US20160073849A1

US20160073849A1 - Bonnet installation for cleaning apparatus

Info

Publication number: US20160073849A1
Application number: US14/855,562
Authority: US
Inventors: Kenneth P. Post
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-09-16
Filing date: 2015-09-16
Publication date: 2016-03-17
Also published as: WO2016044401A1

Abstract

A cleaning element mountable over a cleaning head pivotally coupled to a handle includes at least one visible distinguishable guide marker carried on the cleaning element to indicate a mounting position of the portion of the cleaning element carrying the guide marker on a particular location of the cleaning head, such as a tip or corner of a polygonal shaped cleaning head. The guide marker can take a variety of different forms so as to be easily visible to assist in proper attachment of the cleaning element to the cleaning head.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS

Applicant claims prior benefit to the filing date of co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/050,988 filed Sep. 16, 2014 in the name of Kenneth P. Post for Bonnet Installation for Cleaning Apparatus, and co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/097,849, filed Dec. 30, 2014 in the name of Kenneth P. Post for Bonnet Installation for Cleaning Apparatus, the entire contents of both of which are incorporate herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND

This disclosure relates, in general, to cleaning apparatus and more particularly, to hand held cleaning apparatus for cleaning surfaces.
Currently, consumers have great difficulty in determining how to correctly attach a bonnet onto a cleaning head of a handle operated cleaning device. There are several reasons for this, including: (a) the bonnet appearance is that of a seemingly round shape when not on a cleaning head, and yet the cleaning head is that of a triangle or rectangle shape; so it is very difficult for a consumer to determine how to attach a bonnet just by looking at the two elements of bonnet and cleaning head, (b) also, the triangle cleaning head is not uniform on all sides (longer on the sides than at the bottom), therefore there is only one way a bonnet will attach correctly, in other words, in order for a bonnet to fit correctly, it has to be attached so that the longer sides of the bonnet are pulled over the longer sides of the cleaning head or it will not fit correctly, and (c) therefore, with the current bonnets, there is a very high likelihood that every time a bonnet is attached, it will not be attached correctly.
A care tag is usually sewn in on only one side of the current bonnets into the elastic, in an area located near the center bottom of the triangle cleaning head when a bonnet is attached. However, not only is this a signification “after-the-fact” meaning only relevant once consumers attach a bonnet onto a cleaning head when not on, the care tag does not substantially reflect any other reference other than being a care tag; because care tags are widely known for their primary designated purpose (wash and care instructions), so consumers have trouble understanding any secondary purpose for it.
There is no reliable, credible, understandable, and functional way that help consumers understand how to attach cleaning bonnets correctly to cleaning heads, especially none that instantaneously give reference on both sides of a bonnet (inside and out) for how to attach bonnets correctly just by looking at the bonnet.

SUMMARY

The solution is through strategic use of visually distinguishable guide markings at corners, tips, or edge positions in bonnets. The guide markings can be patterns including, but not limited to any sort of sewn in pattern or sewn in material markings (colored or otherwise), any sort of ink markings, buttons, tapes, paper, plastic, metal, sew markings, etc.
A cleaning element is disclosed for a cleaning apparatus including a cleaning head with at least one corner. The cleaning element includes a flexible body removably affixable to a cleaning head, an elastic strip affixed to a peripheral edge of the body and forming an expandable and retractable flexible band for mounting the body over the cleaning head, and a visible distinguishable guide marker on the body to indicate a mounting position of the body on the cleaning head by alignment of the guide marker with the at least one identifiable portion of the cleaning head.
In one aspect, the cleaning element is configured for a cleaning head having a plurality of corners. A plurality of guide markers are located relative to the elastic strip on the body to indicate a mounting position of the body over at least two corners of the cleaning head.
In one aspect, body is reversibly mountable on the cleaning head. The guide marker is carried on the body and visible from both opposed surfaces of the body.
The guide marker can be attached to the body adjacent to the elastic strip.
The guide marker separate guide markers mounted on each opposed surface of the body.
The visible distinguishable guide marker can be at least one of inked marker, tape, paper, plastic, rubber, and metal, sewn in markings, sewn threads, transfer printing, buttons, negative space, different color, and different texture with respect to the body.
In one aspect, the elastic strip is attached to only one side of the peripheral edge of the body.
In one aspect, the guide marker is attached to the body in a position over and around the elastic strip.
A method is also disclosed for mounting a cleaning element on a cleaning head of a cleaning apparatus in a desired orientation. The method includes:

- providing the cleaning element as a flexible body removably affixable to the cleaning head via an expandable and retractable elastic strip affixed to a peripheral edge of the body, and
- providing a visible, distinguishable guide marker on the body to indicate a mounting position of the body on the cleaning head via alignment of the guide marker with one at least identifiable portion of the cleaning head.

