Sunday, November 27, 2011

Swiffer Reusable Cleaning Pads

About a year ago I started couponing - and found a great deal on a Swiffer Wet Jet so I bought one. I don't know really what I was thinking but hey I thought it would make my life easier. Eventually it just hung in the garage because I hated buying the expensive disposable pads for it. With an almost 2 year old little boy I sweep MULTIPLE times a day and mop about every other day (my kitchen and dining room are laminate wood floors). Here is my tutorial on how to make very inexpensive reusable swiffer wet jet pads.

What you will need:

Swiffer
Pack of inexpensive washcloths (I got mine at Walmart a 12pack for less than $4)
Velcro
Sewing machine and thread

Here is a picture of my Swiffer Wet Jet:


I bought a inexpensive pack of washcloths at Walmart (and washed them first)


Fold the washcloth in half


I next sewed around 3 of the 4 edges - leaving open a pocket on the end (next time I will sew closer the edge to give me a longer pad)


This is after sewing 3 of the 4 edges and next I will turn this inside out


Here is the open pocket at the end (Next time I will probably sew this about 1/2 way closed first and just finish the other 1/2 when I turn it inside out - so I don't have to sew such a large area closed)


Next I turned the edges inside and pinned the pocket closed. Then I sewed a top stitch all the way around the pad which sewed the pocket closed as well.


Here is the top stitch all the way around. I wanted to do this to give my pad some more durability since I knew I would be scrubbing with it and be washing it multiple times so I didn't want it coming apart. Also I thought it gave it more of a finished edge.


Here are my 2 pieces of Velcro. You will only need the soft part of the Velcro (since the prickly part of the Velcro is already on your Swiffer) So you will use the Velcro on the right in the picture below.


Next I measured the Velcro to go the entire length of my pad cut it and pinned it


I used a small zigzag stitch and went down both edges of the Velcro


Here is a closer look

Next attach to your Swiffer and go! Notice mine is a little short for my Swiffer so next time I will try and sew a little closer to the edges so I can get a little more length - but either way it works great! and I think they scrub better then the disposable pads.

I hope this tutorial will help your family save a little bit more! This whole project cost me around $10 and that was for 12 washcloths and the Velcro for all 12 pads. These reusable pads will last me a very long time. Especially compared to a 12 pack disposable cost around $7.