For centuries, there was only one way to sweep dust around the home, but then came the Swiffer Sweeper. The first person to tie together bristles to push dust into a dustpan was a genius far ahead of their time, though that was, in fact, a long time ago.
What in society hasn’t been disrupted in our tech-forward world? The humble broom and mop were bound for obsolescence, and the Swiffer did them in.
Anyone who has seen a Swiffer commercial knows how well it works! Dust is piled on the floor an inch thick, and then the Swiffer Sweeper comes along, leaving in its wake nothing but sparkling wood. You don’t even need to wonder how to use a Swiffer Wet Jet because it’s so intuitive and natural. All commercials enjoy taking a bit of creative license, but the Swiffer really does wonders.
Swiffers make cleaning simple and convenient for anybody by providing a seamless one-handed cleaning solution that eliminates the need for a dustpan or bucket. You don’t need to bend over to push the dust and debris into the pan (and there’s always that little bit that doesn’t quite make it in!), which means you don’t need to store any dirty equipment in the closet.
However, a few hacks and insider tips can help you get even more use from your Swiffer and make keeping your house spotless cost less.
Use All the Cloth
We all know that moment when you’re Swiffering, and the dust begins to accumulate. Suddenly, there’s less and less white space on the dry cloth and you begin to wonder when is the right time to toss it out. Should you go on until there’s no white left or begin anew?
Keep going. It’s not a bad idea to pull the big dust bunnies off the cloth and directly into the garbage, so you get more bang for your buck. Actually, the more dust there is, the electrostatic cling grows, so the dust remains secured on the cloth rather than getting dispersed throughout your home.
Toss out the Swiffer Dry Pad at whatever time feels right to you, but there’s no reason to fear that you’re spreading dirt by taking each pad as far as it can go.
Reverse the Cloth After
To take things to an even higher level, flip the Dry Pad to its other side once it’s exhausted to double your mileage. The reverse side of the Dry Pad also has clinging properties, so there’s no reason you shouldn’t make use of it.
The backside of the Dry Pad might not have exactly the same surface texture, but once you run it on your floor and see what sticks, you won’t doubt the wisdom. You’ll see dust and debris sticking to it, and you can’t argue with results.
Swiffer Strategically
The Swiffer Sweeper might be marvellous, but it’s not magical. It’s crucial to know how to use the Swiffer system and what its limitations are so you get maximum value. No one tool can do it all, so get the sequence right to unlock the highest levels of a clean floor.
When you have big pieces of debris or detritus on your floor, cleaning your floors with vacuum cleaners is the way to go, then you can use the Dry Swiffer Pads. The Swiffer is not meant to eliminate large things like crumbs from your floor like a vacuum would.
Vacuum first, and your Swiffer will work more effectively without needing to contend against bigger scraps on your floor.
Having said that, you should make sure to use the Swiffer Dry Pad somewhere sensitive first, like a tabletop or another high-profile surface, like stereo equipment or a bookshelf. You can absolutely use the Swiffer Duster product when it comes to heavy-duty dusting jobs, but for little things around the home, giving those odd surfaces a clean-up is a creative way to use your Swiffer Dry Pad effectively.
Once the floor is free of crumbs and things like hair or dust, then you’re ready for the Swiffer Wet Cloths or the spray system. You can probably figure out how to attach Swiffer Wet Jet pads by yourself because you just need to ensure the textured wet side faces the floor, then pin the excess cloth into the two holes on each side of the Swiffer. Then, your floor will be clean enough to see yourself in.
Stick to the Official Pads
Dollar store knock-off cleaning pads might seem like a good idea, but they don’t have the same textured grooves on the cloth. Put simply, they don’t work as well. You often get what you pay for in this world, and cheaper pads don’t do the same job.
If you examine the pad after cleaning, sure, you’ll see some hairs and dust, and it may seem like it’s still working. But you’ll also see those things remaining on the floor you just swept. Using the back of an official Dry Pad is one thing, because by then, you’ve already bought and used the better side, and you may as well get the most from your purchase. But don’t use inferior cloths.
Be Resourceful If You Must
What happens if you’re about to dust your home, but you suddenly realize you’re out of Swiffer pads? In a pinch, there are other things that can replace a Dry Pad and do a decent job.
Clip in a dry cloth, paper towel, or even a fuzzy sock. You can always wait and buy more pads, but there are ways around it if you’re impatient and eager to get your home clean.
No Dirt Around the Home
The cloth that fits onto the Swiffer’s bottom traps dust, and once you throw the cloth into the garbage, there’s nothing dirty left to store. It’s quick, easy, and convenient. There’s no dustpan dribbling old dirt, either. The device is so easy to use that figuring out how to use Swiffer Wet Jet pads should be nearly instantaneous.
Using a mop means sloshing dirty water around clean floors and requires storing a damp and dirty mop somewhere in your home. Ironically, it takes a lot of time to clean these cleaning utensils, and you won’t have to worry about that with a Swiffer. The wet and dry Swiffer is cleaner than the alternatives when in storage.
Wet Swiffer, Minimal Water
The Swiffer Wet system is the final touch after the Dry Pads have done their work. They’ll give your floors the shine that the Dry Pads readied them for, using far less water than a mop. Just like with the Dry Pads, once you’ve wiped the floors with the Swiffer Wet, all you need to do is walk away and let them dry.
Don’t worry about how to use Swiffer Wet Jet because both wet options are easy and straightforward. You can buy wet cloths, which function like a dry pad except, you guessed it, they’re wet. Or, you can buy the WetJet, which sprays a cleaning solution onto the floor from the tool itself before a pad rubs away the dirt.
Those wondering how to refill Swiffer Wet Jet need not worry — you can easily fill it up with a solution from the store or save some money and make your own at home. Just do some research online about what ingredients to include and what the ratios should be. You don’t need to wonder about Swiffer Wet Jet pads how to put on the cloths couldn’t be more straightforward.
Brooms and mops were a fantastic technology, once. But the sleek Swiffer has several key advantages that make this humble and proud invention less than ideal for many modern homes. Perhaps the broom and mop can still play a role in your arsenal of cleaning tools, but the Swiffer is slimmer and swifter, leaving your home spick and span sooner. Get the duster, the dry or wet Swiffer, to keep things clean where you live.
