EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW: Eight laundered microfiber flat mops and one single-use microfiber flat mop were photographed at 20X’s, 40X’s using a 3D stereo microscope and 1,000X’s using a Scanning Electronic Microscope, SEM. The laundered mops demonstrated significant contamination and microfiber degradation. In some instances, the microfiber in no longer effective since it is shown to be[…]tell me more

Richard Venditti, Elis and Signe Olsson Professor, Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Room 1204 Pulp and Paper Labs, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005 Summary & Results The Advantex® Single-use Mop has a significantly lower environmental impact than a reusable laundered mop in every category assessed in the EPA TRACI model. A contribution analysis on[…]tell me more

Pathogens are consistently introduced to the floor throughout the day by shoes, transport equipment such as wheelchairs and beds, treatment devices or computer carts, and non-slip patient socks that traverse the floors and frequently, directly into a bed. More importantly, there is a consistent potential for cross-contamination on and across the floor by an item[…]tell me more

Converting to disposable microfiber mops can significantly reduce the HAI risk for hospitals, eliminating the potential for inadequately launder mops to be reintroduced with remnant HAI pathogens. The case study evaluated our Advantex® (Brand A) along with several other brands of single-use microfiber mops and determined that differences clearly exist on several critical criteria such[…]tell me more

Environmental Comparisons A recent study evaluated laundered microfiber mops from eleven hospitals and found that 27.3% of the newly laundered mops contained microbial contamination, including HAI pathogens. Key Findings Laundry considerations: The typical hot water temperature in the laundering process specifies 160°F-200°F for microfiber mops or cloths and excludes the use of bleach unless necessary.[…]tell me more