The method can also providing the guide marker on the body so that the guide marker is visible from both opposed surfaces of the body.
The method can also include attaching the guide marker to the body adjacent to the elastic strip.
The method can also include providing the guide marker as separate guide markers mounted on each opposed surface of the body.
In another aspect, the method can include attaching the elastic strip to only one side of the peripheral edge of the body.
In another aspect, the method includes attaching the guide marker to the body in a position over and around the elastic strip.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The various features, advantages and other uses of the present bonnet installation for cleaning apparatus will become more apparent by referring to the following detailed description and drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present cleaning apparatus;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the cleaning head and the cleaning element of the cleaning apparatus in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the cleaning apparatus, shown in FIG. 1, with the cleaning element removed;

FIG. 4 is an exploded plan view showing one aspect of a new cleaning element mountable over the cleaning head shown in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the cleaning element of FIG. 4 mounted on the cleaning head of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of another aspect guide markers on a cleaning element;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another aspect of guide markers on a cleaning element mounted on a cleaning head;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the cleaning element and cleaning head of FIG. 7, but with the orientation of the cleaning element disposed inside out on the cleaning head;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of another aspect of a cleaning element showing the cleaning element in a blank, preformed state;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a completed cleaning element according to the aspect shown in FIG. 10, with the elastic band on the peripheral edge blank;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of the cleaning element of FIGS. 9 and 10 mounted on a cleaning head;

FIG. 12 is perspective view of the cleaning element of FIGS. 9-11, showing the visible guide marker when the cleaning element is turned inside out from the state shown in FIGS. 9-11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a cleaning element shown in a blank form with another aspect of a guide marker;

FIG. 14 is an enlarged, partial perspective view of the cleaning element blank shown in FIG. 13, in a reverse position showing the continued visibility of the guide marker though the opposite surface of the cleaning element;

FIG. 15A is a plan view of another aspect of cleaning element blank;

FIG. 15B is a plan view of an elastic strip carrying a guide marker, prior to the attachment of the elastic strip to the cleaning element blank shown in FIG. 15A; and

FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the assembled cleaning element including the blank and the elastic strip of FIGS. 15A and 15B.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A cleaning apparatus 200 shown in FIGS. 1-3 includes a handle 202 having a mounting hangar 204 at a first end 206. A handgrip portion 208 extends from the first end 206 and is formed or covered with a high friction, easily graspable material.
The handle 202 continues from the handgrip portion 208 through a solid portion 210 to a T-shaped second end 212. Mounting pins 214 and 216, which may be integrally molded as part of the second end 212 or fixedly mounted in the second end 212, project oppositely from the end 212. A cleaning head 219 includes a paddle 220 has a generally triangular shape formed of an end 222, opposed angled or gently curved sides 224 and 226, a corner in the form of an apex or tip 228 opposite the end 222, and corners or corner edges 221 and 223 formed between the end 222 and the sides 224 and 226. The center portion of the sides 224 and 226 may be raised slightly from a plane extending between the end 228 and the ends 221, 223 along a longitudinal axis of the paddle 220 to form at least the bottom surface of the paddle 220 in a concave shape. The entire paddle 220 may have the same concave shape. Alternately, the central portion of the paddle 220 may have a reduced thickness than the end 222 and the tip 228.
Receivers 230 and 232 are integrally or separately fixed to one surface of the paddle 220. The receiver 230 is in the form of a body having an arcuate outer shape, for example. A bore 234 extends through at least one side of the receiver 230 and opens toward the opposite receiver 232.
In this aspect, the receiver 232 forms a snap connection with the pin 214 on the handle 202. The receiver 232, shown in detail in FIG. 2 is formed of first and second resiliently movable, spring legs 240 and 242. The legs 240 and 242 project from the top surface of the paddle 220 to outer ends. The inner surfaces of the legs 240 and 242 have a generally arcuate shape, sized to pivotally receive and capture the pin 214 on the handle 202, as clearly shown in FIG. 3. The inner space or distance between the outer ends of the legs 240 and 242, respectively, is less than the outer diameter of the pin 214.
In use, one end of the pin 214 is inserted into the bore on the first receiver 230. The opposite end of the pin 214 is then forced through the opening between the outer ends of the legs 240 and 242 bending the legs 240 and 242 outward until the pin 214 passes through the outer ends. At this time, the legs 240 and 242 snap back to a normal position rotatably capturing the pin 214 therein.
When it becomes necessary to separate the handle 202 from the paddle 220, a reverse operation is employed in which the pin 214 is forcibly pulled through the opening between the outer ends of the legs 240 and 242.
It will be understood that the snap-connection provided by the receiver 232 can also be repeated for the receiver 230 by forming the receiver 230 in the same manner as the receiver 232.
For enhanced rigidity of the paddle 220, while still retaining the flexibility of the paddle 220 to adapt the concave shape of the bottom surface of the paddle 220 to a window or glass surface, a peripheral ridge or lip 270 can be integrally formed on the paddle 220 along the side edges 224 and 226 and the end 222 to substantially encompass the periphery of the bottom surface of the paddle 220. The lip 270 surrounds an inner disposed absorbent layer 260, described hereafter. A notch 272 is formed along each side edge of the lip 270 underlying the side edges 224 and 226 of the paddle 220 and generally centered along the lateral axis of the receivers 230 and 232. The notch 272 enhances the flexibility of the paddle 220 when a downward force is exerted on the paddle 220 through the handle 202.
The cleaning apparatus 200 includes a flexible cleaning element which may be formed of a drying element 250 mountable on the paddle 220 is shown in FIG. 2. The drying element 250 is in the form of a pliable flexible body or bonnet 252 sized to releasably mount about the paddle 220. The body 252 has a first major surface 254 which is disposable underneath the bottom surface of the paddle 220 and a peripheral edge 256 surrounding an open end. The peripheral edge 256 may be stitched to prevent unraveling or separation of the fibers forming in the body 252. The body 252 can be formed of an absorbent material, such as cotton, etc.
Elastic means 258 in the form of an expandable and retractable elastic band is stitched or otherwise attached to the peripheral edge 256 of the body 252 to provide an elastic force for closing the peripheral edge 256 to a small open diameter to thereby securely, yet releasably mount the body 252 about the paddle 220. At the same time, the elastic means 258, hereafter “elastic band 258 or elastic strip 258, allows the body 252 to be easily removed from the paddle 220 and replaced with a clean, dry body 252 when necessary.
Another aspect of an elastic means 258 is shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this aspect, instead of the wide elastic strip shown in FIGS. 1-6, the elastic strip 301 has a smaller width, such as one half of the width of the strip 258 described above. The elastic strip 301 is sewn on only one outer side of the peripheral edge of the body 252. This enables the cleaning element to be constructed with 50% less elastic thereby resulting in a lower cost. The reduced width elastic strip 301 also provides a clean appearance since the body 252 can be reversibly mounted on the paddle 220 as shown in FIG. 8. When the body 252 is reversibly mounted on the paddle 220, the elastic strip 301 is disposed on the inside of the folded over edges of the body 252. In this mounting position, only the small stitches 302 used to attach the elastic strip 301 to the body 252 are visible. This presents a clean appearance.
In addition, the reduced width elastic strip 301 provides 50% less acting force working against the user when attaching the body 252 to the paddle 220 than two sided or folded over elastic strips.
It will be understood that the body 252 may be provided in different sizes to conform to the shape and size of the larger or smaller paddles.
