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Glossary entry

Dutch term or phrase:

stofwissen

English translation:

dust-mop; dust mopping

Added to glossary by Michael Beijer
Oct 25, 2012 21:48
11 yrs ago
3 viewers *
Dutch term

stofwissen

Dutch to English Other General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters cleaning
(1) my context: 'vloeren stofwissen en ontvlekken' (in a document containing cleaning specifications for a large international facility services company)

(2) internet context: 'Regelmatig stofzuigen of wissen voorkomt een opeenhoping van stof en vuil. Dit **stofwissen** kan ook gebeuren door middel van een vloerwisser met wisdoek - bijvoorbeeld met een Swiffer. Het gebruik van geïmpregneerde doeken ("vloerdoekjes”) raden wij af. Deze doeken bevatten olie of paraffine die tijdens het wissen een dun laagje op de tegel achterlaten en waaraan stof en vuil zich opnieuw gemakkelijk kunnen hechten. Geïmpregneerde doeken zijn vaak te herkennen aan een (hersluitbare) folieverpakking die uitdrogen moet voorkomen.' (http://www.tegelhuismontfoort.nl/onderhoud/tegels/ )

'Wat heeft u nodig?

Voor het **stofwissen** heeft u de volgende hulpmiddelen nodig:
• stofwisapparaat
• een van de vier soorten stofwisdoeken
• klamvochtige werkdoek
• stoffer en stofblik
• afvalzak (http://members.multimania.nl/riameester/stofwissen.htm )'

For those of you who have never heard of a 'stofwisser', this is what they look like: https://www.google.com/search?client=aff-maxthon-newtab&chan...

As far as I know the first 'stofwisser' was invented by Procter & Gamble, who called it a 'Swiffer®'. See, e.g.: http://www.swiffer.com/about-swiffer

I am looking for an English verb (if possible). I have seen 'to swiffer' used*, and am wondering what you think. So far I think I will just go with something like 'clean the floor with a Swiffer'. Anyone with specialist cleaning knowledge among our ranks?

* e.g. 'cleaning the filter can be messy and can require you to swiffer the floor right after cleaning the filter!' (http://www.amazon.com/Swiffer-SweeperVac-Rechargeable-Cordle... )
Proposed translations (English)
4 +4 dust mopping
4 sweep
3 cleaning
Change log

Oct 25, 2012 23:04: writeaway changed "Field (specific)" from "Other" to "General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters"

Discussion

Lianne van de Ven Oct 25, 2012:
Vim ... became a product name (in Dutch) while it really was a brand name: http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vim_(merk).

@Michael: US eng has a tendency to verb nouns.
And indeed use it figuratively, as Maria puts it: let's dust-mop him.
I could go as far as to "wedge dust mop head him" for a mere 4 bucks http://is.gd/dU6otA
En in het Nederlands natuurlijk "de vloer met hem aanvegen..."
Maria Ramon Oct 25, 2012:
I also agree with Lianne's 'dust-mopping', as a matter of fact, we do a lot of 'dust-mopping' before 'wet-mopping' and we speak about it as such; my cleaning lady also calls it 'dust-mopping'. It can be used both literally and also figuratively, to indicate something else when someone may say 'I am going to dust-mop him' when putting it politely.
Michael Beijer (asker) Oct 25, 2012:
@Lianne: Oxford (ODP) has it as a noun:

'dust mop': 'a long-handled mop with a soft, fluffy head, used to collect dust from floors and walls.'

e.g.: 'Step it up OK, Cinderella, put away the tiara and go for the dust mop.' + 'The surface of a dust mop is dry and not moistened with a disinfectant before use; therefore, it may spread contaminants to other areas of the floor rather than picking up the dirt and debris.'
Michael Beijer (asker) Oct 25, 2012:
@Phil: They are definitely also called 'swiffers' here in the UK. See, e.g. https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=aff-maxt... (but I prefer 'dust mopping' myself as it avoids using a brand name)
Lianne van de Ven Oct 25, 2012:
to dust-mop Apparently, as a verb it is spelled "dust-mop": http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/dust-mop
philgoddard Oct 25, 2012:
i've never seen them referred to as swiffers, and I agree with Lianne's suggestion of dust mops.
Michael Beijer (asker) Oct 25, 2012:
Hmm, I think I like Lianne's 'dust mopping'. See, e.g. 'DAGELIJKS: zo nodig vegen of stofwissen om korrelig zand en vuie te verwijderen.' = 'DAILY: Sweep or dust mop as necessary to remove gritty soil.' (http://www.essind.com/International/Intl-Europe/Images/00292... )
Michael Beijer (asker) Oct 25, 2012:
@Phil: Oops, yeah, I meant to write that with a lower case 's'. So far, I'm translating it as 'clean floors with a swiffer' in my text.
philgoddard Oct 25, 2012:
Yup. You should put that as an answer.
You can't say "with a Swiffer", Michael - that's one specific brand.
TDVTrans Oct 25, 2012:
Possibility? I was thinking perhaps along the lines of 'dust mopping' or 'to dust mop'

http://www.cleanfreak.com/procedures/dust-mopping.htm

Proposed translations

+4
15 mins
Selected

dust mopping

http://www.ehow.com/how_5148145_clean-dust-mop.html

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2012-10-25 22:11:57 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Citing from the link above: Dust mopping is done before a floor is washed and waxed.
Peer comment(s):
agree Textpertise : The page looks dreadful but Michael might be helped by this link http://www.cleanfreak.com/procedures/dust-mopping.htm
25 mins
Thank you, Textpertise.
agree Tineke Van Beukering : dust mopping or dust control mopping, see e.g. this link: http://www.cleansupply.com.au/category.asp?cid=50,53
12 hrs
Bedankt
agree Kitty Brussaard
12 hrs
Bedankt, Kitty
agree Maria Ramon : this is the correct answer
1 day 19 hrs
Bedankt Maria!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks Lianne!"
7 hrs

sweep

If you swiffer, you sweep. If you remove dust or sand from the floor, you also sweep. So you can use this word in your translation and it also takes care of noun/verb issues you may encounter.

I do strongly discourage the use if the Swiffer brandname in your translation.
Something went wrong...
10 hrs

cleaning

Since stofwissen seems to mean both wet and dry cleaning I would simply use Cleaning floors and removing stains
Peer comment(s):
neutral Lianne van de Ven : Waarom denk je dat? Stofwissen betekent stofvrij maken, niet bv. dweilen.
2 hrs
Something went wrong...
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