Inventor Thomas Stewart Patented Improved Mop

Thomas Stewart was a 19th-century American inventor best known for improving the mop.

Born in 1823, Stewart was an African American craftsman who lived and worked in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Stewart received a U.S. patent for an enhanced mop design that made cleaning floors more sanitary and efficient. His invention featured a clamping mechanism that allowed users to wring out water without touching the soiled mop head by hand — a significant advancement at a time when most mops required direct contact.

Stewart’s design also included improvements that made the mop head easier to remove and replace. His patent helped influence later developments in household cleaning tools and commercial janitorial equipment.

Though not widely known today, Stewart’s contribution marked an important step in the evolution of everyday cleaning technology during the late 19th century.