forget the Wet Jet! (the faster & cheaper way to wash your floors)

Nothing can replace a good old fashion hands and knees floor washing. When you’re down there you spot all kinds of filth that can normally go unseen: dusty baseboards, food stuck to the bottom cupboard and dog fur clinging to a chair leg!

But for days when all you want is a quick clean up, I, like most households, own a Swifter Wet Jet (on my third generation now). I also got caught up in the steam mop craze and got one of those for Christmas a few years ago. Yes, I am probably one of the few women who actually gets excited about receiving household appliances as gifts. I fondly remember that Christmas steam mopping in my PJ’S while the turkey did it’s thing in the oven and the kids played with their toys….

Anyways!! The things is with approximately 1700 sqft of wood and tile on the main floor of this home I use up a lot of wet jet pads and cleaning solution. So I find myself contemplating if my dirty floor is Wet Jet worthy (it brings to mind the Seinfeld ‘spare a square‘ episode! lol!) and I find I don’t use it as often as I should because I either end up running out and/or feel guilty about the cost ($6 to $10 of wet jet products later and my floor might still end up being just as dirty in 30 min when the dog and kids come charging in!). As for the steam mop, it’s great that it only uses water and the pads are re-usable/washable, but it is more time consuming (you have to work slowly since the whole point is hot steam killing the bacteria on your floors) and when I use it near the front, back or mud room doors the dirt turns into mud that I end up sludge-ing around (despite my spell check, I’m sure that’s a real word!).

Well enough is enough. The other day I put together my own floor cleaning system which had me as giddy as the day I got a Roomba (that was Christmas 2011, I know-I know, it’s a sickness). It does the job of being quick and easy (not to mention guilt free!).

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 knock off type Swifter Duster base $1.25
1 super cute broom handle (make sure it fits/screws into base) $1.25
1 (small) bottle of Pine Sol $1
4 re-usable/washable microfiber floor cloths to fit over base $1.25each
1 spray bottle (not too big) $1

Assemble your “mop”. Fill the spray bottle with very hot water and about 1 spoonful (more, depending on your bottle size) of Pine Sol. With one hand maneuver the mop, with the other spray the floor. Unlike the Swifter Wet Jet, the dollar store “mop” is much lighter and the spray bottle shoots out cleaning solution much wider and further then the Swifter does.

My floors were shiny and clean in no time and with the velcro on the microfiber pads they fit snugly over the base. They were also surprisingly thick so I didn’t need to change them out very often and washed up well in the machine -but remember not to use fabric softener as it will leave a film on your floor and not absorb the cleaning solution as well.