Laundering Mops In A Washing Machine

Laundering a mop head in a washing machine is option for cleanup, rather than rinsing in a sink and bagging or hanging to dry. Mops can be laundered either on site at a job or back at the company facilities. However, this method is better suited to a rayon mop rather than a cotton mop, says Joe Choplin, the director of operations support for City Wide Franchise in Lenexa, Kansas.

When laundering, do not use a fabric softener or bleach, as the latter can be destructive to natural fiber mops in particular, says Bill Griffin, president of the Seattle-based Cleaning Consultant Services.

When machine drying, janitors shouldn’t dry them in too high of a heat, especially synthetic and microfiber mop heads.

“Some of the fibers are more sensitive to higher temperatures than others,” says Griffin, so be cautious about not exceeding recommended dryer temperatures lest the mops “…curl, shrink or get brittle over a period of time.”  

Hilary Daninhirsch is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh.