1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a disposable cleaning article to be held by a holder and used as a cleaning mop or by a hand and, more particularly, to a cleaning article provided with a brush portion having a high effect to trap dust and a high rigidity.
2. Related Art
In the cleaning article of the conventional mop type for cleaning the room, its brush portion is usually formed of twisted yarns of cotton or the like. However, the cleaning article of this kind is so expensive in manufacturing cost that it is difficult to sold it as a disposable (i.e., single-use) product. In addition, the cleaning article of this kind can absorb dust by an adhesive oil agent such as liquid paraffin, which is applied to the surfaces of the twisted yarns; but the twisted yarns per se are not good in dust trapping power. Therefore, it has a defect in capability of trapping hair or the like.
On the other hand, the cleaning articles as disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication Nos. 154791/1997 and 38009/1997 are designed for disposable use. These cleaning articles can be attached to a holder. The former is formed by laminating two sheets of nonwoven fabric to leave their peripheral portions unadhered to each other; and the latter is formed by cutting a peripheral portion of a nonwoven fabric to form a duster portion having long narrow strips.
These cleaning articles, as disclosed in the above-mentioned official gazettes and formed of a nonwoven fabric, are inexpensive and suitable for disposable use. Moreover, they can easily wipe off fine dust. However, the cleaning articles per se are so flat that the capability of trapping relatively large dust is low.
On the other hand, disposable cleaning articles in which a brush portion is formed of fibers are also known in the art. However, since the brush portion is formed only of fibers, the rigidity of the brush portion is lowered. Therefore, the fibers are entangled or curled during the cleaning operation. As a result, the portion to function substantially as the brush portion is compressed to cause a defect that the dust trapping effect of the fibers cannot be sufficiently exhibited.