Sanitary Cleaning Device and Holder Therefore

Abstract

A cleaning system comprising a cleaning implement and a storage means is disclosed. The cleaning system advantageously allows the cleaning implement to dry suspended within the storage means, and provides for air circulation throughout. The cleaning implement comprises a volume of cleaning material, such as a sponge material in a nylon netting. The cleaning implement includes a hanging means at a top end thereof, such as an apertured tab. The storage means comprises a base having at least one upright wall extending upwardly therefrom. Each wall has a plurality of air slots therethrough for allowing air to more freely circulate throughout the storage means. One of the walls of the storage means includes a suspension means that is adapted to cooperate with the hanging means of the cleaning implement so that when the cleaning implement is engaged with the suspension means the cleaning implement is suspended above the base without contacting any of the sides of the storage means. The base, each wall and the suspension means are each made from a dishwasher-safe and microwave-safe material, and the cleaning system is sized to fit into most microwave ovens, whereby the storage means, cleaning implement, or both may be sanitized by microwave energy to eradicate any bacterial growth thereon, either before or after each use.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 60 / 825,620, filed on Sep. 14, 2006, and incorporated herein by reference.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not Applicable.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]This invention relates to cleaning implements, and more particularly to a sanitary cleaning device and holder therefore.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0004]Cleaning implements such as kitchen sponges are widely used and have traditionally suffered from certain drawbacks. Chief among these is the fact that a wet sponge left on a counter top or sink tray fails to adequately dry on the side that it rests on. It is important for such a sponge to thoroughly dry in order to reduce the opportunity that fungus and bacteria have to multiply. Consequently, sponges and other cleaning implements that have failed to dry adequately may do more to transfer germs from surface to surface than they d...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present device is a cleaning system comprising a cleaning implement and a storage means. The cleaning system advantageously allows the cleaning implement to dry suspended within the s

Problems solved by technology

Chief among these is the fact that a wet sponge left on a counter top or sink tray fails to adequately dry on the side that it rests on.

Consequently, sponges and other cleaning implements that have failed to dry adequately may do more to transfer germs from surface to surface than they do to clean such surfaces.

While germs are prevented from growing on a sponge stored in such devices, it is not always desirable to keep a sponge wet when not in use as it is inconvenient to remove the sponge from such devices, particularly with one hand.

Yet, when removing the sponge it is impractical to expect the user to wring-out the sponge directly over the container to avoid spilling the disinfecting fl

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