Absorbent cleaning pad and method of making same

1. A surface cleaning pad comprising a pad body and an attachment surface associated with said pad body and positioned to face a cleaning implement, said attachment surface comprising a substantially hydrophilic portion and a substantially hydrophobic portion, said attachment surface defined at least in part by a barrier layer including said substantially hydrophilic portion and said substantially hydrophobic portion, said barrier layer being folded over at least one edge of said pad body, thereby encapsulating said edge of said pad body.

2. The surface cleaning pad of claim 1 further comprising an attachment member directly coupled to said substantially hydrophobic portion of said barrier layer.

3. The surface cleaning pad of claim 2 , said attachment member being positioned for engagement with a cleaning implement.

4. The surface cleaning pad of claim 3 , said attachment member comprising a position adhesive.

5. The surface cleaning pad of claim 1 wherein a folded portion of said barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.

6. The surface cleaning pad of claim 1 wherein a folded portion of said barrier layer is applied to a surface of said pad body that is opposed to said attachment surface and positioned to face a surface to be cleaned.

7. The surface cleaning pad of claim 6 , wherein said folded portion of said barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.

8. The surface cleaning pad of claim 1 wherein said attachment surface comprises a substantially hydrophobic layer defining said hydrophobic portion and a substantially hydrophilic layer defining said hydrophilic portion and associated with said substantially hydrophobic layer.

9. The surface cleaning pad of claim 8 , said substantially hydrophilic layer being directly applied to said pad body.

10. The surface cleaning pad of claim 9 wherein said substantially hydrophobic layer is positioned over said hydrophilic layer.

11. The surface cleaning pad of claim 10 further comprising an attachment member directly coupled to said hydrophobic layer and positioned to face the cleaning implement.

12. The surface cleaning pad of claim 11 , said attachment member comprising a position adhesive.

13. The surface cleaning pad of claim 1 , said pad body being formed from a unitized airlaid composite.

14. A surface cleaning pad for use with a cleaning implement, said surface cleaning pad consisting of:

a unitized pad body formed from an airlaid composite;

a barrier layer coupled adjacent a cleaning-implement-facing surface of said unitized pad body, said barrier layer being folded over at least one edge of said pad body, thereby encapsulating said edge of said pad body;

a hydrophobic layer coupled adjacent said barrier layer;

a position adhesive applied to said hydrophobic layer and positioned for engaging the cleaning implement; and

a release sheet applied over a functional surface of said position adhesive.

15. The surface cleaning pad of claim 14 wherein a folded portion of said barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.

16. The surface cleaning pad of claim 14 wherein a folded portion of said barrier layer is applied to a surface of said pad body that is opposed to said cleaning-implement-facing surface and positioned to face a surface to be cleaned.

17. The surface cleaning pad of claim 16 wherein said folded portion of said barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.

18. A method of assembling a surface cleaning pad consisting of the steps of:

a) applying a barrier layer to a cleaning implement facing surface of pad body formed from an airlaid composite;

b) folding the barrier layer over at least one edge of the airlaid composite, thereby encapsulating said edge of the airlaid composite;

c) applying the barrier layer to an opposing surface of the pad body that is positioned to face a surface to be cleaned;

d) positioning a hydrophobic layer over the barrier layer;

e) coupling a position adhesive to the hydrophobic layer, wherein a functional surface of the position adhesive is configured to engage a cleaning implement; and

f) mounting a release sheet to the functional surface of the position adhesive.

19. A surface cleaning pad configured for use with a cleaning implement, said surface cleaning pad comprising:

a unitized pad body formed from an airlaid composite, said unitized pad body having a cleaning-implement-facing surface configured to face the cleaning implement and a surface-cleaning surface, wherein at least a portion of said surface-cleaning surface is exposed for direct contact with a surface to be cleaned; and

a barrier layer coupled adjacent said cleaning-implement-facing surface of said unitized pad body and positioned to face the cleaning implement, wherein said barrier layer comprises a hydrophobic portion, said barrier layer being folded over at least one edge of said unitized pad body, thereby encapsulating said edge of said unitized pad body.

20. The surface cleaning pad of claim 19 further comprising a position adhesive mounted to said hydrophobic portion of said barrier layer, said position adhesive including a release sheet.

21. The surface cleaning pad of claim 19 wherein said folded portion of said barrier layer is substantially hydrophilic.