Patent Publication Number: US-2015082565-A1

Title: Sliding scrub brush for a floor mop

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-220US; entitled “Flexible Scrubbing Head for a Floor Mop”); and Ser. No. ______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-222US; entitled “Floor Mop With Concentrated Cleaning Feature”), which are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to floor mops, and more particularly to floor mops having a sliding or scrub brush that can be selectively used to provide concentrated cleaning force. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Spray Mops are simple cleaning tools that have gained favor by consumers following a recent trend in the popularity of hard floor surfaces (e.g., tile, wood, stone, marble, linoleum etc.) within the housing market. Early hard floor cleaning tools typically comprised a string mop, rag mop, or sponge mop that was used in conjunction with a separate bucket of cleaning solution. Such devices are still in use today, and can be effective, but they are often considered cumbersome to use. 
     The foregoing mopping devices have been replaced in the marketplace with increasing frequency by flat mops having a flat plate mounted to a long handle, with a removable cleaning pad attached to the plate. Such cleaning pads have included traditional woven fabrics (e.g., string or a knit fabric), sponges, nonwoven fabrics made of polymers, wood pulp, or the like, and the like. Woven and sponge mop pads are generally considered to be reusable, whereas nonwoven pads are often considered to be “disposable” because they are difficult or impossible to effectively clean for multiple reuses. 
     Flat mops may be used with a separate supply of cleaning fluid (water, detergent or the like), but some are equipped as a “spray mop” having a built-in fluid deposition system including a spray nozzle attached either to the plate or the handle, a vessel filled with liquid cleaning fluid, and mechanism to control the flow of cleaning fluid. Such mechanisms have included, among other things, manually- and electrically-operated pumps, and gravity-operated systems controlled by a valve. The spray frequency and duration are controlled by the user using a hand trigger located on or close to the handle grip. Once the vessel is filled with the cleaning solution of choice and the cleaning pad is installed, the user places the plate on the target surface (typically a floor) and energizes the spray system by squeezing the hand trigger or other mechanism to wet the surface. Once the surface is wetted, the user moves the spray mop pad across the wet surface in forward/aft or left/right directions to wick up the cleaning solution and apply a light downward force to transfer the dirt from the floor to the (now wet) pad. 
     The plate of a flat mop typically has a large surface (e.g., ˜400 mm wide×˜100 mm deep). The large surface area provided by the plate and underlying pad provides a large cleaning path, which reduces the time required to clean large areas and provides a significant transfer surface to pick up dirt and liquid. However, the force applied by the user is spread across the total area of the pad (e.g., ˜40,000 mm 2  in the above example), which is good for covering large areas, but hinders the cleaning result and efficiency when attempting to clean stubborn dirt because it is not possible to focus a large cleaning force on strongly-adhering dirt. Ethnographic observations reveal that users of flat mops address stubborn dirt in a variety of ways. Some users apply more cleaning solution (which is potentially wasteful), and others simply endure the many passes required with the cleaning pad (which is time consuming). Other users apply a greater amount of force to the stain using their sock-covered foot or a separate abrasive pad. Still others attempt to apply more force by moving one or both hands lower on the handle. In any event, these approaches are not considered to be true solutions to the problem of cleaning stubborn dirt, because they can be inconvenient and inefficient to the user. 
     Some existing flat mop designs attempt to address the issue of cleaning stubborn dirt by adding a scrub brush to the mop. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,892,415 and 7,225,495 and U.S. Publication No. 2012/0195674 (all of which are incorporated herein by reference) show mops having a scrub brush mounted on the head adjacent the sponge or cleaning pad. However, these devices all require the user to flip the mop head to perform the scrubbing operation, which can be an awkward and inconvenient movement. Furthermore, the device in the aforementioned publication uses a pivoting joint between the handle and the plate, which may increase the difficulty of holding the device with the scrub brush facing towards the floor. Other devices, such as the mops shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,779,501 and 8,166,597, have a scrubbing region built into the center of the base plate, which is activating by increasing the downward force on the mop handle. With these devices, it can be difficult or impossible to tell when the scrubbing region is actually moved into contact with the floor, because there is no separate control to operate it. Also, some of these devices sacrifice a portion of the main cleaning pad to make room for the scrubbing region. 
