about 15 cm wide, and comes in variable lengths (usually 30 – 100 cm).
The dry-mop can in many instances replace a broom and has the ability to hold a limited amount of dust or sand within itself. Ideally, it should be machine washed when it becomes saturated with dust. Another option is using a vacuum cleaner to suck surface dust away from the mop, however this is limited in its effectiveness.
Single-use dry-mops are also available and widely sold.
Wet-mop, moist-mop
A wet mop or moist mop is, in professional cleaning, used as in the second step in the cleaning of a surface. The wet mop is swept over the surface to dissolve and absorb fat, mud and dried-in liquid contaminations. Professional wet-mops consist of a flat sheet of microfiber textile or a sheet with a surface of looped yarn (which might contain microfiber as well), usually about 15 cm wide, and come in various lengths (usually 30 – 100 cm).
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Flat wet-mop (pre-moisting). Looped microfiber with velcro mounting on back.
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Flat wet-mop (back view of previous mop).
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Flat mop for dry or wet (pre-moisting) use. Open-end microfiber with looped yarn edges. Velcro back.
.jpg){kind=small}
Mops for pre-moisting
Professional flat mops are made for pre-moisting. Mops are pre-impregnated with an ideal amount of water mixed with an appropriate amount detergent. This means that the cleaner does not need to bring any additional water on the cleaning trolley. This ideal amount is often recommended by the manufacturer in terms of weight percent of water per weight of the dry mop, for example "175% water per weight of the dry mop".
Mops for pre-moisting are flat sheets of (often microfiber) textile, usually about 15 cm wide, and comes in variable lengths (usually 30 – 100 cm). Mops for pre-moisting are fastening on a handle with a flat pad mount with the aid of velcro or a pouch on the mop, in which the pad on the handle fits.
Pre-moisting
Pre-moisting can be done with a special washing machine or by hand by simply folding and packing the mops tight in a container and pouring the measured amount of water over them. The mops will then need about 5 – 10 minutes for the liquid to distribute evenly in their tissue before use.
Advantages
- The cleaner does not have to have a bucket of water with him/her when sweeping the floor, but simply carries an appropriate number of mops. This means the weight of the equipment can often be kept lower.
- The risk of over-wetting the floor and leave pools which collect dust is eliminated if the wetting is ideal.
Hot mop
The hot mop (or steam mop) follows a similar concept to a steam iron. After adding water, the water is heated to make it exude on top of a floor, which can then be cleaned without using a cleaning solvent. These can work best on surfaces where a regular mop would also be used, such as bare floors, hearths, and laminate.
Syntho-mop
A syntho-mop such as the Scooba is not considered a mop, because even though it performs the same function as a traditional mop, the lack of hand operation makes it ineligible for status as a mop.[3]
Handles and mounting
A mop handle consists of a long piece of wood or aluminium tubing fitted with a specific mount for the mop. The handle can be attached for mounting a mop on it by means of:
-
- screwing (as with the classic yarn mop)
- velcro (as with many professional flat mops)
- pouch (as with many professional flat mops)
- clamp
- hanger (with strands doubled over the hanger)
- plastic claws (attached to the strands)
.jpg)
Traditional construction
In her book “Maggie's Memories” Margaret Wadkin (late of Hickling, near Melton Mowbray) describes the use of a mop nail for constructing home made mops from old pieces of cloth during her village childhood in the early 20th century. "The mop nail was made by the blacksmith (if there are any still around, they will be antiques). This nail was several inches long with a point at the end and a flat head a couple or so inches wide., we would stand the nail on its flat head, cut pieces of old material into squares and push over the sharp end of the nail and when enough fix a piece of leather, then push the sharp point into the mop stale or handle. There was a knack of twisting these mops over the wrist to swish away surplus water, every woman could use one of these useful mops."[4]
See also
References
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mops |
- ^ U.S. Patent 241
- ^ U.S. Patent 499,402
- ^ "Scooba mop", IRobot.com, retrieved on 2008-10-10.
