The Best Swiffer Hacks for Sweepers and WetJets
A few years back, I received a string of emails from various readers asking if I knew of any cheaper or greener alternatives for the disposable cleaning pads and solutions for two popular Swiffer brand cleaning tools, the Swiffer Sweeper and the Swiffer WetJet. The cost of buying more disposable cleaning pads for the Sweeper or WetJet every few weeks can add up fast, so it’s no wonder those readers were looking for alternatives!
Lucky for all of us, it’s possible to take advantage of the ease and convenience of your Swiffer Sweeper or WetJet while saving money and cutting down on waste. All you need are a few simple Swiffer hacks, and that’s exactly what you’ll find in this post!
Check out my best money-saving hacks for the Swiffer Sweeper and the Swiffer WetJet below.
Related: These 11 Cleaning Hacks Will Make Your Floors Sparkle
Check out these swiffer hacks in action in my VIDEOS below!
3 Swiffer Hacks That Save Money and Reduce Waste
1. Use Reusable Sweeper Pads
Rather than using the pricey disposable sweeper pads, here’s a DIY reusable Swiffer pad alternative — a fuzzy sock! Just slip the sock onto the base of your Sweeper and use it just like you normally would.
The fuzzy material works like a charm for picking up dust, dirt, and hair. When you’re done sweeping, you can wash the sock with the rest of your laundry, and use it again and again!
Or if you’re willing to spend a few dollars, you can get this set of two washable microfiber cleaning pads for the Swiffer Sweeper on Amazon. No matter which reusable Swiffer pad you choose, you’ll save yourself a lot of money in the long run!
VIDEO: Make Your Own Reusable Swiffer Dusting Sheet
2. Use Reusable WetJet Pads
You could use a fuzzy sock on your WetJet like I mentioned for the Sweeper, but you would only want to use it for mopping up spills or splatters. If you’re mopping large sections of flooring, you’ll need something more absorbent, like a microfiber cleaning pad.
I found this set of two reusable microfiber cleaning pads for the WetJet on Amazon. As with the reusable Sweeper pads, if you make the switch to reusable Swiffer WetJet pads and you’ll start saving money almost immediately!
3. Refill WetJet Bottles With Homemade Swiffer Solution
But cleaning pads are only one part of the WetJet equation — the other is those pricey bottles of cleaning solution that snap into the mop. The good news is that it’s easy to make a homemade Swiffer solution at home, which I’ll show you how to do here (plus I’ll share how to refill Swiffer WetJet bottles once they’re empty!)
DIY Swiffer WetJet Cleaning Solution
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 3-5 drops dish soap
Directions:
Add the vinegar, water, and dish soap to a small bowl, stir to combine.
More Ideas You'll Love
To get this homemade solution into the special WetJet bottle, you’ll need to loosen the cap with the help of some hot water first.
Bring a small pot of water to a boil on your stovetop, then turn off the heat. Submerge the cap of the bottle completely in the hot water and hold it there for about 90 seconds.
Next, remove the bottle from the water, place a towel or cloth over the cap, and twist — it should come right off!
Pour your prepared cleaning solution into the open bottle, then replace the cap. Shake the bottle gently to make sure everything is mixed up, then click the bottle back into your WetJet mop. How easy is that?
For more information about Swiffer products check out their website.
Do you use a Swiffer Sweeper or WetJet to clean your floors?
I gave up on Swiffers long ago, even with refillable solution hack and reusable floor pad hacks. Floors just never looked clean to me compared to me doing it on hands and knees and scrubbing out the dirt that collects between the boards or in grout.
A few years ago I discovered three things: Sal Suds, OCedar easy wring bucket type 1 (open bucket with spinner), and OCedar easy wring bucket type 2 (bucket with tank insert and spinner). It’s nothing more than a two-bucket system but it works fast and cleans really well for me.
I put warmish-hot water in the open bucket and inside the tank insert. I add 2-3 drops Sal Suds to the tank. (Yes just drops. Sal Suds seems pricey but a 16oz bottle will last years.)
I maintain my floors between moppings with only dry methods other than spot treatments (broom sweeping, vacuuming, and dry mopping with a rectangular mop like Swiffer, Bona, etc.). Water + liquid = mud so I also do dry maintenance right before damp mopping.
To start mopping. I wet the mop in the Sal Suds solution and spin it damp, then mop a small section, whatever I can reach comfortably. I’ll repeat if still visibly dirty and/or spot clean.
Next, I rinse the mop head thoroughly in the open bucket and spin it damp. I rinse the same floor section and repeat if needed. I rinse the mop well once more and spin it, then it’s back to the solution bucket to begin another section. I also dump and refill the rinse water bucket often to avoid transfer of dirt back to the clean floor. (I use the same mop for both washing and rinsing, but if floor is really dirty I use both mops and leave them in their own buckets.)