     There exists a need to provide alternative solutions to the problems of cleaning stubborn dirt using flat mops, spray mops, and the like. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a mop having a base plate having a generally flat lower surface configured to face a surface to be cleaned, a cleaning pad located on the lower surface of the base plate and positioned to selectively contact the surface to be cleaned, and a handle having a proximal end connected to the base plate, a distal end opposite the proximal end, and a handle axis extending form the proximal end to the distal end. A first grip is connected at the distal end of the handle. An auxiliary scrubber is movably mounted to the handle and configured to move between an inactive position and an active position. The auxiliary scrubber includes a second grip, a scrubbing element that is spaced from the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the inactive position, and that contacts the surface to be cleaned when the auxiliary scrubber is in the active position, and an actuator joining the second grip to the scrubbing element. 
     Other embodiments may include additional or alternative features. For example, the mop may include a fluid deposition system, and the auxiliary scrubber may be slidably mounted to the handle. 
     It will be appreciated that this Summary is not intended to limit the claimed invention in any way. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the exemplary embodiments may be understood by reference to the attached drawings, in which like reference numbers designate like parts. The drawings are exemplary, and not intended to limit the claims in any way. 
         FIG. 1  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a spray mop having a movable scrubbing brush. 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view showing the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in a use position. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially cut-away and fragmented side view of an embodiment of a dry mop including a movable scrubbing brush shown in a use position. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , shown along line  5 - 5  thereof. 
         FIG. 6  is a side schematic view of another exemplary embodiment of a spray mop having a movable scrubbing brush. 
         FIG. 7  is a side schematic view of another exemplary embodiment of a spray mop having a movable scrubbing brush. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     The inventors have developed new apparatus and methods for cleaning stubborn dirt using a flat mop or spray mop. Non-limiting examples of these apparatus and methods are described below. The following embodiments generally describe the inventions in the context of a spray mop, but it will be readily apparent that these embodiments are also applicable to flat mops that do not have a separate liquid depositing system. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a spray mop  100  that is adapted for quick and convenient cleaning of stubborn dirt. As used herein, the term “dirt” is intended to have its broad colloquial meaning, and includes any substance on a surface that is desired to be removed therefrom. This term includes, without limitation, soil, food, liquids, or other substances that are on or adhering to the surface. 
     The exemplary spray mop  100  includes a base plate  102  to which a handle  104  is attached. The handle  104  is attached at a proximal (lower) end to the base plate  102 , and may include a first grip  106  at a distal (upper) end. The first grip  106  may be connected to the handle as an integrally-molded part, or as separate piece that is attached at the distal end of the handle  104 . The handle  104  also may include a second grip  108  at a location between the proximal and distal ends of the handle  104 . The grips  106 ,  108  may be contoured or have gripping material (e.g., overmolded rubber, etc.) to facilitate the user&#39;s operation of the mop  100   
     The handle  104  is connected to a top side of the base plate  102  via a joint  110 . The joint  110  may be a rigid connection, but more preferably is a pivot joint. A pivot joint may be a single-axis pivot that allows the base plate  102  and handle  104  to rotate relative to one another about a single axis, or a multiple-axis pivot that allows the base plate  102  and handle  104  to rotate relative to one another about multiple (e.g., two) axes. Such pivot joints are known in the art, and an example of a suitable pivot joint is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,141, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     The handle  104  may include a fluid deposition system for distributing cleaning fluid (water, detergent, etc.) onto the surface being cleaned. The fluid deposition system includes a tank  112  to hold the cleaning fluid, a sprayer  114  that is positioned and oriented to distribute the fluid in the desired direction, a pump and/or valve assembly  116  to control the fluid flow, and a trigger  118  that is operated by the user to activate the pump/valve assembly  116 . The details of such fluid deposition systems are known in the art, and need not be described herein. Examples of suitable fluid deposition systems include, for example, those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,888,006; 6,659,670; 6,960,042; 6,692,172; 6,722,806; 7,004,658; 7,048,458; 7,160,044; 7,172,099; and 7,850,384, which are incorporated herein by reference. Without excluding other options, the inventors believe that the system shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,960,042 is expected to be particularly useful to provide simple and effective fluid deposition. In this embodiment, the fluid deposition system comprises a pump  116  that is fluidly connected to the tank  112  to receive the cleaning fluid, and a sprayer  114  that is fluidly connected to the pump  116  to receive pressurized fluid and deposit the fluid onto the surface to be cleaned. Fluid connections may be made by hoses or rigid passages formed in the handle housing. The pump  116  may be a simple plunger pump that is operated by a trigger  118  located at the first grip  106  via a linkage that extends down the length of the handle  104 . The tank  112  may be removable for refilling or replacement, or fixed and refilled in place. The foregoing features and variations are well-known in the art, and need not be described herein. 
