Hand-held cleaning tool assembly

Abstract

The disclosed cleaning tool assembly for cleaning a hard kitchen surface includes a cleaning tool and a wiping substrate. The cleaning tool is a unitary cleaning tool having a base portion, a handle portion, and a neck portion connecting the base portion to the handle portion. The base portion includes a planar, rigid working surface. The handle portion includes an upper convex surface that forms an upper portion of the cleaning tool whereby the upper convex surface engages with the palm of a hand. The neck portion is recessed from both the base portion and the handle portion. The neck portion engages with the fingers of a hand. The wiping substrate is removably attached to the working surface.

1 . A cleaning tool assembly for cleaning a hard kitchen surface comprising:
 a unitary cleaning tool having a base portion, a handle portion, and a neck portion connecting the base portion to the handle portion, wherein the base portion includes a planar, rigid working surface, the handle portion includes an upper convex surface that forms an upper portion Of the cleaning tool the neck portion is recessed from both the base portion and the handle; and   a wiping substrate removably attached to the working surface.   
   
   
       2 . The cleaning tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the wiping substrate is a nonwoven web of fibers. 
   
   
       3 . The cleaning tool of  claim 2 , wherein, the wiping substrate includes at least 15% viscose rayon, at least 25% unfinished polypropylene, and polyester. 
   
   
       4 . The cleaning tool of  claim 3 , wherein the wiping substrate includes 50% unfinished polypropylene, 25% viscose rayon, and 25% polyester. 
   
   
       5 . The cleaning tool of  claim 3 , wherein the polypropylene includes a denier of from  1  to  6 , the viscose rayon includes a denier of from  1 . 5  to  3 , and the polyester includes a denier of from  1 . 5  to  50 . 
   
   
       6 . The cleaning tool assembly  claim 1 , wherein the wiping substrate is a sponge or foam. 
   
   
       7 . (canceled) 
   
   
       8 . The cleaning tool assembly of claim, wherein the wiping substrate is loaded with cleaning chemical. 
   
   
       9 . The cleaning tool assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising an attachment mechanism on the base for securing the wiping substrate to the working surface. 
   
   
       10 . The cleaning tool assembly of  claim 9 , wherein, the attachment mechanism includes a plurality is of hook projections extending uniformly from the working surface. 
   
   
       11 . The cleaning tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the neck portion includes a first concave side surface, extending generally concavely from the upper portion of the cleaning tool to the working surface and a second concave side surface, extending generally concavely from the upper portion of the cleaning tool to the working surface, opposite the first concave side surface. 
   
   
       12 . The cleaning tool of  claim 11 , wherein the neck portion further includes a rear concave surface, extending generally concavely from the upper portion of the cleaning tool to the working surface, and positioned between the first concave side surface and the second concave side surface. 
   
   
       13 . The cleaning tool of  claim 1 , wherein the handle further includes a planar finger resting surface. 
   
   
       14 . (canceled) 
   
   
       15 . (canceled) 
   
   
       16 . The cleaning tool of  claim 1 , wherein the wiping substrate is loaded with a cleaner containing a soft abrasive particle. 
   
   
       17 . The cleaning tool of  claim 1 , wherein the wiping substrate is loaded with an aqueous emulsion of mineral oil. 
   
   
       18 . A method of cleaning a kitchen surface comprising:
 providing a cleaning tool having a base portion with a planar, rigid working surface, a handle portion, and a neck portion connection the base portion to the handle portion;   providing a wiping substrate over the planar, rigid working surface to form a rigid, planar wiping surface;   applying the wiping surface to the planar kitchen surface to clean the kitchen surface;   removing the wiping substrate from the cleaning tool after applying the wiping surface to the planar kitchen surface.   
   
   
       19 . The method of cleaning a kitchen surface of  claim 18 , wherein the kitchen surface includes a ceramic cook-top and the wiping substrate is a nonwoven web of fibers that includes 50% unfinished 3 polypropylene, 25% 1.5 denier viscose rayon, and 25% 15 denier polyester. 
   
   
       20 . The method of cleaning a kitchen surface of  claim 19 , wherein the wiping substrate is loaded with a cleaner containing a soft abrasive. 
   
   
       21 . The method of cleaning a kitchen surface of  claim 18 , wherein the kitchen surface includes a stainless steel surface and the wiping substrate is a nonwoven web of fibers that includes 50% unfinished 3 denier polypropylene, 25% 1.5 denier viscose rayon, and 25% 3 denier polyester. 
   
   
       22 . The method of cleaning a kitchen surface of  claim 21 , wherein the wiping substrate is loaded with an aqueous emulsion of mineral oil. 
   
   
       23 . The method of cleaning a kitchen surface of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 engaging a palm of a hand with the handle portion of the cleaning tool; and   engaging fingers of a hand with the neck portion of the cleaning tool.   
   
   
       24 . A method of cleaning a planar cook-top surface comprising:
 providing a cleaning tool having a base portion with a planar working surface, a handle portion, and a neck portion connecting the base portion to the handle portion;   providing a wiping substrate loaded with a cleaner and soft abrasive particle attached to the planar working surface to form a planar wiping surface;   applying the wiping surface to the cook-top surface to clean the cook-top surface;   removing the wiping substrate from the cleaning tool after applying the wiping surface to the cook-top surface.   
   
   
       25 . A method of cleaning a stainless steel surface comprising:
 providing a cleaning tool having a base portion, a handle portion, and a neck portion connecting the base portion to the handle portion;   providing a wiping substrate leaded with aqueous emulsion of mineral oil attached to the working surface to form a wiping surface;   applying the wiping surface to the stainless steel surface to clean the kitchen surface;   removing the wiping substrate from the cleaning tool after applying the wiping surface to a planar kitchen surface.   
   
   
       26 . A cleaning tool for cleaning a surface comprising:
 a unitary cleaning tool having base portion, a handle portion, and a neck portion connection the base portion to the handle portion;   wherein the base portion includes a planar, rigid working surface including hook projections extending uniformly from the entire working surface;   wherein the handle portion includes an upper convex surface that forms an upper portion of the cleaning tool; and   wherein the neck portion is recessed from both the base portion and the handle portion.   
   
   
       27 . The cleaning tool of  claim 26 , further comprising a cleaning wipe attached to the hook projections on the working surface. 
   
   
       28 . The cleaning tool of  claim 26 , wherein the neck portion further comprises:
 a first concave side surface, extending generally concavely from the upper portion of the cleaning tool to the working surface;   a second concave side surface, extending generally concavely from the upper portion of the cleaning tool to the working surface, opposite the first concave side surface; and   a rear concave surface, extending generally concavely from the upper portion of the cleaning tool to the working surface, and positioned between the first concave side surface and the second concave side surface.