Patent ID: 7252195

Claim:
A container for storing cleaning pads comprising: a) a housing containing a storage compartment for storing unused cleaning pads; b) unused cleaning pads stored within the housing comprising a plurality of scorelines which when pressure is applied by the user to the cleaning pad a handle is formed; c) a lid having an upper surface operatively engaged to the housing for reversibly covering the storage compartment and movable from an open position enabling unused cleaning pads to be removed from the storage compartment to a closed position with the upper surface positioned above the storage compartment; and d) a used cleaning pad storage area on the upper surface of the lid comprising a base and a plurality of sides with at least one pair of opposed parallel sides and a first liquid collection area bounded by the base and the sides, at least one pair of spaced apart rails extending upwardly from the base and having a pair of opposed ends operatively engaged to respective opposed parallel sides of the used cleaning pad storage area, said rails having a curved outer surface and extending only partially up the opposed parallel sides to define an upper opposed side portion which together with the curved outer surface of the rails provide a used cleaning pad support region for fixedly supporting the used cleaning pad with minimal contact with the rails and out of contact with the base along at least a substantial length of the opposed parallel sides thereof, to enable excess liquid contained in the used cleaning pad to enter the first liquid collection area out of contact with the used cleaning pad.