When it comes to my apartment, I like everything to have its place. Recently I purchased a Swiffer Sweeper from Target and it has been in my closet leaning against the wall because I had nowhere else to put it. unfortunately, every time I closed the door the Swiffer would fall over. I finally had enough! I saw this as a good opportunity to 3D model a wall mount to securely hold the Swiffer in place

Supplies

Swiffer Sweeper

3M command strip

3D CAD Software: Solidworks

3D Printer

Step 1: Taking Measurements

To design a holder we first need to know the size of the Swiffer Sweeper. First, let's start by measuring the key dimensions of the Swiffer Sweeper head and handle. Try to be as precise as possible, especially for key measurements such as diameters and lengths relative to the center joint. Once you have collected all your measurements you will then need to make it SolidWorks to serve as a digital reference. For simplicity's sake, I have included a Solidworks Assembly of the Swiffer Sweeper with the correct dimensions as a guide.

Step 2: Open Solidworks

For this step, you're going to need a bit of 3D CAD experience. With this type of part, a parametric, mechanical CAD package such as Solidworks of Autodesk Fusion will work best. I use Solidworks because that is the software at my disposal, however, the approach should be similar across most CAD software. For the most accurate wall mount, we will be making the part WITHIN the assembly. Open the Swiffer Sweeper Assembly and head to the next step and we will get to work!

Step 3: Start a New Part

Now that you have the Solidworks Assembly pulled up the first thing that we need to do is start a new part.

On the Toolbar under Insert Components, select "new part"
- Start a new sketch on the frontal planeThis is where we will sketch the basic shape of your holder (see images for dimensions)
- Pro tip: when doing the cutout arc, to make sure that the Swiffer doesn't hit the holder, use the "convert entities" tool and select the OUTERMOST ARC on the Swiffer head.

Step 4: Making the Cut

Now that you have a basic block to use as your wall mount we now need to make the cut where the Swiffer will rest. To make sure that the Swiffer sits properly in the wall mount we are going to utilize the "offset entities" tool and we will select the OUTMOST CONTOURS of the Swiffer and offset by a set distance, .100 inches. This small measurement will make sure that the Swiffer fits snuggly but it still easy to access. Once you have the sketch made we will then EXTRUDE CUT the sketch THROUGH ALL (refer to image).

Now we have a product that we could hang on the wall and it would hold the head of the Swiffer just fine, but what about the handle? Let's add a handle holder to make the wall mount truly special!

Step 5: Creating a Handle Holder

To make sure that the Swiffer handle doesn't smack the wall we can add a "separation block" with a cutout that allows the handle to sit-in.

The first step is adding the basic shape to the holder. For this step, we need to remember that this is a product for 3D printing and the less support material the better. For that reason, the handle holder should be CO-LINEAR to the flat side of the base. We can use the same trick that we did in the previous step and use the CONVERT ENTITIES tool to make sure the handle holder doesn't intersect any part of the Swiffer Sweeper head. Finally, we need to EXTRUDE CUT the section that will allow the handle to sit-in. To do so we will be using the OFFSET tool to make sure that handle fits snuggly while staying accessible. Make sure that you extrude cut the sketch THROUGH ALL.

Step 6: The Finishing Touches

Before we head to the printer it is important to add some finishing touches to our wall mount.
For this step, it is mostly about personal preference. I have FILLETed the edges where the handle holder intersects the main body of the wall mount. This gets read of sharp edges and provides for a more aesthetically pleasing print. Finally, I created a sketch on the bottom of the holder which I EXTRUDE CUT. This allows for less material and a quicker print time while still staying structurally sound.

Step 7: Saving Your Part

Before you can print the part, you need to export it to an STL format. This should be pretty straight forward for the vast majority of CAD packages. For people who are new to 3D printing, an STL is effectively a mesh, which is a bunch of polygons glued together. To print, it needs to be closed – exporting a solid part from CAD should give you a closed STL.

Step 8: Print the Model

With the STL, you can either print at home, or use a service. The print is designed to be printed without supports, simply align the base of the print to the center of the print bed. Once you have your printer preheated you are ready to press print!

Step 9: Mount Swiffer Sweeper

Once the print has finished, all you need is a 3M command strip to secure the wall mount to any surface to hang up your Swiffer Sweeper. Now its time to get to cleaning!