There was no way I was going to use a traditional cleaning tool — like a vac, mop, or broom — to clean up pet waste or a broken jar of jelly on the floor. What did that leave?  Paper towels or maybe a cardboard box that I could somehow scrape the mess into.

I knew there had to be a better way. One day, I got the idea to buy a squeegee for a V-shaped tray I had at home. The tray was about a foot long, four inches wide at the top and with a rounded bottom. I cut the squeegee to fit the tray, and it worked pretty slick! I also loved how easy it was to clean and store. It certainly wasn’t the perfect tool, but it solved a problem. I kept this rough prototype for 30 years. But I always knew there needed to be a tool designed specifically for the task of quick, easy cleanups. 

So why did I wait so long to pursue this idea? I was busy growing a woodworking business I started 20 years earlier. The dust created in the business inspired me to invent a line of self-contained down-draft tables. And Sandman Products LLC was born. My son now runs the company. After 15 years in business, I now have the time, confidence, and business experience to pursue designing, perfecting and marketing Swiper Viper. 

First I needed to determine if such a product existed in the marketplace. I couldn’t find anything like it. So I decided to go ahead and see if I could design the perfect cleanup tray. 

I knew the tray had to be just the right size and shape, with a ramp and reservoir to hold the mess. Also, the tray needed to be compact, so it would be easy to use, clean and store. That meant building the handle into the back wall of the tray instead of having it protrude.

Also, I needed to figure out how to conveniently store a squeegee in the tray so both squeegee and tray would be together for quick use. In the meantime, I began searching stores for a squeegee that might work. I could hardly believe it when I spied the perfect straight-line squeegee. Now I just needed to figure out how to hold it in the tray.

I drew a rough sketch of the tray and headed for SandMan Product’s metal department. In a couple hours, we had cut, bent and welded the first prototype. After some evaluation, we made some changes and made a much better second prototype. I even added a piece of wood trim on the back wall to make it more comfortable to hold. Now I had a crude prototype that I could take to a plastic shop.

I had saved an article from the local paper about a vacuum plastic company that made prototypes. They worked with me to make some improvements. In about six weeks, I had my first plastic prototype. I was very excited that the prototype was a big improvement over the heavy metal one I had made. But I knew it was still a long way from a finished product.

The plastics company recommended I go see B & B Molders, a local injection molding company. That was one of the best pieces of advice I ever received. Their engineers worked with me for about two months to get the drawing just right for the perfect tray. It was just like what I had envisioned from the beginning.  Next, they made me a 3D printed copy. A week later, their sales engineer walked into my office with a smile on his face while holding something behind his back.  “Lloyd, I got something for you,” he exclaimed. I thought it was so beautiful!  Some 35 years after my first prototype I had created the perfect tool to quickly clean up a mess. 

To make this cleanup tool really useful it had to be stored in a manner that someone could grab it in seconds. I kept asking myself where the unit could be stored that it could be easily reached. I also wanted a place that was not conspicuous and was not earmarked for other kitchen devices.

Then it hit me! How about the cabinet wall under the sink beside the garbage disposal? But hanging it from a hook is not very handy,  because it’s hard to see under there. Then I got the idea for a bracket on the wall that the tray simply slides into. So I went back to B & B molders to design the bracket. 

While all this was going on, I applied for a utility patent and trademark registration. My patent attorney told me because of my age I could file under a FastTrack program. Normally it takes up to 24 months; I was granted my patent in just 5 months.

So the unique Swiper Viper system is as easy as Squeegee, Rinse and Store. Also, it’s so easy to use, even children will love cleaning up their messes. Swiper Viper is the 10-Second Mess Remover. And it’s available for under $10.

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