You have a Swiffer Wet jet. The bottle of cleaning solution it came with is now empty and you want to fill it with your own cleaning solution. You go to unscrew the cap to refill it and realize ... it doesn't come off. Yup. Those Swiffer people are sneaky. Here's how you can be sneakier.
I have nothing against beer, I just don't want to wash my floor with it. And for some reason every time I used my Swiffer Wet jet on my floor (no this isn't a sponsored post) I could smell beer wafting up from my checkerboard kitchen tiles. Not such a bad thing but in a kitchen it meant I was constantly craving beer battered fish and chips.
At first I thought my beer loving mother Betty was sneaking in during the night to have one of her famous keggers, but as it turned out it was just the smell of the Swiffer Wet jet cleaning solution.
I love my Wet jet for doing quick cleanings of my floor but I'd been meaning to figure out a way to refill the container because a) I didn't like the smell and b) my VCT tile floor needs a very specific type of cleaner to keep it looking good. Also it angers me to no end that they purposely package the solution in a bottle that isn't refillable so you constantly have to buy new plastic bottles of cleaning solution.
My VCT tile floor needs a neutral PH floor cleaner and I need a lemony smelling floor cleaner. It just gives a cleaner scent than the Swiffer cleaner which smells like Oktoberfest farts.
My first thought was to try to pry the cap off of the bottle and refill it that way but they're done a really good job of making that impossible without breaking something. Either your hand or the bottle.
So I gave up.
It wasn't that important and I had other more important things to do like take care of my compulsion to cook bratwurst.
Then about a month ago it hit me that I was going about it backwards. I didn't need to pry off Swiffer's opening, I needed to make a new one.
And if you're wanting to make your Swiffer Wet jet container reusable it's all you have to do too.
Do Your Own Swiffer Wet Jet Refills
- Grab a cork and a big drill bit.
2. Drill a hole in the top of the Swiffer container. It's easiest to do this with the bottle still in the Swiffer because it holds it still.
3. Little bits will have fallen into the container. Remove the Swiffer container and shake it until all the plastic bits fall out.
If you use a cleaner that needs to be mixed with water, write on the bottle how much cleaner you need to add to the filled container. For me it's 4 teaspoons of cleaner to 1.4 litres of water (the amount the Swiffer container holds)
4. Fill the container with your cleaner and water. You might find it helpful to use a funnel. You might not. The GREATEST thing about this whole refilling tip is that when you mix your cleaner you can use HOT water to clean your floor.
5. Plug the hole with your cork or stopper.
5. Done!
HOW TO REFILL A SWIFFER WET JET.
Materials
- Cork or another type of plug
Tools
- Drill
- Drill Bit
Instructions
- Find a cork or plastic plug that you can use as a stopper in a hole.
- Drill a hole into the top of the Swiffer bottle that's the size of your plug.
- Remove the bits of plastic that fall into the container after drilling.
- Fill the Swiffer Wet jet container with your favourite floor cleaner.
- Plug the hole with your cork or stopper.
- Done! You now have a refillable Swiffer Wet Jet.
Notes
The size of hole you drill doesn't matter, it just needs to be big enough to pour cleaning solution and water into and you need to have a cork that will fit into it tightly.
If your cork doesn't fit tightly you can make it bigger by soaking it in hot water. An hour might be long enough, or 12 hours depending on how much bigger you need the cork to be.
If your cork is too big, you can shave it down with a knife.
Here's another Swiffer tip if you don't know it already.
Instead of buying their disposable cleaning pad, use a microfibre cloth. It will velcro right on the bottom just like the original Swiffer pad but it does a better job of cleaning and you can just toss them in the washing machine to reuse over and over.
ALSO I'm terribly worried you don't know that you can make your own diy foaming hand soap. You can. Here's how to do it. I mean if you're the kind of person who's into refilling your Swiffer bottles, chances are you're gonna want to know how to make your own fluffy, foamy soap.
By creating your own refillable bottle you're saving the environment, money and your nose from those Oktoberfest beer smells which you've replaced with the sunshiny scent of lemons.
Now if you'll excuse me I have a really strong urge to make a lemon curd.
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Ella
I gave up on Swiffer when I realized how much I was forced to send to the landfill. Then I switched out all my floors for hardwood (except for the bathrooms) so I switched to the Boma line of microfibre pads and cleaner. It does a great job on hardwood. But now I might...just might haul out the old swiffer for the bathrooms again.... question though Karen...I have NEVER seen a cork that small....did you steal your garden gnomes' wine??