     It will be appreciated that various modifications may be made to the foregoing embodiment. For example, the fluid deposition system may be omitted to provide a simple flat mop. As another example, the fluid deposition system may be modified by placing the sprayer  114  or other parts, such as the tank  112 , on the base plate  102 . As yet another example, a heater  120  may be added in the fluid lines (or to the tank  112 ) to heat the liquid and/or convert the liquid into steam prior to deposition on the surface being cleaned. As still another example, a vacuum system (i.e., a vacuum suction fan and motor, and associated dirt receptacle), may be added to the mop  100 . An example of such a system is shown, in conjunction with an optional steam generator, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,421, which is incorporated herein by reference. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     The base plate  102  comprises a generally flat lower surface  122  that faces the floor or other surface during use. If desired, the lower surface  122  may have grooves or an arched shape to help distribute forces across the lower surface  122 , or other features that may be useful to enhance cleaning (e.g., steam outlets). 
     The lower surface  122  may include an integral cleaning member, such as permanently-affixed bristles or the like, but more preferably is equipped with a replaceable cleaning pad  124 . A replaceable pad  124  may comprise a nonwoven material, a woven fabric, or any other suitable cleaning medium. The pad  124  may be connected to the base plate  102  by hook-and-loop fasteners, adhesives, press-in fittings, wrapping portions of the pad  124  around the base plate  102 , and so on. Non-limiting examples of pad materials and mechanisms for attaching the pad to the base plate  102  are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,031,673; 6,003,191; 6,305,046; 6,716,805; 6,692,172; 7,350,257; 7,721,381, and 8,464,391, which are incorporated herein by reference. In one exemplary embodiment, the pad  124  comprises a reusable and washable pad comprising one or more woven fabric layers, and the top of the pad  124  and lower surface  122  of the base plate  102  have complementary hook-and-loop fasteners that releasably join the two together during use. In other embodiments, the pad  124  may be a disposable, nonwoven pad. 
     An auxiliary scrubber  126  is movably mounted to the handle  104 . The auxiliary scrubber  126  comprises a scrubbing element  128  mounted on a movable actuator  130 . The scrubbing element  128  may comprise a bristle brush, an abrasive pad, a scrubbing cloth, or any other structure suitable for cleaning dirt from the surface being cleaned. The movable actuator  130  movably connects the scrubbing element  128  to the handle  104 , and is configured to move the handle  104  between an inactive first position (shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) in which the scrubbing element  128  is spaced from the surface being cleaned, and an active second position (shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ), in which the scrubbing element  128  contacts the surface being cleaned  300 . 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the auxiliary scrubber  126  may be slidably connected to the handle  104 . An example of a sliding arrangement is shown in detail in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in the context of a dry mop. It will be readily appreciated that this embodiment may be adapted for use in wet mops of other types of mop without undue experimentation. In this example, the handle  104  includes one or more sliding connectors  400  that extend lengthwise generally along the longitudinal axis of the handle (i.e., the axis extending from the joint  110  to the first grip  106 ). Each sliding connector  400  includes a pair of laterally opposed rails  502  ( FIG. 5 ). The sliding connectors  400  may comprise any suitable construction, such as molded plastic parts that are riveted or molded in place on the handle  104 . 
     The actuator  130  lies generally adjacent and parallel with the handle  104 , and overlies the sliding connectors  400 . The actuator  130  includes a pair of grooves  504  that wrap around the rails  502  to capture the actuator  130  (and thus the entire auxiliary scrubber  126 ) in place on the handle  104 , but to allow the actuator  130  to slide along the rails  502 . Of course, the rails  502  may be located on the actuator  130 , and the grooves  504  on the handle  104 , or other variations may be used. Travel stops (not shown) may be provided to limit the distance that the actuator  130  can slide along handle  104 . 