This sounds like a lot of steps, but once you get the hang of it the job goes really fast. I can wash large great room floor in 15-20 minutes, or less, depending on amount of dirt and spot cleaning. A damp paper towel anywhere on that floor comes up clean, no black or any dirt at all. There are no dark lines between boards as there is no buildup.
Maintain between moppings only with dry methods mentioned (broom, vacuum, dry mop) so as not to create mud. We’re empty nesters so our floor isn’t as dirty now. And we are good about no shoes and entry/exit mats as well, which helps tremendously. So I only tend to mop every couple of months, the rest of the time the dry maintenance with spot cleaning keeps it looking shiny and new. A damp paper towel after dry maintenance will pick up on a trace of dry dust or none at all.
I have some friends whose floors look shiny from no-rinse mopping but have dirt trapped in buildup and black lines between the boards. We spent hours thoroughly removing the buildup and black lines, until we were down to just the original finished floor. Then they started this method. That was three years ago and their floors still look the same, clean and no black lines or trapped dirt. Give this approach a try, whether you use a DIY cleaner or Sal Suds as I do.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I should have mentioned, I use this process on the baseboards too while I’m at it, damp wash and damp rinse. Then just go round with a towel and thoroughly dry. Baseboards stay cleaner longer too. Win Win.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thank you so much for sharing these helpful tips with us! :-)
I just use the pads, but I keep a spray bottle with Dawn, white vinegar, and orange or lemon essential oil to use by the toilet (you know the mess men make!) and it helps with the smell and the “between cleanings.” The old sock sounds like it would work too. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Some time ago, I read that the Swiffer was not good for dogs and not to use it if one had a dog. I do not know if that is true or not but it is something one might want to look into. I personally cannot stand the smell and I always use vinegar solution or Young Living Thieves solution.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Can you put essential oils in the cleaner for the wet jet to cut some of the vinegar?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I wouldn’t recommend it. essential oils would not mix well with vinegar.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Rather than using hot water to open the Swiffer WetJet container many times, use hot water only once. After the cap is off, use toenail clippers to snip off the inward pointing spines within the cap. Once they are gone, you can just unscrew the cap in the future, without having to hold the cap upside down in hot water. Did this years ago – no leaks from the cap, and no extra effort. Just grab, fill and use the Wetjet!!!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Another tip for adding homemade swiffer wet jet solution to swiffer bottles. Once you heat the
Please log in or create a free account to comment.screw top on the swiffer bottle, and take it off, use a toenail clipper to clip off the “stops” inside the
lid. Fill the bottle as you desire, and screw the lid back on. The next time you need to refill it, the lid will screw right off without having to reheat it. One and done!!!!!!! Not sure where I found this tip, but
have never bought a refill swiffer bottle since 2017.
My hubby does not like this mixture….the vinegar is overpowering to him & he thinks it leave a coating on the “pergo” floor. Any other suggestions?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I’ve found that the e-cloths “Replacement Head for Mini Deep Clean Mop” fits my Swiffer Wet Jet. With e-cloths you don’t need any cleaning solution, just water! The mop heads are washable, so reusable.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I crochet my own wet jet pads. I use any leftover cotton yarns. They may look a little funky ( all those different colors), but they work great! I also use my poly mix yarns, to make a swiffer duster pad, those ones dont need to be absorbent, after all.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.What a great idea, Lisa!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A squirt bottle of vinegar and water works just as well as inserting a bottle onto the Swiffer handle. Just squirt cleaning fluid onto the floor as you go about swiffering. Works great!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You beat me to it! LOL!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I do the same thing!
Or a spray bottle.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.You can also use a terry cloth material and cut it the size of a swiffer sheet.Also if you spray a little
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Endust on it it really works even better…but NOT Pledge, has to be Endust,the other makes it TOO slippery and you can slide on it and get hurt.I clean for a living and this trick works very well.
Another swiffer dry refill I’ve used is a piece of quilt batting cut to size. I am a quilter and have lots of left over batting from my quilts after I square them up. I just cut it up and use it to sweep and I can turn them over when one side gets dirty and use the other side before throwing it away. I’ve been doing this for years and it works great! Especially on my dusty quilting room floor!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.There are a couple issues w the homemake formula. One, over time the vinegar will damage the surface of many floorings. And it will also cause damage to any rubber parts in your swiffer or any other jet spray mop. For a while it all works great, but later on…. no so much.
Also, not rinsing after putting dish soap in the mix will build up and in warmer weather will eventually cause the floor to be a bit sticky.
For years I have just been using Windex as a cleaning solution for all my floors. It does not damage the floor and it does not damage the mop in any way. There is no rinsing needed and no sticky build up after a while either.
i usually use 2 to 1. one part water, two parts windex.
