The Boardwalk CD50032S #32 Cotton Deck Mop has a plastic-coated wood handle and a 32 oz. mop head with strings of white cotton yarn and can be used to mop floors or apply floor finishes. The wood handle is heavier than typical polymer or metal handles and is suitable for moderate to heavy mopping. The handle is plastic-coated for wear resistance. The mop head is permanently fixed to the handle for durability. The strings are made of white, four-ply cotton yarn for absorbency and wear resistance. (Ply refers to the number of strands twisted together to make a single string or thread.) The mop head weighs approximately 32 oz. Wet mops (also called string mops) consist of a mop head, a handle, and a method of attaching, or mounting, a mop head onto a handle. Mop heads are typically made of cotton, synthetic fibers, or blends of cotton and synthetic. Synthetic fibers withstand laundering better and dry faster, both factors leading to longer product lifespan because harmful bacteria grow in a damp mop. In traditional string mop construction, coarse strings of cotton yarn are banded at the head for connection to a handle, and the strings hang loose at the tail. This method is now referred to as "cut-end," to contrast with the improved method of looping the strings back to the head, leaving no loose ends to fray. Laundering is not recommended for cut-end mops. Other improvements include tailbanding, which ties the strings together close to the tail to reduce tangling and improve floor coverage. Mops are used for cleaning floors or for spreading an oil- or water-based floor finish onto a floor to protect the surface. Boardwalk brand products, supplied by LagasseSweet, include janitorial, paper, and food service products. LagasseSweet, founded in 1947, is a subsidiary of United Stationers and is headquartered in Deerfield, IL.