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mop / pad

Baghera

Senior Member
France/French
Hi Wordreferencers!

Que désignent exactement mop et pad dans ce contexte ?

For cleaning floors add one cup per gallon of water in bucket and clean with sponge, mop or pad.


My try:

[...[ nettoyer avec une éponge, un balai à franges??? ou un balai-éponge???.


Merci d'avance !
Last edited by a moderator:
Oui, ça je comprends bien, mais ça ne me donne pas la différence entre mop et pad...
Moi aussi, je voudrais savoir comment exprimer the type of mop with a pad (not strings or sponge) en français.
Yes, that's a string mop, but there are also mops that are like dust mops but you use them wet. And the mop part is detachable. So, when you are done you can just toss it in the washing machine or hand wash it. Often the "pad" is a thick micro-fiber cloth, but I have one made with looped strings attached to pad-like cloth. These types of mops are popular here (US/Canada).

Are they not used in England and France?
Still hoping someone knows how to say this...
A neighbor stopped by just after I posted that and she said that she would call it a Swiffer. She said that when she can't think of the name of something, using the brand name works. For example, people say "des Scott Towels" or "un Kleenex".

So, what do the natives think - can we just refer to a mop with a pad as a Swiffer?
A "Swiffer" is the common term for the disposable version, but I don't know if there is a common term for the version with a washable microfibre (or other) pad.

Perhaps a 'serpillère microfibres' would work?
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I'm late to the thread, but I immediately thought of a Swiffer when reading "pad." I would understand either "pad" or "Swiffer," but I don't think that Swiffer is (yet) of the vernacular category like someone would say "I need a Band-Aid" instead of "I need a disposable bandage." Swiffer is popular brand name (in the U.S. at least), but saying Swiffer instead of "pad" would seem a bit presumptuous.

Also, if the original sentence came from instructions from a commerical cleaning solution, then unless Swiffer is owned by the same conglomerate, they wouldn't put a brand-name there. It just doesn't fit, to me.
A neighbor stopped by just after I posted that and she said that she would call it a Swiffer. She said that when she can't think of the name of something, using the brand name works. For example, people say "des Scott Towels" or "un Kleenex".

So, what do the natives think - can we just refer to a mop with a pad as a Swiffer?


Not really. People at home would naturally know what Swiffer is (it's sold everywhere) but it is not in the common language like for Kleenex. Swiffer say balai Swiffer on their own site. The other terms found on http://www.leguide.net/achat/balais-serpillere-5050100 mention: balai serpillère/balai double essorage (sponge)/balai à franges etc.


Yes, that's a string mop, but there are also mops that are like dust mops but you use them wet. And the mop part is detachable. So, when you are done you can just toss it in the washing machine or hand wash it. Often the "pad" is a thick micro-fiber cloth, but I have one made with looped strings attached to pad-like cloth. These types of mops are popular here (US/Canada).

Are they not used in England and France?​

Of course, they are. To me, it's balai-serpillère again. Now, I'm curious to read the other replies..
I'm late to the thread, but I immediately thought of a Swiffer when reading "pad." I would understand either "pad" or "Swiffer," but I don't think that Swiffer is (yet) of the vernacular category like someone would say "I need a Band-Aid" instead of "I need a disposable bandage." Swiffer is popular brand name (in the U.S. at least), but saying Swiffer instead of "pad" would seem a bit presumptuous.

Also, if the original sentence came from instructions from a commerical cleaning solution, then unless Swiffer is owned by the same conglomerate, they wouldn't put a brand-name there. It just doesn't fit, to me.

Not really. People at home would naturally know what Swiffer is (it's sold everywhere) but it is not in the common language like for Kleenex. Swiffer say balai Swiffer on their own site. The other terms found on http://www.leguide.net/achat/balais-serpillere-5050100 mention: balai serpillère/balai double essorage (sponge)/balai à franges etc.

I see what you both mean about it being presumptuous to just call it a swiffer. I suppose here in Canada (Quebec) as well. Concerning the original sentence, I guess I've "hijacked" the post to find the word for this mop because I've needed to refer this mop a few times recently and have been trying to figure out what to say.

So, thanks! I will try balais serpillère.
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