HARD SURFACE CLEANING AND CONDITIONING ASSEMBLIES

1 . A hard surface cleaning and conditioning assembly for use with a removable container having a dispensing valve that moves between a closed state and an open state, the assembly consisting of:

a pole;

a trigger configured for movement between a normal position and an activated position;

a tool depending from the pole remote from the trigger; and

an agent dispensing device depending from the pole, the agent dispensing device having an activation arm operatively coupled to the trigger, the activation arm moving between a first position when the trigger is in the normal position and a second position when the trigger is in the activated position, the agent dispensing device having a housing into which at least a portion of the dispensing valve can be removably positioned to be activated by the activation arm.

2 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first position of the activation arm is not sufficient to move the dispensing valve from the closed state to the open state when the dispensing valve is received in the housing, but the second position of the activation arm is sufficient to move the dispensing valve from the closed state to the open state when the dispensing valve is received in the housing.

3 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the agent dispensing device lacks any internal volume that can fluidly communicate with the container when the dispensing valve is received in the housing and is in either the open state or the closed state.

4 . The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the agent dispensing device lacks any valve.

5 . A hard surface cleaning and conditioning assembly for dispensing a conditioning agent, comprising:

a pole;

a trigger depending from the pole for movement between a normal position and an activated position;

a tool depending from the pole remote from the trigger;

a cap having a valve that moves between a closed state and an open state, the valve being in selective fluid communication with the conditioning agent; and

an agent dispensing device depending from the pole proximate the mop head, the agent dispensing device having an arm operatively coupled to the trigger and a housing into which at least a portion of the valve can be received,

wherein the activation arm moves between a first position when the trigger is in the normal position and a second position when the trigger is in the activated position, and

wherein the valve remains in the closed state when the valve is inserted into the dispensing device unless the activation arm is moved to the second position.

6 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cap is removably connectable directly to a container to place the valve in selective fluid communication with the conditioning agent stored in the container.

7 . The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the container is a rigid or flexible container.

8 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the cap is removably connectable directly to an adapter that is in fluid communication with a container to place the valve in selective fluid communication with the conditioning agent stored in the container.

9 . The assembly of claim 8 , wherein the container is a rigid or flexible container.

10 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the agent dispensing device lacks any internal volume that can fluidly communicate with the valve in either the open state or the closed state.

11 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the agent dispensing device lacks any valve.

12 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the conditioning agent is selected from the group consisting of water, chemical cleaner, wax, disinfectant, sanitizer, sealant, stripping agent, a conditioning agent, a conditioning agent, and any combinations thereof.

13 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the conditioning agent is dispensed under the force of gravity.

14 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the pole has an adjusting device configured to adjust a length of the pole.

15 . The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the adjusting device is between the trigger and the agent dispensing device.

16 . The assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a top-hand grip having a portion that includes the trigger disposed thereon.

17 . The assembly of claim 16 , wherein the portion of the top-hand grip that includes the trigger is rotatable with respect to the pole.

18 . The assembly of claim 15 , further comprising a bottom-hand grip that is rotatable with respect to the pole.

19 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the activation arm rotates between the first and second positions.

20 . The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the activation arm moves linearly between the first and second positions.

21 . A method of applying a conditioning agent to a hard surface, comprising:

placing a cap having a dispensing valve directly on a container having the conditioning agent stored therein or onto an adapter that is in fluid communication with a container having the conditioning agent stored therein;

installing the cap into an agent dispensing device depending from a hard surface cleaning and conditioning assembly, the agent dispensing device lacking any internal volume or valve that can fluidly communicate with the conditioning agent; and

moving a trigger of the hard surface cleaning and conditioning assembly, the trigger being operatively connected to an arm so as to move the arm into contact with the dispensing valve so as to open the dispensing valve and dispense the conditioning agent.