The body 252 can also be formed of a mesh or rough material to act as a scrubbing surface in conjunction with the fluid filled absorbent layer 260 which dispenses fluid during the scrubbing operation. Thus, the body 252 functions as a scrubbing element to apply cleaning fluid to a window and, with suitable scrubbing movement, to simultaneously loosen dirt and other debris from the window.
The body 252 may be used merely as a dusting cloth to remove dust from a vehicle window or other interior vehicle surface. Further, the body 252 and the interior absorbent layer 260 are ideally suited to act as a sponge and scrubbing surface in applying cleaning fluid or water to the interior surface of a vehicle window and scrubbing or removing debris stuck on a window.
Once the body 252 mounted over the bottom surface on the paddle 220, the handle 202 of the cleaning apparatus 200 is grasped by one hand of the user and then moved adjacent to the window until the body 252, contacts the interior surface of the window. The cleaning apparatus 200 is then moved in any motion, such as back and forth, sideways, circular or combinations thereof to apply the cleaning fluid to the interior surface of the window and to remove debris stuck on the window. The body 252 is then removed from the handle 202 by simply reversing the insertion operation as described above. Another clean body 252 can then be attached to the handle 202 as described above. The body 252 is then brought into engagement with the window and again moved in any fashion across the surface of the window to dry the previously applied cleaning fluid and remove any loose debris from the window.
If, at any time, the body 252 becomes saturated with cleaning fluid or accumulates a significant amount of dirt or other debris, the user may simply remove the body 252 from the associated paddle 220 and then mount a clean, dry body 252 on the paddle 220 to continue with the cleaning operation.
FIGS. 4-6 depict the cleaning element or bonnet 250 having at least one visibly distinguishable guide marker 300 located at a position on the bonnet 250, typically on or next to the portion of the elastic band 258 which is to be positioned over at least one identifiable portion of the cleaning head, such as a corner, i.e., the apex or tip 228 of the paddle 220. The at least one identifiable portion of the cleaning head or paddle 220 can be an identifiable portion of the shape of the paddle 220, such as a corner. The at least one identifiable portion of the paddle 220 can also be a mark or other identifying symbol separately applied to the paddle 220.
The guide marker 300 can be any type of indicator that is applied by sewing, adhesive, permanent ink marker, tape, paper, plastic, rubber, metal or sewn in markings, sewn thread markings, transfer printing, or buttons on the elastic band 258, on the portion of the bonnet 250 next to the elastic band 258, or completely wrapped around and surrounding one portion of the elastic band 258.
The guide marker 300 can also be provided by ink, transfer, printing, etc., in the same or different colors or designs on either side of the body 252. This is useful when the body 252 is designed as a reversible body 252 as described above.
Further, the guide marker 300 may also take the form of a negative space. Negative space defines a portion of the elastic band and/or the bonnet 250 which has a different color, texture, etc., so as to be easily visible to the user. For example, the elastic band 258 may be formed of a particular color, such as black, and the guide marker 300 may be a different color, such as white, at the location where the guide marker 300 is to be located. A change in the pattern, design, or texture of a portion of the elastic band 258 may also be employed as the negative space type guide marker 300.
The guide marker 300 is provided to contrast with the color or design of the body 252 and/or the elastic strip 301. As described above, separate guide markers 300 may be provided on both sides of the body 252 at the mounting positions or the tips of the paddle 220. Alternately, the guide marker 300 may be formed as a single element which is folded over the peripheral edge of the body 252 at the mounting location.
When the guide marker 300 is formed as a single wrapped over element, the guide marker 300 may be first attached to the body 252 at the mounting location prior to the threaded attachment of the elastic strip 301 to the peripheral edge of the body 252. The threading attachment of the elastic strip 301 can extend through the guide marker 300. Alternately, the elastic strip 301 may be first applied to the peripheral edge of the body 252 and then the guide marker 300 wrapped around the elastic strip 301 at the mounting location and securely attached to the body 252 by threads, adhesive, etc.
The guide marker 300 provides an easy indication to the user of the cleaning apparatus where to mount the bonnet 250 on the paddle 220. As shown in FIG. 5, the user places the guide marker 300 on the bonnet 250 over the apex or tip 228 of the cleaning head 300. This insures the proper installation of the bonnet 250 for triangular shaped cleaning elements or bonnets 250.
As shown in FIG. 6, multiple guide markers 300, 302, and 304, formed as described above, may be applied to, next to, on, or over the elastic band 258 at the positions on the elastic band 258 coinciding with multiple tips or corners of the cleaning head 220. In this example, three guide markers 300, 302, and 304 are provided on the elastic strip or band 258, for example, for each of the three tips or corners 228, 221, and 224 of the triangular shape cleaning head 220.
It will be understood that the use of the guide marker 300, or multiple guide markers, 300, 302, etc., may be employed for cleaning elements 250 having other than triangular shapes, such as a cleaning element or bonnet designed to fit over a rectangular or other irregularly shaped, polygonal shaped cleaning head. The guide markers 300, 302, etc., may be similarly applied on the elastic band 258 at the locations of some or all of the tips or corners of the cleaning head 220 and/or on the cleaning element 250 at multiple locations corresponding to the tips or corners of the cleaning head 220.
It will also be understood that in the case of a an irregular non-circular shaped cleaning head and cleaning element, such as rectangular, oblong, oval, elliptical, etc., two guide markers 300 may be associated with the elastic band 258 to indicate installation over two corners of the cleaning head along one side edge of the cleaning head.