     The upper end of the actuator  130  may be connected to the second, lower, grip  108 . For example, these parts may be integrally molded, or formed separately and joined using fasteners, snap fitting connections, or the like. In this arrangement, the user can move the auxiliary scrubber  126  between the inactive and active positions, and can use the second grip  108  to directly apply a force to the scrubbing element  128  via the actuator  130 . To this end, the actuator  130  preferably is constructed of shapes and materials that provide a rigid connection between the second grip  108  and the scrubbing element  128 . 
     The auxiliary scrubber  126  may include features to bias it towards the active or inactive position. For example, in the shown embodiment, a return spring  402  is provided inside a cavity  404  within the auxiliary scrubber  126  to bias the auxiliary scrubber  126  upwards towards the inactive position. The return spring  402  comprises a coil spring that is captured between an upper sliding connector  400  and an internal shelf  406  inside the auxiliary scrubber  126 . Of course, the return spring  402  can be replaced by other kinds of spring, such as cantilevered springs or elastic bands, and the return spring  402  may be relocated elsewhere (e.g., inside the handle  104 ). Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. For example, the return spring  402  may bias the auxiliary scrubber into the active position, or be omitted. 
     The auxiliary scrubber  126  also may include one or more locks to hold it in the active and/or inactive position. For example, in the example of  FIG. 4 , a locking pin  408  fits into a cavity  410  inside the auxiliary scrubber  126  to hold the auxiliary scrubber in the active position. The locking pin  408  is mounted inside the handle at one end of a leaf spring  412 . The other end of the leaf spring  412  is connected to the handle, such as by a rivet  414 , a spot weld, or other connection. The locking pin  408  extends through a first hole  416  that passes through the side of the handle  104 , and the leaf spring  412  biases the locking pin  408  into this extended position. The leaf spring  412  also includes a protrusion  418  located between the locking pin  408  and the rivet  414 , and the protrusion  418  lies adjacent a second hole  420  through the handle  104 . The locking pin  408  is retracted from the cavity  410  by pressing inward on the protrusion  418 . To this end, the auxiliary scrubber  126  includes a lock release mechanism in the form of a release pin  422  that is mounted at the end of a cantilevered button  424  formed adjacent the second grip  108 . 
     In use, the user applies a force to the second grip  108  to overcome the upward bias of the return spring  402  and move the auxiliary scrubber  126  from the inactive position shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , to the active position shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . As the auxiliary scrubber  126  approaches the active position, a ramp  426  located inside the actuator  130  drives the locking pin  408  against the bias of the leaf spring  412 . Once the auxiliary scrubber  126  reaches the active position, the cavity  410  is aligned with the locking pin  408 , and the leaf spring  412  moves the locking pin into the cavity  410 . When the user decides to stop using the auxiliary scrubber  126 , he or she presses on the button  424 , which flexes towards the handle  104 . As the button  424  moves, the release pin  422  presses on and moves the protrusion  418  against the bias of the leaf spring  412 , thereby moving the locking pin  408  out of the cavity  410 . 
     In an embodiment with a lock to hold the auxiliary scrubber  126  in the active position, the locking arrangement preferably is robust enough to transmit the application of some or all of the scrubbing force through it, or includes an overload feature to terminate its hold if the force exceeds a predetermined value. An overload mechanism might include, for example, a chamfer on the side of the locking pin  408  or cavity  410 , that applies sufficient force to move the locking pin  408  out of the cavity  410  upon the application of a sufficient load. The design of such mechanisms will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     In other embodiments, different locking mechanisms may be used to hold the auxiliary scrubber  126  in either or both of the inactive and active positions. For example, a lock mechanism like the locking pin et al. described above may be provided in the handle  104  to hold the auxiliary scrubber  126  in the inactive position. As another example, a single locking pin  408  may be used to engage two different cavities  410  on the auxiliary scrubber  126  to hold it in the active and inactive positions. 
