How to Use a Swiffer to Wash Floors

Mary Marlowe Leverette is one of the industry's most highly-regarded housekeeping and fabric care experts, sharing her knowledge on efficient housekeeping, laundry, and textile conservation. She is also a Master Gardener with over 40+ years of experience and 20+ years of writing experience. Mary is also a member of The Spruce Gardening and Plant Care Review Board.

Katie Berry is a cleaning expert with 30 years of household management experience and 12 years of writing about cleaning methods and routines for Housewife How-Tos. She is the author of several books about homemaking.

• Working Time: 10 - 30 mins
• Total Time: 10 - 30 mins

• Skill Level: Beginner
• Estimated Cost: $20-40

Swiffer electrostatic dusters or sweepers, dry or wet mops, and lightweight vacuums are easy-use products for cleaning floors. The convenience of Swiffer products means no more dusters or dirty mop heads to clean. Slip on a disposable duster or floor cleaning pad and toss it out afterward. Clean up spills or messes as soon as they happen, and clean floors with the Swiffer system every week to remove the grit and grime that can scratch floors.

Here's how to use a Swiffer to wash your floors.

Before You Begin

Before you purchase or use a Swiffer or any mop-type product, here's a list of Swiffers and their supporting products:

• Swiffer Sweeper: The sweeper is a basic cleaning tool with a flat head and long handle. The head can accept dry or wet disposable floor cleaning cloths. Available in two head sizes, consider the sizes of your rooms before selecting a product.
• Swiffer Sweep+Vac: A lightweight cordless vacuum that uses a dry Swiffer cloth to trap small particles and a vacuum for larger dirt and crumbs.
• Swiffer WetJet: This spray mop holds a bottle of cleaning solution, which is distributed onto the floor through a battery-operated dual-nozzle sprayer. The dry disposable floor pad washes the floor and absorbs the cleaner and dirt.
• Swiffer Cleaning Solutions and Refill Pads: Cleaning solutions for wood, vinyl, laminate, and tile floors are available. Refill pads are sold in various thicknesses for dry and wet floor care.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

• 1 Swiffer mop
• 1 Swiffer WetJet

Materials

• Swiffer disposable dry sweeping pad
• 1 Swiffer disposable wet mop pad
• 1 container Swiffer floor cleaning solution
• Swiffer WetJet disposable pad

Instructions

How to Wash a Floor With a Swiffer WetJet

Know Your Flooring

Swiffer makes cleaning solutions for tile, wood, laminate, or vinyl flooring. Select the correct Swiffer cleaning solution for your floor. Using the wrong solution can leave the floor with streaks or feel sticky.

Warning

Do not use Wet Swiffer cleaning products on unfinished, oiled, or waxed wooden surfaces, non-sealed tiles, or carpets.

Get Rid of Loose Dirt

Use a broom, vacuum, dry Swiffer sweeper cloth, or the Swiffer Sweep+Vac to remove loose, dry particles like dust, dirt, and hair.

Attach the Cleaning Solution and Mop Pad

• Select the appropriate cleaning solution and insert it into the WetJet.
• Attach a dry mopping pad with the flat hook-and-loop strip to the bottom of the mop head.
• The soft, absorbent side of the pad will be on the floor.

Use the Sprayer

• Press the large button at the top of the mop handle to distribute the cleaning solution in a fine spray.
• Lightly spray the floor before going over each section with the mop.

Tip

If no spray appears on the floor, replace the batteries in the compartment at the back of the mop.

Follow the Grain or Grid

• Wood floors: Follow the grain of the wood.
• Tile or vinyl floors: Work in a grid around the room so you won't miss any areas.
  

Finish and Discard the Pad

• If the room is large or grime has set in, you may need to use more than one pad.
• Do not walk on the freshly washed floor until it has dried.
• When done, peel off the wet mop pad and dispose of it.
• The mop can be stored with the cleaning solution inserted until the next time it is needed.

How to Wash a Floor With a Swiffer Dry+Wet Sweeper

Attaching and Using a Dry Swiffer Cloth

• Attach a dry sweeping pad by wrapping it around the flat mop head and pushing the edges of the cloth into the four flexible grippers on the top of the mop head.
• Go over the floor to capture loose dirt, dust, and hair.
• Remove the cloth and dispose of it properly.

Attaching a Wet Cleaning Pad

• Attach a wet cleaning pad to the Swiffer head like a dry cloth.
• Most pads have a green scrubbing strip that you should place along the front edge of the mop head. The strip loosens grime, drips, or sticky spots.

Using Wet Cleaning Pads

Follow the grain of the flooring or work in a grid to cover the entire room. Swiffer Wet also makes cloths specifically for wood flooring.

• Start in one corner and work your way out of the room so you will walk on the wet floor until it is dry.
• If the floor remains dirty or the cleaning cloth is dirty, replace the dirty pad with a fresh pad to absorb more dirt.
• Dispose of the soiled cleaning cloths and let the floor dry completely before walking on it.