Referring now to FIGS. 9-12, there is depicted another aspect of the present cleaning apparatus 200 in which a blank 400 having an the overall shape of the eventually formed body mountable over the paddle 220 is illustrated, by example, as having triangular shape with an apex or tip 402 and two corners 404 and 406. A guide marker 410 is attached to one side of the blank 400 adjacent the tip 402. In this aspect, the marker 410 is a small strip 411 of fabric material, although other materials, such as flexible plastic, etc., may also be employed. The strip forming the marker 410 may have a contrasting color to the color of the material forming the blank 400. For example, the blank 400 may be formed of a yellow colored material, while the strip 411 is formed of black colored material.
The strip 411 forming the marker 410 is attached by sewn threads or other means, with two lines of sewn threaded stitching 412 shown by example in FIG. 9.
After the strip 411 has been attached to the blank 400, an elastic strip 420 is attached to a peripheral edge 422 of the blank 400 on either one side or both sides of the peripheral edge 422, as described previously. In this configuration, the marker 410 is spaced adjacent to the elastic strip 420 as shown in FIG. 10.
After the elastic strip 420 is attached to blank 400, the body 426 is completed. When the body 426 is to be attached to the paddle 220, the marker 410 is lined up with the apex tip 402 of the paddle 420 in the body 426 urged over the peripheral edge of the paddle 220, with the marker 410 remaining in alignment with the apex tip of the paddle 220.
After the body 426 is attached to the paddle 220, as shown in FIG. 11, the marker 410 is visible next to the apex tip 402 of the paddle 220.
As described previously, it is possible to reverse the orientation of the body 426 on the paddle 220 to present a clean surface for continued cleaning operation. As shown in FIG. 12, when the body 426 is inverted or reversed in orientation to present an opposite surface of the body 426 on the exterior surface of the paddle 220, the marker 410 is still visible to assist in properly aligning the body 426 on the paddle 220.
Another aspect of a guide marker 440 is shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. In this aspect, the indicator or marker 440 is formed as a series of sewn thread stitches 444. The stitches 444 may be applied to the blank 400 adjacent the apex tip 402 at any pattern, including , for example, one or more straight lines, in the form of letters, symbols, or any other shape. In addition or complimentary to the particular formation of the stitches 444, the stitches 444 may be provided in a contrasting color to the color of the blank 400.
The guide marker 440 functions in the same manner as the guide marker 410 described above and shown in FIGS. 9-12 in that the stitches 444 forming the marker 440 are visible on both sides of the blank 400 forming the body 426. As shown in FIG. 14, the sewn in marker 440 is visible on both outer surfaces of the body 426.
To install a bonnet on a cleaning apparatus according to the above disclosure, a visually identifiable guide marker is provided on the body of the cleaning element to indicate a mounting position of the body on the cleaning head or paddle 220 by alignment of the guide marker with at least one identifiable portion of the cleaning head or paddle 220.
Referring now to FIGS. 15A, 15B and 16, there is depicted another aspect of a cleaning element with a guide marker. In this aspect, the cleaning element includes the blank 400 described above which is shown by example as having a triangular shape with three corners or tips and sized to fit over a triangular shaped cleaning head 200.
As shown in FIG. 15B, the elastic strip 420 is provided with a guide marker 450, in any of the shapes and forms described above, on an intermediate, such as a center location between the opposed ends of the elastic strip 420.
It should be noted that the elastic strip 420 may have a large width sufficient to be bent over the edge of the blank 400 and be attached to both surfaces of the blank 400; as well as a reduced width which enables the elastic strip 420 to be attached to only one surface of the blank 400 along the peripheral edge of the blank 400.
In assembling the cleaning element, the guide marker 450 or the elastic strip 420 is aligned with one of the visibly identifiably portion of the blank 400, such as the tip 402, for example. This locates the guide marker 450 with the tip 402 of the blank 400. The elastic strip 420 is then attached to the peripheral edge of the blank 400, such as wrapped around the peripheral edge of the blank 400 so as to be attached by threads, stitches, etc., to both surfaces of the blank 400 adjacent to the peripheral edges of the blank 400.
The completed cleaning element is shown in FIG. 16. Since, in this example, the guide marker 450 extends substantially over the complete width of the elastic strip 420, the guide marker 450 is visible regardless of which of the two major surfaces of the cleaning element is exposed when the cleaning element is mounted on the cleaning head 200. Thus, even when the cleaning element is reversed so that what was previously an inner surface of the cleaning element in contact with the cleaning head 200, now becomes the outer surface, the guide marker 450 remains visible to remount the cleaning element on the cleaning head 200 in the proper orientation.
The method can include the provision of the at least one identifiable location on the cleaning head as being an identifiable portion of the shape of the cleaning head, such as a corner or tip, as well as a separate identifying symbol or marking applied to the cleaning head 220.
In one aspect of the method, a plurality of guide markers can be provided relative to an elastic strip on the body to indicate the mounting position of the body over at least two identifiable portions, such as corners, of the paddle 220.
The method also includes providing the guide marker on the body so that the guide marker is visible from both opposed surfaces of the body.
The method can also include attaching the guide marker to the body adjacent to the elastic strip, as separate guide markers on both opposed surfaces of the body or in a position over and around the elastic strip from one side of the elastic strip to the opposed side of the elastic strip.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A cleaning element for a cleaning apparatus including a cleaning head with at least one visually identifiable portion, the cleaning element comprising:

a flexible body removably affixable to a cleaning head; and

a visible distinguishable guide marker located on the body to indicate a mounting position of the body on the cleaning head by alignment of the guide marker with the at least one identifiable portion of the cleaning head.

2. The cleaning element of claim 1 wherein the cleaning element is configured for a cleaning head having a plurality of corners, the cleaning element comprising:

a plurality of guide markers on the body to indicate a mounting position of the body over at least two identifiable portions of the cleaning head.

3. The cleaning element of claim 1 wherein:

the body is reversibly mountable on the cleaning head; and

the guide marker is carried on the body and visible from both opposed surfaces of the body.

4. The cleaning element of claim 1 wherein the guide marker comprises:

separate guide markers mounted on each opposed surface of the body.

5. The cleaning element of claim 1 wherein the visible distinguishable guide marker comprises;

at least one of an inked mark, a tape of paper, plastic, rubber, or metal, a sewn in mark, a sewn thread mark, a transfer printing, a button, a negative space, a different color from the body, and a different texture from the body.

6. The cleaning element of claim 1 further comprising:

an elastic strip affixed to a peripheral edge of the body, the elastic strip forming an expandable and retractable flexible band to assist in mounting the body over the cleaning head.

7. The cleaning element of claim 6 wherein:

the guide marker is attached to the body adjacent to the elastic strip.

8. The cleaning element of claim 6 wherein:

the elastic strip is attached to only one side of the peripheral edge of the body.

9. The cleaning element of claim 6 wherein:

the guide marker is attached to the body in a position over and around the elastic strip.

10. The cleaning element of claim 1 further comprising:

the at least one visually identifiable portion of the cleaning head is a corner on the cleaning head.

11. A method for mounting a cleaning element on a cleaning head of a cleaning apparatus in a desired orientation, the method comprises providing a cleaning element as a flexible body removably affixable to the cleaning head via an expandable and retractable elastic strip affixed to a peripheral edge of the body; and

providing a visible, distinguishable guide marker on the body to indicate a mounting position of the body on the cleaning head via alignment of the guide marker with one at least identifiable portion of the cleaning head.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

providing the guide marker on the body such that the guide marker is visible from either opposed surface of the body.

13. The method of claim 11 comprising:

attaching the guide marker to the body adjacent to the elastic strip.

14. The method of claim 11 comprising:

providing the guide marker as separate guide markers mounted on each opposed surface of the body.

15. The method of claim 11 comprising:

attaching the elastic strip to only one side of the peripheral edge of the body.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein:

attaching the guide marker to the body in a position over and around the elastic strip.