     Other kinds of lock may be used in other embodiments. For example, the locking pin arrangement described above may be replaced by a simple pivoting catch lever mounted on the outside of the second grip  108  to releasably latch onto a hook on the handle  104 . As another example, the second grip  108  may rotate about the axis of the handle  104 , and include a cam locking arrangement or a lock nut that tightens down on the handle when the second grip  108  is rotated. In other embodiments, the locking mechanism may be a device that is operated simply by pushing or pulling on the second grip  108  or a trigger located thereon, such as commonly used in telescoping vacuum cleaner suction tubes. Examples of other suitable locks are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,154,545; 5,836,620; 6,431,607; 6,494,492; 6,546,596; and 8,422,716, which are all incorporated herein by reference. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     In other embodiments, different mechanisms may be used to movably mount the auxiliary scrubber  126  to the handle  104 . For example, in the embodiment of  FIG. 6 , the sliding mechanism is replaced by two parallel link arms  600  that connect to upper and lower parts of the actuator  130  at first pivots  602 , and connect to respective pivots on the handle  104  at second pivots  604 . In this embodiment, the link arms, handle  104  and actuator  130  form a four-bar linkage, which can be operated by pivoting the link arms to move the actuator  130  (and thus the scrubbing element  128 ) between the inactive and active positions. A handle  606  may be provided to articulate the linkage, and clips or other fasteners (not shown) may be used to hold the auxiliary scrubber in the inactive or active position. In another example, shown in  FIG. 7 , the sliding mechanism is replaced by a pivoting auxiliary scrubber  700  that is mounted to the handle  104  at a pivot  702  near the handle&#39;s proximal end. In this embodiment, the lower grip  704  is slidable on the handle  104  (such as described above), and includes a linkage  706  that rotates the auxiliary scrubber  700  between the active and inactive positions. Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the scrubbing element  128  is located adjacent the surface  300  when the auxiliary scrubber  126  is in the active position. A lower face  428  of the scrubbing element  128  may be oriented at an angle θ relative to the handle  104  such that the lower face  428  lies generally flat on the surface  300  when the handle  104  is tilted backwards from a horizontal position on the surface  300  at the same angle θ. The angle θ may be selected to be within a range of angles at which operators typically use the handle  104 . For example, the angle θ may be in the range of about 90° to about 150°, and more preferably in the range of about 105° to about 135°. 
     In the active position (i.e., when the handle is at angle θ relative to the surface  300 ), it is preferable for the lower face  428  of the scrubbing element  128  to be generally below the pad  124 , so that all of the force applied by the user to the handle  104  is transmitted through the scrubbing element  128  to the surface  300 . For example, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the lower face  428  of the scrubbing element  128  is located further along the handle axis  430  than the portion of the base plate  102  located on the handle axis  430 . This maximizes the amount of scrubbing force available to treat stubborn dirt. In this position, a pivotally-mounted base plate  102  may lie flat on the surface  300  with little or no appreciable force being applied to it, or the base plate  102  may lift up and hang from the joint  110 , either freely or with one edge of the pad  124  lightly touching the surface  300 , such as shown in  FIG. 4 . It is not expected that this will significantly reduce the application of force to the scrubbing element  128 . Nevertheless, this situation can be avoided by using springs or a resilient member to move the base plate  102  to a horizontal position parallel with the surface  300 , or by other means as will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     In the shown embodiment, the scrubbing element  128  is rigidly fixed to the actuator  130  by adhesives, fasteners, molding in place, integral forming, or the like. In other embodiments, the scrubbing element  128  may be removable from the actuator  130 , and it may comprise a mounting arrangement for a replaceable rush, sponge, pad, cloth, or the like, such as described above in relation to the pad  124 . Also, the scrubbing element  128  may be movably mounted to the actuator  130 , to allow the angle θ to vary as the user tilts the handle  104  through a range of movement. For example, the scrubbing element  128  may comprise a brush that is pivotally mounted to the end of the actuator  130  so that it can rock back and forth as the user moves the mop  100  forwards and backwards. As still another example, the lower face  428  of the scrubbing element  128  may be rounded or otherwise curved, or have multiple flat planes that are angled relative to one another (e.g., a beveled front and/or rear edge). Other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure. 