Its not expensive and works really well to get up grease buildup or sticky messes.
For the Osedar mops you can just pour the mixture right into the tank that is connected to the handle. Less fuss that way. Not sure about the reuse of the swiffer bottle. Seems like a lot of work each time you want to fill it. Osedar mops come w a reusable mop head cloth and you can purchase other ones individually.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.After a hard wood installer recommended it!I’ve been using Vinegar, dish soap and water to clean my floors for years, and have never had an issue. I used to clean houses, and A LOT of the older ladies had me use this, too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.*O-Cedar mop.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Almost 20 years ago I discovered the clean team . Com I was looking for alternative cleaners that were more consumer-friendly. They have a product called Sh-mop that I have been using ever since. They make terry cloth covers that are washable and reusable. And the O-Cedar mop cover it too! Use a spray bottle with the same cleaner as above and you’re in business
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The manufacturer of my wood and laminate flooring says not to use vinegar when cleaning. Instead of vinegar, I use isopropyl alcohol. One part alcohol to one part water with a couple of drops of dish soap for an emulsifier. Be sure to shake this mixture before using. I also use an O’Cedar wet mop
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Vinegar is death for a parquet floor! Also, wet mopping will ruin parquet!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Using the swiffer is not the same as regular mopping, tho. Regular mopping saturates the floor, where with the spray and mop method, there’s very little wet mixture on the floor, and its cleaned up ,and dries so fast, there shouldnt be a problem.
I knew there was a way to add my own solution to theses swiffer wet jets. They cost my clients a small fortune and I always look for ways to save them money.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The link didn’t work for me – where to buy the three pack reusable pads. I purchased mine through Walter Drakes catalog on line. $5.99 for a 2-pack. I gave one to each client that has a swiffer and two for me.
https://www.wdrake.com/buy-money-saving-mop-pad-2-pack-361730
Hi, thanks for all the great tips.
I live in Mexico now, and I brought my Swiffer back from the states. It was a great hit and 2 of my neighbors and the 1x a week cleaning lady all have their own Swiffers and dusters now ! That took several trips !
We all use the same thing for cleaning – microfiber cloths from Costco. ( Yes, we have a Costco here now !) I purchased a large package of cloths a few years ago, and they are larger than regular Swiffer cloths, but not so large to be troublesome.
As they are starting to show wear and tear, I went back to Costco, and this time they only had a 24 pack of the larger microfiber towels. I plan to cut them into 1/4ths and whip stitch or zigzag the edges.
We will all have plenty ofvnew Swiffer cloths, and then the old ones will be given to gardeners, guys who work on cars, or used for one time, really dirty chores like cleaning wrought iron gates !
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Very clever Cindy!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Like you, I use regular microfiber cloths on my Swiffer. I don’t think they pick up quite as much dust as genuine Swiffer cloths, so occasionally I’ll use a store-brand “dusting cloth” that just happens :) to fit the Swiffer.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.how would i make it for wood floor
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Here’s a post all about a wood floor cleaner: https://jillee.co/2A340Jb :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Better yet, instead of a Swiffer Wet Jet, I think it’s O’Cedar that makes on that you use with your own choice of cleaner – no need to refill the Swiffer bottle!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just bought a Swiffer wet jet and it’s wonderful but I was thinking it would cost a fortune to maintain and then I found Jillian who just saved me a LOT of money and I just want to say thank you for your fabulous idea; I will of course be using it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Thanks Shirley!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Not sure why people are having a problem w the vinegar bottles. I have had the same one in my kitchen for at least seven years. no problems. Vinegar won’t break down the finish. What brakes it down is everyday wear. Especially on cheaper flooring.
I have used windex to clean my floors for at least 20 or so years. Works well, gets grease up. Does not harm the flooring!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I tried the solution you mentioned, but after a while, the floor feels a bit sticky.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I did, however, just use half vinegar and half window cleaner (like windex) which works wonderfully and there is no rinsing and it cleans any grease of really well. When i have run out of vinegar, i just used windex. It cleans, no rinsing and gets up everything.
Use caution when cleaning wood floors with vinegar. It breaks down polyeurethane finishes. Otherwise great hacks!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The new ones have the spray element in the flat part so a sock won’t work anymore , do u have any solutions for this ,?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I just cut a small hole in the sock :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.These idea’s are awesome, however if you have the Swiffer-wet-jet that has the little spray holes in the front of the pad – using a home made sock, etc to clean with won’t work – it covers up the little holes for the liquid cleaner to spray out of!! Hmmm??
Please log in or create a free account to comment.That’s true. Then you pour the cleaning solution into a hand held spray bottle, aim , and fire away!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.