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3 Ways to Make Your Own Reusable Swiffer Pads

Swiffer's cleaning products are convenient but inherently unsustainable. Here are three simple ways to make your own DIY Swiffer pads to keep your routine eco-friendly.

diy swiffer pads
Written by
Brightly Staff
Published
In terms of
cleaning
, convenience is key. Finding the time for chores is hard enough—why worsen the slog with soggy mops, buckets of filthy water, and ineffective dusters?
For these reasons and more, Swiffer's line of mops and replaceable pads—launched in 1999—has become a mainstay in millions of households,
generating $500 million
in sales annually. Unfortunately, the brand is far from sustainable. Though the mop itself is reusable, the pads are single-use, earning D (Wet Mopping Cloth) and F (Dry Sweeping Cloth) grades from the
Environmental Working Group
.
So what's a lazy cleaner to do? The answer is simple: Keep the mop, but make the pads from upcycled materials.
Here, three ways to make your own reusable Swiffer pads from items you already have on hand.

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3 Ways to Make Your Own Reusable Swiffer Pads

diy swiffer pad

1. Upcycle a Towel

Those aging
towels
and washcloths are given new life as reusable Swiffer pads! Simply cut to the appropriate dimensions (a Swiffer pad measures 8 1/4 x 10 3/4 inches) and secure to the mop head as usual. Bonus: Your Swiffer now does wet and dry duty.

2. Upcycle a T-Shirt

Use the same directions as above, but with a t-shirt that's too worn out to be donated. While there are many
ways to upcycle an old tee
, turning it into an extension of your Swiffer is at the top of the list.

3. Upcycle a Towel and a T-Shirt

If you're in the mood to get fancy (and are looking for something a bit more durable), sew strips of an old tee to the edges of your towel or washcloth to create a border, making the pad prettier and less likely to fray over time.