Cleanroom cleaning with mops: Disposable technologies are increasingly gaining ground

Processing and Inspection in ISO 7 Cleanroom ©Hydroflex

Packaging in ISO 5 cleanroom ©Hydroflex

PurMop® EFB40 – Microfiber disposable mop ©Hydroflex

PurMop® EF40 – Polyester disposable mop ©Hydroflex

With the increasing role of cleanrooms not only in the pharmaceutical industry but also in medical technology, food, and other sectors, the cleaning and disinfection of these rooms and their surfaces such as floors, walls, and ceilings are becoming increasingly important. Cleanroom floors do not stay clean; they are constantly recontaminated. Unwanted contaminants include tiny particulate impurities, which can also be microbiologically contaminated or, for example, residues of cleaning and disinfecting agents. Such contaminants require mechanical action to be loosened and removed from the surface – ideally with special microfiber materials. Here, one can choose between mop covers designed for multiple reuse in the cleanroom (which must be washable and possibly sterilizable) and those that are disposed of or recycled after use in the cleanroom. But how do you wipe for the best possible result?

The optimization of cleaning processes with all its components is a science in itself, just like working in cleanrooms. Companies dealing with cleaning materials must continually meet new requirements, consider the latest technologies, and always contribute to optimizing the entire process. This is a task Hydroflex faces daily.

Very important in this development process is proximity to the customer. This is how the two Hydroflex managing directors, Edward and Terry Becker, see it: “We are always in close contact with our customers to optimize products according to their requirements and to establish and implement new ideas and cleaning concepts.” Already four years ago, the young company from the Marburg area introduced the first disposable microfiber mop covers to the market. The then-new concept was the answer to the pharmaceutical industry's demands for maximum safety, documentation, GMP compliance, and high cleaning performance. Since then, the single-use mop system has been continuously developed and optimized in terms of cost, performance, and ecology. Today, a clear trend can be observed in the market from reusable to disposable technologies in pharmaceutical production. There are already many well-known companies in the pharmaceutical industry worldwide, not just in Germany, benefiting from the advantages of the disposable mop system – such as a large vaccine manufacturer from the Marburg region.

Especially the 100% safety and certified purity of each individual mop, along with the reduced effort of storing fresh and soiled mops and their processing, catch the customers' attention. And the mop does not have to be completely disposed of after cleaning, because it can be reused in hygiene and gray areas after a washing process.

“Our PurMop® disposable mops are designed for single use in the cleanroom but are by no means made from inferior materials compared to reusable mops. Our single-use mops can be easily washed and reused for further cleaning tasks outside the cleanroom,” explains Edward Becker, adding that the fiber material used for PurMop® microfiber mops is actually a higher-quality specialty fiber. “The special high-performance fibers are made of pure polyester and are characterized by their unique manufacturing process, fiber shape, and higher performance capability. Since only polyester raw material is used, the entire mop is designed for high durability and purity suitability.” Additionally, it has a multilayer structure with a liquid reservoir, enabling the disposable mop to achieve the performance of a reusable mop. The disposable mop covers are not subject to the usual wear and tear associated with mechanical and chemical stresses during use, washing, and sterilization. Therefore, a suitability test before each use is unnecessary, as a one-time product qualification is sufficient for the always-new mops, and batch-specific documents and certificates are included with each delivery. The increased safety and significantly simplified quality assurance process are particularly important for operational materials like cleaning supplies. Hydroflex sees a clear trend reversal in the steadily growing demand for such products and the increasing number of satisfied customers as a strong indicator.