Cheap and Easy Reusable Swiffer Wet-Jet Pads
Intro: Cheap and Easy Reusable Swiffer Wet-Jet Pads
Hi. This is my first Instructable. This is very low-tech and very humble. Those of you (Instructabelers....Instructabilians...Instructabillys?).. ..that do these high-tech genius projects, man, you guys are so much cooler than I. I mostly like to find minute ways to make my life easier. I'm super cheap and lazy, and obsessive about arranging and automating my life as much as possible so I don't actually have to be present. So if I do any more of these, it'll probably be along those lines.
This particular project was for me just filling a need. I like my Wet-Jet but I hate buying the disposable pads all the time. At about a buck a piece, cleaning the floor starts looking expensive to me. (I have 2 young children) There doesn't seem to be a generic brand of the pads that I've seen, and some other mop brands do make reusable pads but they're stupid-expensive too, they don't really fit the Swiffer, and the ones I've tried don't even work that great in my opinion. So I set out to make my own. A few weeks of supply hunting and experimentation and we have a winner!
This particular project was for me just filling a need. I like my Wet-Jet but I hate buying the disposable pads all the time. At about a buck a piece, cleaning the floor starts looking expensive to me. (I have 2 young children) There doesn't seem to be a generic brand of the pads that I've seen, and some other mop brands do make reusable pads but they're stupid-expensive too, they don't really fit the Swiffer, and the ones I've tried don't even work that great in my opinion. So I set out to make my own. A few weeks of supply hunting and experimentation and we have a winner!
STEP 1: Supplies
1. A Swiffer Wet Jet
2. some washcloth-sized rags
3. dish-washing cloths with scrubbing mesh on at least one side.
4. two "binder clips" (I had to look up what those things were called)
5. scissors
cost: a few dollars at most. I found a 3 pack of the mesh dish towels at a discount store for $2 and teh rest of the stuff I had around the house already.
2. some washcloth-sized rags
3. dish-washing cloths with scrubbing mesh on at least one side.
4. two "binder clips" (I had to look up what those things were called)
5. scissors
cost: a few dollars at most. I found a 3 pack of the mesh dish towels at a discount store for $2 and teh rest of the stuff I had around the house already.
STEP 2: Assembly
1. Lay your dish towel with the mesh side down.
2. Fold your rag in half and lay in the middle of the dish towel. (this extra rag adds absorbancy. If the scrubbing towel you found is very thick, you may want to omit the rag. Don't be tempted to thicken it more than the 3 layers shown or your swiffer will rollaround on the pad and annoy you.)
3. Place the head of the swiffer so that the leading edge lines up with the edge of the folded rag and is pretty much completely covering that edge. You don't want any of it to fold up over the leading edge.
4. Pinch the cloth up around the top of the Swiffer's head, fold it over if necessary, pull it kinda tight, and clip with your super strong binder clips. Placement of the clips should be more or less in line with the "jets".
5. Feel for (or peek) for the jets through the cloth and use scissors to snip away the cloth covering them. If after you start using your new disposable pads your swiffer starts spraying wonky, you might try making these holes larger.
2. Fold your rag in half and lay in the middle of the dish towel. (this extra rag adds absorbancy. If the scrubbing towel you found is very thick, you may want to omit the rag. Don't be tempted to thicken it more than the 3 layers shown or your swiffer will rollaround on the pad and annoy you.)
3. Place the head of the swiffer so that the leading edge lines up with the edge of the folded rag and is pretty much completely covering that edge. You don't want any of it to fold up over the leading edge.
4. Pinch the cloth up around the top of the Swiffer's head, fold it over if necessary, pull it kinda tight, and clip with your super strong binder clips. Placement of the clips should be more or less in line with the "jets".
5. Feel for (or peek) for the jets through the cloth and use scissors to snip away the cloth covering them. If after you start using your new disposable pads your swiffer starts spraying wonky, you might try making these holes larger.
STEP 3: Does It Work? WARNING: GRAPHIC, WET & DIRTY IMAGES!!!
Ohhhhh heck yeah.
I made 3 of these and they are enough to keep me mopping the whole week through. Toss them in the laundry and reassemble.
I made 3 of these and they are enough to keep me mopping the whole week through. Toss them in the laundry and reassemble.
STEP 4: Bonus, Clip Storage
It's a bad picture, but if you stick them in like that, they stay there.
16 Comments
JeanetteLaskey 8 years ago
This is ingenious! Thank you so much! I have used rags but couldn't figure out what to do about the spray. Plus I used only one layer of rag and knew it needed to be thicker, but didn't even think about layering.
Luvmyboyzandgurl 6 years ago
BroomHuggie 8 years ago
I love DIY but I'm so short on time for projects like this. For those who want to go GREEN and ditch the disposables BUT don't have the time check out my Earthmop Wraps for all types of swffers!
daddylockhart 7 years ago
checked out your site. Those pads are legit shamwow type cloth cut and sewn to fit. Great idea.
ViddaL 8 years ago
Thank you for the ideas of using mesh cloth and velcro or clips. I have been using plain washclothes. This well be much nicer.
rdwm1843 8 years ago
JeanetteLaskey 8 years ago
Swiffer sells a long handled duster that telescopes that easily dusts floorboards. I love it! I am a housecleaner and I use the throwaway dusters that are made for them. I love them but I also hate how many have to be used. Plus, they are expensive! So, now I see on this site a deign to make your own! Amazing idea! I am going to have to pull out and set up my sewing machine!
emcd 9 years ago
thanks...will do :)
tara.r.broadway 9 years ago
This is awesome! I have a bunch of old dishrags that I was going to take out of circulation anyway, and they'll be perfect for the padding layers. I think I'll sew them all together so I don't have to fold them up every time. Now I just have to find some dish clothes with a scrubby side.
just thinking 10 years ago
Just an addition to this. If you hate the buying the refill bottles of solution, just fill a cup of water and put in microwave for 1.5 minutes, then hold empty bottle capside down into the water for about 10-20 seconds. The cap will unscrew and you are able to refill it with any solution you like ie pinesol, vinegar and water. screw the cap back on and walllaaaaa it works.
karanicholl 10 years ago
hillcrest59 11 years ago
MrLWJ 12 years ago
A great ibble does not require, genius or high tech.
Just finding a way to do something new, or better, or more green, or cheaper, and share that discovery, that is what this site is really about.
Keep it Up.
Mr.
crafts by cats 12 years ago
mzlady 12 years ago
thanx for this great idea.... I happen to have some of these cloths
already... so I only have to put it together.... yayyy no money spent....
jessyratfink 12 years ago
Also, I have never heard the term instructabilly before, but I love it. :D