Melamine foam pads for motorized floor cleaning machines

Abstract

A cleaning pad system for use on a motorized floor cleaning or polishing machine is described wherein the pad has melamine resin based foam.

1 . A cleaning pad for use on a motorized floor cleaning or polishing machine, comprising:
 a substantially circular melamine foam disk having a diameter, a thickness, a first scrubbing surface comprised substantially exclusively of melamine foam and;   a second surface spaced from said scrubbing surface by the thickness;   a backing disk not of melamine foam having substantially the same diameter; and   a fastener fixedly coupling the backing disk to the second surface.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning pad of  claim 1  wherein the fastener is an adhesive. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning pad of  claim 2  wherein the backing disk is a foam. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning pad of  claim 3  wherein the backing disk is a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning pad of  claim 4  wherein the backing disk is at least ¾ inch thick. 
     
     
         6 . A cleaning pad for use on a motorized floor cleaning or polishing machine, comprising:
 a substantially circular melamine foam disk having a diameter, a thickness, a first scrubbing surface comprised substantially exclusively of melamine foam and;   a second surface spaced from said scrubbing surface by the thickness;   a fastener secured to the second surface.   
     
     
         7 . The cleaning pad of  claim 6  wherein the fastener is a hook part of a hook and loop system. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning pad of  claim 6  wherein the thickness is at least ½ inch. 
     
     
         9 . A floor cleaning system comprising a scrubbing portion that is substantially exclusively a melamine foam disk rotationally driven by a rotating member of a floor machine. 
     
     
         10 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 9  wherein the rotating member is a pad driver. 
     
     
         11 . The floor cleaning system of  claim 9  wherein the rotating member is an abrasive stripping pad operatively attached to said motorized floor cleaning machine and wherein said melamine foam disk is disposed against said stripping pad, whereby said melamine foam disk is held to said stripping pad by friction at the interface of said melamine foam disk and said stripping pad. 
     
     
         12 . A no-strip method of cleaning a waxed floor comprising:
 using water or a detergent solution and a rotary floor machine at low speed driving a circular melamine foam pad to remove dirt from depressions in the waxed floor without stripping off wax prior to doing so.   
     
     
         13 . A no-strip method of cleaning a waxed floor by using a rotary machine comprising:
 without first stripping wax, using a cleaning fluid and the rotary machine at low speed with a circular melamine foam pad having a polyurethane foam backer attached to the melamine foam, said backer penetrated by a pad driver of the machine to rotationally drive the melamine foam pad and remove dirt from scratches and grout lines in the waxed floor.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the cleaning fluid is water. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the cleaning fluid is a detergent solution. 
     
     
         16 . A method of maintaining a floor having a waxed surface comprising:
 without stripping wax from the floor, securing a disc-like melamine foam pad under a pad driver of a low speed floor cleaning machine; depositing a cleaning liquid on the waxed surface; and operating the low speed floor cleaning machine to rotate the melamine foam pad at a low rotation speed on the waxed surface so that the melamine foam pad enters depressions in the floor and moves substantially all the dirt from depressions in the waxed floor surface to the liquid;   removing the cleaning liquid;   buffing the wax surface with a buffing pad.