System and method for cleaning both the interior and the exterior of drywall tools

Abstract

A system for cleaning both the exterior and the interior of drywall tools uses a standard bucket, a metal frame, and a set of brushes. The brushes are rigidly mounted to the frame, and the brush/frame assembly is placed inside the bucket. The system also has a foot-actuated pump having a supply hose that mounts to the bucket and a delivery hose that mounts to a tool to be cleaned. The system is used to clean both the exterior surfaces of the soiled tool and its interior chambers. The bucket is filled with water and the delivery hose is attached to an inlet port of the tool. The tool is lowered into the bucket and scrubbed against the brushes to clean the exterior of the tool. Simultaneously, the pump is actuated by the user to force water through the tool to clean compound out of its interior chambers.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A system for cleaning an interior and an exterior of a tool, comprising: 
 a bucket;    a support frame mounted inside the bucket;    a brush mounted to the support frame inside the bucket;    a pump assembly having a pump, an intake hose having one end that is adapted to be located inside the bucket, and a delivery hose having one end that is adapted to be connected to the tool; and wherein    when the bucket contains a cleaning fluid, the system is adapted to clean both the interior and the exterior of the tool when said one end of the intake hose is submerged in the cleaning fluid, said one end of the delivery hose is connected to the tool, the pump is actuated to circulate the cleaning fluid through the tool such that the interior of the tool is flushed, and the exterior of the tool is scrubbed with the brush.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the system simultaneously cleans both the interior and the exterior of the tool.  
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the brush comprises a plurality of brushes having bristles that radiate toward a center of the bucket.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the support frame is suspended from a rim of the bucket located at an open upper end of the bucket.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the pump of the pump assembly is manually-actuated.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the support frame comprises a generally cylindrical form of flat metallic straps and bands.  
     
     
         7 . A system for simultaneously cleaning an interior and an exterior of a tool, comprising: 
 a bucket having an open upper end and a rim;    a support frame having a generally cylindrical form of flat metallic straps and bands located inside the bucket and suspended from the rim of the bucket;    a set of brushes mounted to the support frame inside the bucket and having bristles that radiate toward a center of the bucket;    a pump assembly having a pump, an intake hose having one end that is adapted to be located inside the bucket, and a delivery hose having one end that is adapted to be connected to the tool; and wherein    when the bucket is filled with a cleaning fluid, the system is adapted to clean both the interior and the exterior of the tool when said one end of the intake hose is submerged in the cleaning fluid, said one end of the delivery hose is connected to the tool, the pump is actuated to circulate the cleaning fluid through the tool such that the interior of the tool is flushed, and the exterior of the tool is scrubbed with the brushes.    
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein at least one of the brushes has clips for securing the intake hose inside the bucket.  
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the pump of the pump assembly is manually-actuated.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the pump of the pump assembly is actuated by a foot of a user.  
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 7 , further comprising a fitting having one end inserted into the delivery hose and an opposite end that is adapted to be secured to the tool.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the support frame is rigidly suspended from the rim of the bucket on a set of snap hooks.  
     
     
         13 . A method of cleaning both an interior and an exterior of a tool, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing a bucket, a support frame, a brush, and a pump assembly;    (b) mounting the brush to the support frame;    (c) locating the support frame inside the bucket such that the brush is also located inside the bucket;    (d) placing a cleaning fluid inside the bucket;    (e) submerging one end of an intake hose of the pump assembly in the cleaning fluid;    (f) connecting one end of a delivery hose to the tool;    (g) actuating the pump assembly to circulate the cleaning fluid through the intake hose, the pump, the delivery hose, and the tool;    (h) cleaning the interior of the tool by pumping the cleaning fluid through the interior of the tool; and    (i) cleaning the exterior of the tool by scrubbing the exterior of the tool with the brush.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein steps (h) and (i) are performed simultaneously.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein step (c) comprises suspending the support frame from a rim of the bucket located at an open upper end of the bucket.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein step (g) comprises manually actuating the pump.