Today I wanted to reshare one of my favorite thrifty tips for you all. My mop. I have been through many mops..sponge head ones, swiffer wetjet, clorox wet-jet, rag style + many more. But they were either really annoying to use, felt they werent strong enough, or I had to constantly buy replacement heads or cleaner, which cost me lots of money. So I am pleased to share my favorite mop with you all that saves me both time + money.
The BEST mop that I just adore is actually the SWIFFER SWEEPER! (Yes, I did just say sweeper…)
It comes in this little green box at most stores including Walmart, Albertsons, Target, Walgreens, Rite Aid ect. and runs around $7-$10.
I don’t use it as a sweeper however, I use it as a MOP! The swiffer sweeper has 4 little holes to put the swiffer sweeper pads into, but I do not use the pads or refills. I use my own cleaning wash-cloths. The base (bottom of sweeper) is actually kind of a rubbery-spongy type material, so it is perfect for scrubbing floors with a wash-cloth wrapped around it.
I simply fill up my sink, dip my wet wash-cloth in and attach it to the Swiffer Sweeper. I make sure and tuck some of the wash-cloth into each of the Swiffer Sweeper holes so it hangs onto it while I mop.
Then I just mop! That wash-cloth scrubs well, just like if you were hand washing the floor. If you have something really sticky or big just spray it with a cleaning agent and let it sit, it should come right up with that mop.
When you are done mopping, you can just throw your wash-cloth into the wash! I feel this not only makes me feel safe from germs + bacteria, but saves me money because I dont have to purchase all the refills.
If you have hardwood floors, this is great because your floors don’t get too wet, plus you can dry them with a dry cloth after you mop using this Swiffer sweeper too.
Hey, if we have to mop, we might as well save money doing it right?
Ok. So for a little over a year i was a housekeeper and I brought my own things, mop, vacuum, homemade cleaners etc to houses. I kept looking for a mop and finally found one. All the other mops were too short (I am pretty tall) and the pad area was too small. I found the Rubbermaid hygen mop. The pads attach with super industrial Velcro, they have different types of pads or make your own. The handle is very long and telescopic.
I have been using micro fiber cloths on my swiffer for years as well. I spray my cleaner on the floor works wonders.
I have been using the sniffer sweeper as a mop for a very long time and it works great. You can get under furniture very easily.
I LOVE this idea! Thank you so much for sharing, I’m going to try your detergent this week and actually try to use some of the detergent for mopping with this technique. I heard your detergent is really good for cleaning as well, would be good to use instead of so much bleach! Will keep reading your site, thanks!
I’ve been doing this for about 2 years now. But I use the O-Cedar brand, it sprays out detergent like a swiffer but you can use your own cleaner. You only need 2 tbs and fill the rest with warm water. I found a pack of 10 microfiber clothes for $5 at Wal-Mart in the automotive section. Works great. 🙂
Another idea for the dry sweeper is to use used dryer sheets. I save my dryer sheets after I dry clothes and use them for the dry swiffers. They work GREAT! Almost better than the ones you buy int he store!
Super smart idea Carrie! Love it.
Great idea!!!!! Will save a ton not buying swifter sheets anymore!!
I have done this many times it does work!
great idea. i’m still an old-fashioned ringer sponge mop kinda gal though. something comforting about it. as long as you take care of the mop, it totally lasts a long time. plus i feel like the handle is more sturdy and allows me to apply as much pressure to a sticky spot as i need without worrying about breaking it. but i also love that you use your good old kitchen sink with cleaner. that’s how our moms & grandmas mopped for ages. worked well then, why not now? why does everything have to be cutely packaged for it to be worthwhile? sorry, but that’s my two cents. i save a ton, mopping the old fashioned way.
Thanks for the tip! I’ve been trying to find something green to use, because I had heard that the other sprays weren’t good for animals and we do have an indoor cat. I will keep an eye out for the SWIFFER SWEEPER! Thanks again!
I have tried ALOT of mops and I am finally pleased with the way I mop.I tie a damp hand towel to my broom to mop. I have 6 kids at home (down from 8 since my 2 oldest have moved out) I mop everyday (sometimes twice) and I couldn’t keep a mop for more than 2 months because they would wear out or break so I started out of necessity tying a hand towel or small towel around the wide part of the broom. It is flexible and the bristles under the towel give me a little scrubbing power.I can then wash my towel so it is fresh for next time and the bonus is it’s free and fresh every time I mop. I hated the musty smell my mop got sitting in the closet between mops.
I do the same things but I just spray the floor with floor cleaner in a spray bottle and then mop over it! It works great!
Great minds think alike!
Holy cow! What a great idea! I, too, have been using the WetJet for awhile now, and while I do like it, I don’t like throwing away the pads or the fact that you have to buy the special cleaner to use it. I don’t think this method would work for the WetJet, because it has velcro strips rather than the little corner holders, but it’s worth a try. If not, I’ll be looking for a good Swiffer Sweeper sale!
Cool! I’ve been using the swiffer wet jet for years. My husband managed to get the cap off an empty cleaner container and leave it in one piece (not sure how, but he said it was easy). So, I refill the cleaner container with fabuloso or pinesol. The cap screws back on tightly and comes off easily, just like a pop bottle (after hubby worked his magic). That way I only have to buy the pads. But, the pads hardly stick on anymore, so it is about time to do something else….
Love this idea, thanks for sharing!