Homemade Reusable “Swiffer” Mop Pads

Homemade “Swiffer” wet mop pads were one of the first things I made when I made the jump into natural cleaning. I was pretty dependent on my wet mops and would burn through 2 or 3 every time I mopped the floor. That was not easy on my budget or the environment.

What really made me look at the products I was using to clean my home was after my 2nd child was born. I was suddenly very aware of her being on the ground and potentially ingesting toxic chemicals.

I should have seen this as a premonition because fast forward 16 months and this girl puts EVERYTHING in her mouth. She certainly keeps me on my toes.

Luckily, I don’t have to worry (as much) about her picking up a cheerio off my kitchen floor and eating it. As long as my floors are clean, I have more control about what she is being exposed to.

So, enter these DIY Swiffer mop pads. You will need a Swiffer mop or similar swivel mop or sweeper that has grips on top to grab the reusable mop cloths.

For the reusable wet mop pads, I use plain white towels cut in half (similar to these). I also use these towels for almost all of my cleaning – instead of paper towels. I have found that using towels instead of the disposable pads actually work better. The towel’s crevices scrub my floors much more effectively, so I can spend less time on my hands and knees scraping food and dirt off the ground.

The cleaning solution is a simple mixture of 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar + 1 1/2 cups distilled water + 20 drops orange essential oil. Mix the solution together and pour over 10 towels cut to fit your mop. Store in a jar with an airtight lid. It will keep for 1-2 months.

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Reusable Mop Pads

Course Homemade Cleaning Products

Author aileencooks.com

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups distilled white vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups distilled water
• 20 drops orange essential oil
• 10 reusable towels

Instructions

1. Fold towels and place in storage container of choice.
2. Mix together the vinegar, water, and essential oil.
3. Pour vinegar mixture over towels.
4. Use in place of disposable mopping pads.
5. Store container with lid for up to 2 months.

Source: Adapted for my needs from Live Simply.

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