- ^ Maggie's Memories. Childhood Memories of Hickling. Privately published memoirs.
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
Translations:
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Mop
Dansk (Danish)
1.
n. - svaber, gulvmoppe, opvaskesvamp
v. tr. - svabre, moppe, (af)tørre
v. intr. - bruge svaber/gulvmoppe/opvaskesvamp til at vaske/aftørre
idioms:
- mop up tørre op, opsuge, udrense
2.
n. - manke, paryk
Nederlands (Dutch)
dweil, zwabber, ragebol, afwaskwast, zwabberen, dweilen, gezichten trekken, wissen
Français (French)
1.
n. - balai à franges, serpillière, lavette, tignasse
v. tr. - éponger, essuyer, s'éponger (le front), passer un coup de balai à
v. intr. - passer la serpillière, (Mil) nettoyer, faire une opération de nettoyage
idioms:
- mop up éponger, essuyer, passer la serpillière, (fig) rafler, absorber (des profits), (Mil) nettoyer, éliminer, mettre fin à
2.
n. - (Naut) faubert
Deutsch (German)
1.
n. - Mop, Scheuerlappen
v. - abwischen, wischen, moppen
idioms:
- mop up aufwischen, (ugs.) aufräumen
2.
n. - Bedientenmarkt
Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - σφουγγαρίζω
n. - σφουγγαρόπανο, πατσαβούρα, (μτφ.) ανακατεμένο τσουλούφι
idioms:
- mop up καθαρίζω (κατάλοιπα), ξεκαθαρίζω, (μτφ.) απορροφώ, ρουφώ
Italiano (Italian)
strofinare, asciugare, lavapavimenti, strofinaccio
idioms:
- mop up asciugare
Português (Portuguese)
v. - esfregar
n. - esfregão (m), molho (m), careta (f)
idioms:
- mop up limpar com pano de chão
Русский (Russian)
швабра, копна волос, гримаса, мыть, осушать, гримасничать
idioms:
- mop up жадно есть, приканчивать
Español (Spanish)
1.
n. - lampazo, fregona, bayeta, trapo
v. tr. - fregar, limpiar, enjugar
v. intr. - enjugarse
idioms:
- mop up secar, limpiar, dar una paliza a, acabar con
2.
n. - mueca
Svenska (Swedish)
v. - torka (av), svabba
n. - mopp, svabb, kalufs
中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
拖把, 乱蓬蓬的头发, 用拖把拖洗, 擦去, 擦干, 用拖把擦洗地板, 做鬼脸
idioms:
- mop up 作扫尾工作, 擦, 抹, 痛击, 吃完, 扫荡
中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 拖把, 亂蓬蓬的頭髮
v. tr. - 用拖把拖洗, 擦去, 擦乾
v. intr. - 用拖把擦洗地板, 做鬼臉
idioms:
- mop up 作掃尾工作, 擦, 抹, 痛擊, 吃完, 掃蕩
한국어 (Korean)
1.
n. - 최종 결과, 대걸레
v. tr. - 대걸레로 청소하다, (눈물 등을) 닦다
v. intr. - 청소하다, 닦다
idioms:
- mop up 마무리 짓다, 닦아 내다
2.
n. - 인상 쓴 얼굴
日本語 (Japanese)
n. - モップ, モップに似たもの
v. - モップでふく, ふく
idioms:
- mop up モップでふく, ぬぐい取る, 片づける, 掃討する
العربيه (Arabic)
(فعل) يمسح, يقشط (الاسم) مساحه, قشاطه
עברית (Hebrew)
n. - סחבה, מקל-שטיפה, סבך שיער פרוע, סמרטוט, מברשת
v. tr. - שטף במקל-שטיפה, ניקה, ניגב, שבה או הרג, טיהר שטח מחיילי האויב, ספג (רווחים), שלח, גמר
v. intr. - שטף במקל-שטיפה
n. - יריד שהיה נהוג באנגליה בסתו, למציאת משרתים ועוזרים לאחוזות וכד'
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