The Disposable Mop Wars March 14, 2008

Disposable mops are the latest in housecleaning timesavers. Players include Clorox Readymop, Proctor & Gamble Swiffer Wetjet, Scotch-Brite Super-Cling, SC Johnson Pledge Grab-it, they’re all there. RealSimple tested no less than 20 different disposable cleaning wipes in April 2007. This is brilliant marketing! Create a product that requires constant refilling and you’ve got yourself a billion dollar industry. Never mind that using disposable mops also creates mountains of garbage!

Now mind you, I’m no fan of string mops and buckets, roller mops or sponge mops. I understand why folks don’t like to use them. I mean, where do you dump the dirty water? Tub? Shower? Kitchen sink? Backyard (that is, if you have a backyard)? No thanks. I’d rather get on my hands and knees and scrub the floor than use one of those.

I use a StarFiber StarMop that I purchased at the Puyallup Fair several years ago. I bought an extra washable microfiber wet pad. To purchase the same items today, I would spend about $25.00. The cost of most of the disposable wet mop systems is also about $25.00. However, with the StarMop I can:

• Use the StarMop wet or dry. 
• Choose the cleaner to use, depending on whether I’m cleaning hardwood or the linoleum in the bathroom. Or I can just use water.
• Collapse the telescoping handle for storage.
• Wash the StarMop pad and reuse it again.
• Bonus - Get my husband to mop the floors with the StarMop – willingly.

I like the StarMop so much I bought their Angle Mop today to make cleaning the showers and windows faster and easier.  

Casabella makes a similar Extendable Microfiber Cleaner. I am a huge fan of their Microfiber Dusting Cloth, which when dampened with a light spray of water, picks up dust like crazy.

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