Do you love the convenience of your Swiffer Wet Jet but hate the waste it creates and the chemicals that are used? With 3 kids its hard to find time to break out the mop and bucket so in between deep cleans I loved using my Swiffer for quick clean ups. But then I got to thinking about how wasteful those darn pads are plus I was cutting out all chemical cleaners. I need to green my Swiffer and with just a few simple steps, you can to!
What you will need:
- Swiffer Wet Jet
- Empty Swiffer solution bottle, thoroughly rinsed
- Pliers
- Method oMop Microfiber Mop Pad (got mine at Target) or you crafty people can Make Your Own Swiffer Pads
- Natural floor cleaner
Step 1
Let's start by removing the top of the solution bottle. You will need the pliers for this and some muscle power. I was not able to do this myself and had to call in the big guns and have my husband do it. After this, it is easy to get on and off.
Step 2
Rinse out your bottle very well to get any chemical residue out. Let it soak overnight if you have to. Then fill it with your favorite natural cleaner. Right now I have a Method floor cleaner in there but normally its filled with a homemade solution.
Step 3
Since the bottom of the Swiffer Wet Jet is almost Velcro-esque, the oMop pad sticks nicely to it. If you do not have the oMop pad or a homemade pad, you can use a small microfiber towel and a few clothes pins. Lay towel on floor and place Swiffer in center of it. Wrap it around to the top of the base, be sure to not cover the sprayer, and fasten with clothes pins. I did this for a while and it worked just fine.
Step 4
That's it, really! No more wasteful pads, no need to buy more solution bottles and no more chemicals. Easy peasy!
Bonus: Homemade floor solution
As I mentioned I normally use a homemade solution in my Swiffer. I fill the empty bottle up with mostly water, squirt in some Dr Bronner's Sal Suds and then I put in about 10 drops of lemon essential oil. I used to put a little bit of white vinegar in there but then I learned that it can damage your wood floors, so don't do that if you are using this on wood. If this is just for tile, then you can add the vinegar if you want - its a natural disinfectant. I also use this same solution, with the vinegar, in a spray bottle as an all purpose cleaner. :)
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We use to do this as well when you were using the Swiffer but we no longer use the swiffer. The biggest pain was getting the cap to the solution bottle off but after that it was smooth sailing. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYou are so clever!
ReplyDeleteI really like this, I have one of these and hate spending the money on it so I'm going to make it green and save some money. I also have a Clorox re-usable broom/mop. You just take the pad off and wash it after every use
ReplyDeletethese look really fun!
ReplyDeletetrisha
momdot.com
Wow, I love this idea. I've got to show it to my husband, who will get such a kick out of it. I might let him mod one so I have one!
ReplyDeletethis is great. Thanks
ReplyDeleteI love this idea. I used to use a spray bottle and the plain swiffer with a dish towel around it. This is way cooler. LOL
ReplyDeleteLee
That is awesome!
ReplyDeleteKasandria
I love this and will definitely be trying this!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea, simple for anyone to do!! I hope people use this advice!!!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU! We have an empty shiffer wet jet and I kept meaning to figure out had to add my own mix to it, but was nervous about breaking it!
ReplyDeleteWe do this as well but now that I have the rubbermaid reveal mop it's perfect, since I can fill with my own solution!
ReplyDeletemy mother has the rubbermaid reveal and she brings it down on vacation. its great!
ReplyDeletemy mother has the rubbermaid reveal and she brings it down on vacation. its great!
ReplyDeleteJust found this via StumbleUpon, and had to make a quick note - to get the top off the old Swiffer bottle, just submerge it in boiling water for 30 seconds or so. Wrap a towel around it and it pops right off - no struggling, no pliers, and no hubby required! And because the heat softens the plastic, it doesn't snap when you pop the lid off, and you can use the same bottle for a LOT longer!
ReplyDeleteI was using the old sponge mop and store-brand glass cleaner 20 years ago to clean my floors. No muss no fuss. I would spray the cleaner on the floor, wait a minute or so, then mop with a damp mop. I did rinse my mop often--can't stand going over a floor with a nasty mop. It worked great. Didn't spend a lot either.
ReplyDelete