Cleaning sheets comprising a polymeric additive to improve particulate pick-up and minimize residue left on surfaces and cleaning implements for use with cleaning sheets

Abstract

Cleaning sheets comprise an additive that is selected to enhance the pick up and retention of particulate material from surfaces, while minimizing the amount of residue left on the surface being cleaned. If the type of additive and level of additive on the cleaning sheet are not carefully selected, the sheet will leave a residue on the surface being cleaned resulting in filming and streaking of the surface that is unacceptable to consumers. The additive is preferably selected from the group consisting of a wax, an oil, and mixtures thereof. Cleaning implements comprise a mop head having a resilient bottom surface, a portion of which preferably has a substantially smooth curved profile or crown which engages a removable cleaning sheet.

1 . A mop head for a cleaning implement, said mop head comprising: 
 an elastic pad having a leading edge, and a trailing edge, said leading edge and said trailing edge defining an overall pad width therebetween, said width having a bottom surface, said bottom surface having a contact surface thereon and being disposed intermediate said leading edge and said trailing edge for engaging a cleaning sheet wherein said contact surface of said elastic pad of said mop head has a contact surface width taken in the direction of and being less than said overall pad width, said contact surface being suitable for pressing against a surface to be cleaned, said pad having first and second flanker surfaces, a first flanker surface intermediate said contact surface and said leading edge and a second flanker surface intermediate said contact surface and said trailing edge, each said flanker surface having a respective flanker surface width taken in the direction of and being parallel to said overall pad width, said flanker surface widths being less than said overall pad width and greater than said contact surface width, such that said bottom surface of said elastic pad comprises one or more discrete steps of at least about 1.5 mm in a direction perpendicular to said bottom surface, whereby said first and/or said second flanker surfaces need not contact a surface to be cleaned when said contact surface is engaged with the surface to be cleaned.    
   
   
       2 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said step is at least about 2 mm.  
   
   
       3 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said step is between about 2 mm and about 5 mm.  
   
   
       4 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said bottom surface of said elastic pad includes a gap at both said leading edge and said trailing edge such that said bottom surface of said elastic pad has a step of at least about 1.5 mm between said both said leading edge and said trailing edge and said contact surface.  
   
   
       5 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein said contact surface of said bottom surface of said elastic pad has an overall width located in between said leading edge and said trailing edge, wherein said overall width is less than about 50 mm.  
   
   
       6 . The mop head of  claim 5 , wherein said contact surface is convex.  
   
   
       7 . The mop head of  claim 5 , wherein said overall width of said contact surface is less than about 25 mm.  
   
   
       8 . A cleaning implement, comprising: 
 a handle;    a pivotable joint attached to said handle;    a mop head according to  claim 1 , wherein said mop head is attached to said pivotable joint.    
   
   
       9 . The mop head of  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the caliper of said cleaning sheet affixed to the mop head to said step is between about 0.01 and about 0.65.  
   
   
       10 . A cleaning implement for use with a cleaning sheet which is also suitable for hand dusting, comprising: 
 a handle;    a pivotable joint attached to said handle;    a mop head attached to said pivotable joint, said mop head having an elastic pad having a leading edge, a trailing edge, and a bottom surface for engaging a cleaning sheet wherein said bottom surface of said elastic pad of said mop head includes a terminal point located on at least one of said leading edge or trailing edge and said bottom surface includes a contact surface, such that said bottom surface of said elastic pad has one or more discrete steps symmetrical about an axis taken in the width direction of at least about 1.5 mm, said mop head having a plurality of attachment structures for receiving and retaining a cleaning sheet, wherein said plurality of attachment structures are located on a top surface of said mop head; and    a cleaning sheet releasably attached to said mop head such that said cleaning sheet is in contact with the bottom surface of said elastic pad.    
   
   
       11 . The cleaning implement of  claim 10 , wherein said step is at least about 2 mm.  
   
   
       12 . The cleaning implement of  claim 10 , wherein said step is between about 2 mm and about 5 mm.  
   
   
       13 . The cleaning implement of  claim 10 , wherein said bottom surface of said elastic pad includes a terminal point at both said leading edge and said trailing edge such that said bottom surface of said elastic pad has a step of at least about 1.5 mm between said terminal points of said leading edge and said trailing edge and said contact surface.  
   
   
       14 . The cleaning implement of  claim 10 , wherein said contact surface of said bottom surface of said elastic pad has an overall width located in between said leading edge and said trailing edge, wherein said overall width is less than about 50 mm.  
   
   
       15 . The cleaning implement of  claim 14 , wherein said width of said contact surface is between about 2 mm and about 50 mm.  
   
   
       16 . The cleaning implement of  claim 14 , wherein said width of said contact surface is less than about 25 mm.  
   
   
       17 . The cleaning implement of  claim 10 , wherein the ratio of the caliper of a sheet joined to said cleaning implement to said step is between about 0.01 and about 0.65.