Floor cleaning is just one part of the regular household cleaning that most of us do each week. But it can be a biggie. Constantly removing dust, dirt, mud and spills can be exhausting, time-consuming, and sometimes even painful. Depending on the types of floors in your home, you may be using a broom and bin, mop and pail, vacuum, or any combination of the three, in an effort to make your floors clean and shiny.
If you’re looking for alternatives to simplify your floor cleaning routine, the Swiffer WetJet Hardwood and Floor Spray Mop Cleaner Starter Kit is a good place to start. This all-in-one system replaces your mop and broom and allows you to clean your kitchen, bathroom and other floors quickly and easily.
Our Swiffer WetJet Hardwood and Floor Spray Mop Cleaner Starter Kit review details the features and benefits of the Swiffer WetJet as well as some cautions and helpful advice. Read our full Swiffer Wet Jet review to learn more and decide if this popular home cleaning gadget suits your floor cleaning needs.
Amazon Rating: 4.3 / 5
Key Features:
- All-in-one-system
- Redesigned mop head
- Dual nozzle sprayer
- Includes mop, pads, solution and batteries
- Money-back guarantee
Best Suited For:
- Finished wood floors
- Sealed tiles
- Vinyl, Laminate floors
- Dirt and mud
- Everyday floor cleaning
- Quick clean-ups
Swiffer WetJet Hardwood and Floor Spray Mop Cleaner Starter Kit (Full) Review
Overall, Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit offers a great everyday cleaning solution at a very reasonable price. It has good features that make cleaning jobs faster and easier, as well as cautions to be aware of.When looking at any floor cleaner, you’ll want to consider the product’s suitability; effectiveness; durability; how easy it is to assemble, to use, and clean; and the cost – both the initial investment and ongoing supplies or maintenance. So we’ll look at each of these factors as we consider how good is the Swiffer WetJet Spray Mop Starter Kit.
The Starter KitSwiffer WetJet Starter Kit includes everything needed to get started. In the kit you get:
- 1 power mop
- 5 cleaning pads (2 mopping pad refills, 3 power pad refills)
- 1 bottle cleaning solution (500ML)
- 4 AA batteries
Best ApplicationIt’s important to use the right kind of cleaning tools on your floors in order to protect and preserve them. To clean them effectively too. The Swiffer WetJet Spray Mop is designed for finished wood floors and sealed tile, vinyl and laminate floors. It should not be used on wood that is unfinished, oiled or waxed, nor on non-sealed tiles. The water may damage these materials.It’s also important to know what your spray mop can handle. The Swiffer WetJet is best suited to everyday cleaning and quick pick-ups. Because the mopping pads need to be changed often, cleaning the whole house with a Swiffer could be a challenge. Cleaning a condo or apartment wouldn’t be a problem.And lastly, the Swiffer WetJet is best at picking up dirt and mud. It’s not the best option for cleaning hair from the floors. This makes it great for mud rooms, foyers, kitchens and other areas throughout the house.
EffectivenessOnce you’ve decided that the spray mop suits your needs, you’ll want assurance of its effectiveness. The Swiffer WetJet does a decent job given its simplicity and low price point. Using the power mop, cleaning solution and pads as instructed will leave your floors clean and shiny.When you press the button on the handle, cleaning solution is sprayed onto the floor in front of you from two nozzles. The solution loosens dirt and lifts the dirt. The dirt gets pulled and locked into the absorbent WetJet pad.There’s no max setting like a vacuum or steamer may have, but the kit does come with three power pad refills which are good for heavier clean up in high traffic areas or to clean spills off the floor. You can also purchase extra power pads with scrubbing power of Mr Clean magic eraser, separately.
DurabilityDurability is important considering how often we use our mops. Some people mop daily while others may mop two or three times each week. You definitely don’t want a mop that will get dirty and carry germs, wear down quickly, or fall apart.The power mop included in the Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit has a strong reinforced handle and redesigned mop head made to stand up to everyday cleaning. The pads are also strong and stay on well.
