For commercial businesses, keeping your floors clean isn’t just about hygiene or aesthetic; it’s about safety, too. Just like how your business requires its own unique tools and methods, so do your commercial floors. That’s where mops come in.
Generally, the two most popular mops used in the commercial space are dry mops and wet mops. Both serve a purpose and have their perks, but how do you choose which one is best for your commercial flooring?
Swan Dust Control is a leading provider of mop rental services in Canada. Never buy and store another mop head again. Instead, let us provide, repair, and swap out used mops for something fresh and new. No questions asked.
Oh, and yes – we deliver our products, too.
This means we have some unique insight into which mop you should use for your business. In this blog, we’ll take you through the benefits of both mops and help you decide if a dry mop or wet mop is the best use case for your commercial floors.
Let’s begin.
What is a Dry Mop?
A dry mop is an excellent tool when you need to quickly keep the shop floors neat and tidy throughout the workday. Dry mops come in a variety of sizes, but tend to be on the larger side, featuring large, horizontal mop heads designed to capture dust and dirt.
While sometimes criticized for not always capturing debris well, Swan Dust Control's uniquely treated mop heads are designed to grab and hold onto dirt. Not only this, but all our mops are regularly replaced with fresh ones, so you don't have to worry about re-tracking dust and dirt from overuse. Our models have various sizes and mop handles for ease of use.
When is a Dry Mop Not Appropriate?
If the area is often wet or greasy, a dry mop isn’t the best option. Dry mops are designed to capture and hold dry particles and food debris but aren’t meant to be dragged over moisture and oil.
Our dry mops are already treated and don’t require additional cleaners to get the job done, as they aren’t designed for it. If you have major spills or slick, greasy surfaces, we don’t recommend using a dry mop here – it’s in the name. Dry mops work best for: dry commercial floors.
What is a Wet Mop?
While this might seem like an obvious explanation (most of us have had to mop floors at home, complete with a bucket of soapy water), wet mops used in commercial spaces are different from the variety you get from the department store. Our mops are not only larger than the average home mop, but they’re also made from an absorbent, antimicrobial fibre that has a 50% reduction in drying time, ensuring your mop isn’t left to attract bacteria or mold. In fact, studies have shown that mops, when stored wet, promoted bacterial growth at very high levels that couldn't be managed with chemical disinfection.
These mops work great in environments with wet or greasy spills – until they don’t.
What we mean by that is wet mops have a shelf life. While they can be cleaned and maintained, you want to limit the spread of germs and bacteria, which means Swan Dust Control always swaps out your mop for a fresh one when the time comes. We’ll take back your used mop and handle the maintenance, while providing you with a fresh, new mop.
When is a Wet Mop Not Appropriate?
Wet mops aren’t the best choice for capturing dry debris, and don’t work well in areas that are required to stay dry for safety purposes. This includes busy commercial floors with very heavy foot traffic; not only can this cause accidents, but dust and muck can be tracked by employees.
Dry mops can be used throughout the workday, even in busy spots, while wet mops are often either an after-treatment when areas are cleared, or when major spills happen. They also require safety signs that warn passersby that the area is wet and slips and falls are a risk. Make sure to put up that wet floor sign!
How to Choose a Commercial Mop
So, how do you choose your mop? Truly, it completely depends on your business's needs. Let's break things down a little more:
Dry Mopping
Dry mopping is a better choice if your space is clean and doesn't require additional chemicals. It's also more appropriate in areas that need to be cleaned quickly and frequently. They work best on dry debris such as dust, dirt, wood shavings, some food debris, etc. They should never be dragged or pushed over floors with moisture or the presence of grease.
Here are some examples of commercial spaces that could benefit from a dry mop, as well as its application:
- Office Buildings: Perfect for daily dust and debris pickup in hallways, lobbies, and conference rooms.
Schools and Universities: This includes areas such as classrooms, gyms, hallways, or other areas that just need quick dust removal without the hassle of having to wet the floors and keep them from being trampled.
Retail Stores: Aisles and sales floors are easy to keep clean and free of dust and debris, all without hindering the shopping experience for the customer.
Warehouses: Dry mops work excellently on smooth, concrete floors where dust buildup is common, and where heavy foot traffic need not be interrupted.
Clinics: These mops are useful in non-patient, low-spill areas where a quick dust removal is often needed. This can include corridors, employee areas, etc.
Hotels: Lobbies, banquet halls, and conference rooms often have polished flooring that could use quick dust removal.
Museums and Galleries: Dry mops are perfect for removing dust without leaving behind streaks or moisture near precious displays.
Airports and Transit Hubs: Dry mops work great in high-traffic areas that require quick cleaning and regular maintenance in between deeper cleans.
Restaurants and Cafeterias: While these locations often have areas that will require wet mopping, dry mopping is still ideal for front-of-house areas before switching over to wet mopping for spills.
Event Venues and Convention Centres: These spaces often have large, smooth floors that require frequent dust control, making dry mopping the optimal choice.
Wet Mopping
If your commercial business space regularly collects moisture and grease, wet mopping is likely the best option for you. In general, wet mopping is also recommended as part of a deep cleaning regimen, as it is optimized to not only clean but also sanitize floors completely.
A study on the health of animals in research facilities showed that keeping floors clean and disinfected was essential for protecting the health of the animals in question. This study tested different mop and disinfectant combinations, showing microfibre mops were more effective at reducing contamination when used with hydrogen peroxide.
Here are some examples of commercial spaces where wet mopping is the better option:
Restaurants and Cafeterias: Perfect for food prep areas such as the kitchen, hot table, and dining area. Spills, grease, and food messes (especially the moist kind) require wet mopping to keep things clean and sanitized.
Clinics: Wet mops are very critical for sanitizing patient rooms, operating areas, and high-touch spaces, eliminating bacteria and germs.
Daycares and Schools: Wet mopping is perfect for cleaning up those tricky, sticky messes, spills and maintaining the hygiene of high-traffic play areas.
Grocery Stores: Areas such as the produce back room, deli, and frozen sections are likely to experience leaks and spills, making wet mopping the optimal option.
Commercial Kitchens: Wet mops are essential for commercial kitchens, as they're designed to handle food residue, grease, and other common kitchen spills. This ensures the floors are cleaned, sanitized, and free of any debris that could cause an accident.
Gyms and Fitness Centres: Perfect for handling sweat and water spills while also keeping workout areas completely sanitized.
Public Restrooms: Wet mops are designed to keep floors disinfected and safe from bacteria buildup, making them the obvious choice for public restrooms.
Healthcare Labs: To maintain both safety and compliance, wet mopping must be implemented to keep floors disinfected.
Important Note
While we’ve gone through several industries as examples, please bear in mind that both methods mentioned can be applied to a nearly endless number of commercial businesses. When it truly comes to deciding on what method is right for you, it’s important to consider both the business and the application.
Select the Best: Swan Dust Control
Swan Dust Control has more than 70+ years of experience. Over this time, we've built a trustworthy reputation around providing reliable map and mop solutions for businesses across the country. Coast to coast, our commitment extends beyond just keeping your floor clean: we also strive to keep our practices sustainable, to keep both people and the planet safe. Plus, all our mats are certified by the National Floor Safety Institute, ensuring safety is always top of mind.
Don’t hesitate, let our professionals match you with the best mop for the job. Contact us today.
