Frugal Swiffer Pads

Submitted by a HBHW reader:

I have 2 small dogs so I love my swiffer but I don’t love how expensive those pads are. A box of pads is almost $10 and I can easily go threw 4 pads doing all my floors. That really adds up. I discovered that there are a few things around the house that can be used instead and work just as well and in some cases better.

Blue shop towels: I use these to clean up puppy puddles then follow with disinfectant. They are disposable so I don’t have to put dog pee in my laundry. Also nice for kitchen spills, plant drips and muddy footprints. They don’t lock in the dry dirt as well as a swiffer pad but i sweep most dry stuff up with a broom and dustpan first so not an issue for me.

Wash rags: I use these for more heavy duty cleaning like sticky spills in the kitchen since they are tougher and wont tear but I can still wash them and use them over and over.

Disinfecting wipes. Be sure to get the larger size wipes or put them on in layers, 1 on each side overlapping then one in the middle to cover the seam as the regular ones are not quite big enough. These are great for anything icky and to use after a rag or towel to sanitize. i use them in the kitchen, after dog messes and to clean my bathroom. Disposable but reasonably cheap and I like to know any germs have been wiped out. The down side is they do tear so best to clean with something else first then just sanitize with them.

When using these b sure to fold up an extra one of whatever you are using to cover the rubber then wrap one around and fasten so you get the cushion effect like the commercial ones. That way it is always in contact with the floor.