Easy to assembleThe Swiffer WetJet mop cleaner is very easy to put together. In four quick easy steps you’ll:
- Slide the poles together and lock into place
- Insert the batteries
- Attach the mopping pad
- Insert cleaning solution where indicated
You can literally start using the Swiffer five minutes after opening the box.
Easy to use and cleanAfter assembling the Swiffer WetJet, using it is easy. Press the button on the handle to spray solution onto the floor then mop over it in a to a fro motion. The solution and mop pad lift and lock in the dirt. When done cleaning just remove and replace the cleaning pad.Unlike using a mop and pail, there’s no filling pails of water, heavy lifting or bending to ring out the mop. This makes floor cleaning easy for almost everyone, including children and seniors. Especially since the WetJet spray mop cleaner weighs less than four pounds.There’s no maintenance or cleaning of the Swiffer jet beyond replacing the solution, pads and batteries, all of which are easy to do. The manufacturer recommends changing the pad with every cleaning but depending on the size and amount of dirt on your floors, you may need to replace them more often. You’ll know when to replace the batteries when the nozzles are spraying with less power. To keep the nozzle clear, you can run plain water through it using a hack discussed in the cautions and drawbacks below.The WetJet is also easy to store in a utility closet or corner.
Initial and ongoing costsThe Swiffer WetJet Hardwood and Floor Spray Mop Cleaner Starter Kit offers everything you need to get started at a very reasonable price. This includes the power mop, five cleaning pad refills, a 500mL bottle of cleaning solution and four AA batteries.The price is good given the quality of floor cleaning offered. Supplies (mop pads and solution) need to be purchased on an ongoing basis so this solution has low investment but is costly over time. More about this is our section on cautions and Swiffer WetJet drawbacks.
What We Like
We love the Swiffer WetJet mop cleaner for making mopping easy. It’s so easy to quickly clean up spills and remove unsightly grime from the floors. And we absolutely love not having to ring out or touch a wet, dirty germ-filled mop. [1]
Cautions
Floor typesThe Swiffer WetJet spray mop is not to be used on unfinished, waxed or oiled wooden boards. It shouldn’t be used on non-sealed tiles either. Both floor types may be water sensitive.
Cleaning padsThe manufacturer recommends changing the pad for every use but depending on the size of your floors and the amount of dirt, you may use more than one pad in one cleaning. The starter kit comes with just five cleaning pad refills so you constantly have to buy more. You can easily order them online or purchase at a major retailer, but it’s a bit disappointing as it doesn’t seem to be environmentally friendly.There are reusable microfiber pads made for other products that fit the Swiffer WetJet (Turbo $12.99 for pack of two). This is a more eco-friendly alternative to buying disposable cleaning pads.
Cleaning solutionThe Swiffer WetJet cleaning solution bottle isn’t designed to be refillable. This means that as well as cleaning pads, you’ll be constantly buying new bottles of solution. Some users have figured out how to use the bottle included with the starter kit but this is not instructed by the manufacturer.
BatteriesThe Swiffer WetJet uses four AA alkaline batteries which do last long but eventually will need to be replaced. We wonder if a rechargeable battery could be an option.
Additional Resources
Other frequently asked questions about the Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit
If I have the Swiffer WetJet do I still need to sweep?
The Swiffer WetJet replaces your mop and broom. Sweeping is still necessary and will make your mopping more efficient.
Can I use a natural cleaning solution instead of the one provided in the starter kit?
Natural cleaners are a popular choice by many health and eco-conscious households [2]. The Swiffer WetJet is designed to be used with the non refillable bottle included which would make you unable to use a natural cleaner. Users have found ways to make the bottle reusable but these are not directed by Swiffer.
References
[1] Make Your Own Cleaner (Good Housekeeping)[2} How To Clean A Mop (Rachael Ray Show)
