Day 32: Cleaning the Floor

What: Cleaning the floor

Why: Melting snow can cause a heap of problems in the north because it gets tracked into our houses then. Whether your floors are laminate, wood, or tile, they collect dirt and often it is visible and then is tracked into other rooms. Sweeping can only do so much – often it takes getting down on your knees to get the tough spots. Lets face it – it is not fun. Lo and behold, the Swiffer was invented! What a wonderful invention – except that the refill clothes can be a tad pricey. When you have to clean the floor multiple times a week, those refills need to be refilled rather often. So the question is, is there a more cost-effective way to keep your floors shining bright? You bet there is!

How:
1. This is helpful for those who already own a Swiffer mop. This idea can also be used on other off-brand mops.

2. Find old t-shirts and cut them up into rags. You may wonder if you have any – trust me, you do. Those with pit stains, stains you can’t get out, or those with holes in them. Old sweatshirts or sweatpants work great as well because they have a little more texture on the inside.

3. Wet the rags with warm water. You can add soap or a cleaner to the rag if needed – make sure the cleaner or soap is okay to use on your floor first!

4. Fold them over like you would a refill for your Swiffer.

5. Start mopping away! It may take one or two rags to get the job done, but realize that sometimes it takes 2 or 3 refills to get them sparkling again anyways.

6. When you are finished, just take off the rag and throw it in the wash.

7. You can also use paper towels – again, treat them as you would a refill. Depending on the brand of paper towels you have, it may be wise to double up the paper towel. With paper towels, you still have to “buy” them, but they are much more cost effective than the Swiffer or off-brand refills!

Confession of the Day: As you can see, I bought a Swiffer mop and have been buying refills for a few years now. Using that mop has done wonders, but I was getting annoyed with paying 6 or 7 dollars a box for refills. That is when I thought of the idea to use a rag or paper towels. I have used both and honestly both work great. I have learned that it does depend on the brand of paper towels because some do not slide as easily and some do not grab the dirt like I would prefer. Rags are easy because they are “free” and easily washable. Call me cheap, but give this a try and you may never go back to those refills!