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Updated: Jul 10, 2026
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Microbial Control and Monitoring Strategies for Cleanroom Environments and Cellular Therapies
Published on: March 17, 2023
Microbiologic evaluation of microfiber mops for surface disinfection.
William A Rutala1, Maria F Gergen, David J Weber
1Department of Hospital Epidemiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7030, USA. brutala@unch.unc.edu
American Journal of Infection Control
|November 6, 2007
Summary
Microfiber mops significantly reduce floor microbes compared to cotton mops. Disinfectant use offers no added benefit with microfiber systems, but improves cotton mop efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare-associated infection control
- Environmental hygiene in healthcare settings
Background:
- Healthcare facilities are increasingly adopting microfiber mopping systems.
- This shift aims to improve floor sanitation over traditional cotton string mops.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the microbial reduction efficacy of microfiber mops.
- To compare microfiber mop performance against conventional cotton string mops.
Main Methods:
- Three test conditions were evaluated: cotton mop with bucket, microfiber mop with bucket, and a microfiber system.
- Rodac plates with D/E Neutralizing Agar assessed microbial levels before and after cleaning in 24 rooms per condition.
Main Results:
- The microfiber system achieved 95% microbial removal with detergent, significantly outperforming cotton mops (68%).
- Adding disinfectant to the microfiber system did not increase microbial removal (95% vs. 95%).
- Disinfectant use significantly improved cotton mop efficacy (95% vs. 68%).
Conclusions:
- Microfiber systems provide superior microbial reduction on floors compared to cotton mops when using detergent.
- Disinfectant addition does not enhance the microbial elimination capabilities of microfiber mopping systems.
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