     The scrubbing element  128  preferably has a smaller effective surface area than the pad  124 . The “effective surface area” is the area that contacts and applies pressure to the surface being cleaned during active use. For example, the pad  124  may have an effective surface area of about 40,000 mm 2  (e.g., it may be mounted on a 400 mm wide by 100 mm long base plate  102 ), whereas the scrubbing element may comprise a brush that has bristles distributed in a dense pattern across a 100 mm wide by 30 mm long flat bristle mounting plate to provide an effective surface area of 3,000 mm 2 . In this embodiment, the effective surface area of the scrubbing element  128  is about 7.5% of the effective surface area of the pad  124 . In other embodiments, the effective surface area of the scrubbing element  128  may be about 20% or less, or more preferably about 10% or less, of the effective surface area of the pad  124 , but other proportional sizes of these two parts may be used in other embodiments. 
     In some embodiments, the scrubbing element  128  may comprise a more aggressive scrubbing material than the pad  124 . For example, the scrubbing element  128  may comprise a brush made of short (e.g., &lt;1″ long) nylon bristles, whereas the pad  124  comprises a soft cotton or cotton-blend woven fabric. In this case, the brush would be better suited to aggressively scrape away stubborn dirt but may lack absorbent capacity, whereas the fabric would be better at thoroughly wiping a large surface area without leaving streaks. This arrangement provides the user with the option of greatly increasing the scrubbing capability of the mop  100  simply by moving the scrubbing element  128  into contact with the surface  300 . 
     In other embodiments, the scrubbing element  128  may have a similar or less aggressive scrubbing material than the pad  124 . For example, the scrubbing element  128  and pad  124  may comprise substantially the same material. In this case, the scrubbing element  128  will still be able to provide enhanced scrubbing of stubborn dirt due to the fact that the user can more directly apply force to the relatively small scrubbing element  128 . Such force will be distributed over a smaller area than it would if it were applied through the base plate  102 , yielding a higher force per unit of area and greater scrubbing force. 
     A mop  100  such as described in the foregoing embodiments may be used in much the same way as a conventional mop until such time that the user desires to implement the auxiliary scrubber  126  to clean particularly stubborn dirt. For example, the user may manipulate the handle  104  to move the base plate  102  across a floor, periodically operating the trigger  118  to spray water or detergent in front of (or behind, depending on the position of the sprayer  114 ) the base plate  102 . During this operation, the user probably would be most comfortable holding the mop  100  with one hand on the first grip  106 , and another hand on the second grip  108 , but individual users may have different ergonomic preferences. When the user decides that the normal mopping operation is not sufficient or inefficient at removing a particular patch of dirt, the user unlocks the auxiliary scrubber  126  from the inactive position (if a lock is provided), and simply pushes down with additional force on the second grip  108  to move the auxiliary scrubber  126  to the active position. This additional force can be applied towards the base plate  102 , and along the longitudinal axis of the handle  104 , which is the natural direction in which users typically attempt to apply added force to clean the floor. With this done, the user can move the scrubbing element  128  back and forth to loosen the dirt. Once the dirt is loose, the user lightens the force on the second grip  108  so that the return spring  402  raises the auxiliary scrubber  126  back into the inactive position, and mops up the dirt using the pad  124 . 
     The foregoing operation is quick, simple and intuitive, and should not interrupt the normal process of mopping the floor. It also provides a distinct advantage over devices that require the user to flip or reposition the base plate to place the scrubbing element into contact with the floor, because it is not necessary to reorient the base plate  102  by rotating the handle  104  when the auxiliary scrubber  126  is used. Instead, the weight is redistributed from the base plate  102  to the auxiliary scrubber  126  automatically, which may result in the base plate  102  lifting completely or partially off the floor without requiring any additional movement by the operator. Furthermore, the foregoing embodiments can eliminate or greatly reduce the need for the user to bend over to manually scrub stubborn dirt off the floor by hand. 
     Embodiments of the present invention may be used in conjunction with any suitable mop. For example, features as described above may be integrated into existing mop models, either as new designs, or as a retrofit kit. Other embodiments may be combined with features described in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-220US; entitled “Flexible Scrubbing Head for a Floor Mop”); and Ser. No. ______ (attorney docket no. EHCP-222US; entitled “Floor Mop With Concentrated Cleaning Feature”), which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     The present disclosure describes a number of new, useful and nonobvious features and/or combinations of features that may be used alone or together. The embodiments described herein are all exemplary, and are not intended to limit the scope of the inventions. It will be appreciated that the inventions described herein can be modified and adapted in various and equivalent ways, and all such modifications and adaptations are intended to be included in the scope of this disclosure and the appended claims.