Mop Buckets That Filter And Reuse Water

Buckets, by design, are simple yet effective tools; however, on the other end of the spectrum are buckets that are more complex and contain a mechanism to filter water for reuse when mopping floors.

“These buckets transfer water from one chamber to another through a tubular filter medium,” says Gosson. “The water goes from the dirty chamber through the filter, which clarifies it, and ends up in the clean water chamber.”

Filtering the water guarantees that users will be applying clean water to the floor, and the same water can be used again and again.

“There’s no need to refill it for quite a while,” says Uselman.

Distributors caution, however, that this purity comes at a price. These buckets have a higher price tag that may make this product cost-prohibitive in certain markets.

“I work in a lot of school districts,” says Uselman, “and they aren’t willing to pay $150 to $200 for a recycling bucket.”

In some industries, a simpler version of a bucket filter may suffice.
“There are single-chambered mop buckets that have filters on the bottom to screen out dirt and particulate that sinks to the bottom of the chamber,” says Meaney.

But the success of these buckets depends on the application.

“You’re still going to have material in the solution,” says Meaney, “and if you’re in food service, for example, you’re going to have grease and oil that floats to the surface. So at the end of the day, you’re just reapplying dirty cleaning solution back onto the floor.”

To help ensure cleaner water, regardless of the product or system used, distributors recommend janitors follow these three steps:

• Dust mop first
• Change soiled water frequently
• Don’t use too much chemical

And in addition to these tips, distributors encourage end users to seriously look at new mopping innovations. Cleaning products have greatly evolved since mops and wringers were first introduced more than 100 years ago. It’s probably time for an upgrade. 

Kassandra Kania is a freelance writer based in Charlotte, North Carolina. She is a frequent contributor to Sanitary Maintenance.