Tina
LOL!
Pat C.
Hi, try a craft supply store for small corks. Or even a dollar store, although you might have to buy a package of 6 or 8 small bottles for the corks.
Susan
I love this!! I'm going to try this the the refill bottle for the Mr. Clean automatic shower cleaner, too.
NinaMargo
Love this! Hate it when a manufacturer makes you buy unrefillable bottles and pads to use. (Don't even get printer ink cartridges! Karen, did you do a column on that yet?) Can't wait to try the microfiber cloth when I use up my supply of their cleaning pads.
leisa
So smart!
Janet
It is possible to remove the cap on the Swiffer bottle. Just turn upside down into very hot water for a few seconds. It will twist off. I use a rubber lid gripper to remove. Goes back on easily after refilling, even though it's cooled by then.
Regina
Yes, you can soak the cap end in boiling water to soften it, twist it off, then use a nail clipper to cut off the prongs inside. Makes the cap easily removable and you can fill the bottle with whatever cleaning fluid you wish. I use O'cedar pro-mist Velcro washable pads instead of a microfiber cloth. They fit perfectly and stay in place instead of swishing around like a cloth.
Tina B
That's how I do it. :)
I now have separate "Swiffer" bottles for tile and wood floors.
It's so much less expensive than buying an overpriced bottle every time.
Tim T Niet
Be sure to wrap the threads with plumbers tape or it's likely to leak.
Alena
Karen,
What cleaner do you use? I also have VCT tiles in my kitchen and I really like the wet Swiffer pads that have the citrusy smell (I guess were are both addicted to lemony smell (lemon curd is awesome but lime curd is even better). I can't say that they don't do a good job - although, an important factor may be my standard of what is clean which I guess is a lot lower than yours. I have to admit that I broke two Swiffers already as I pushed too hard on them (they do need to make them a bit sturdier).
Alena
Never mind,
When I posted my question the page refreshed and I see you had answered it already higher up. I did not see the answers when I scrolled through.
Diane
I would like to have your recipe for the floor cleaner. I want to smell lemon too.
Please & thank you Karen.
Karen
I don't make it Diane. I use Zep's neutral pH floor cleaner which is what I need to use on my VCT tile. But it smells like "clean". Not beer, lol. ~ karen!
Catt-in-Kentucky
My hubs. Wants to know what floor cleaning solution do you recommend. He mops all the floors and uses the Swifter system but uses their all-surface cleaner on both our tile and hardwood floors.
Karen
When I had ceramic I used Mr. Clean, which I loved. Now that I have VCT tiles I use Zep's neutral pH cleaner made specifically for commercial tiles. ~ karen!
Catt-in-Kentucky
Thank you
Lisa
Liebman makes one with a refillable bottle and a washable pad.
I love it. I use vinegar for my floors.
Sara
Brilliant!
Sherry in Alaska
Brilliant!
Catt-in-Kentucky
We use the Swifter system..........your suggestions are brilliant!
Karen
Thanks Catt! ~ karen
Brenda
I was all - hey what are you doing washing floors - you're supposed to be fixing the garden ... then I remembered these are pre-written - smart SMART smart ... you guys are lucky - you all have floors big enough to wash ... I live in a downtown Toronto condo and my floor is as big as the bottom of a swifter so I just put a sponge on my foot and do mine while I'm talking on the phone. Le sigh!
Suzanne Reith
Love it.
Ruth
Aha! Brilliance! Life changing!
Christina Contri
After years of dealing with that frustration as well, I bought a Libman Freedom Mop. A bottle you fill yourself and machine washable heads. I contacted Libman after I purchased it to see if they offered replacement bottles (to be able to have different cleaning solutions on hand). They claimed that they were coming, but I have yet to see them. In spite of that, I still love my mop.
Rose Devlin
Christina: Agreed, love the Libyan Freedom Mop! I think they used to have replacement bottles (I have two bottles), check this link on eBay: https://www.ebay.com/p/Libman-Freedom-Spray-MOP-Replacement-Bottle-Extra-Refillable-Interchangeable/1200984068
Rose Devlin
Oops, that's LIBMAN Freedom Mop! Autocorrect slays me
Anti Kate
I have Autocorrect switched to Autocarrot on my phone for texting purposes. It's my little revenge.
martina
Libyan Freedom Mop! I'm dying!!!
Rebecca
Yes, I love the Libman mop. Simply fill with vinegar and water and I'm good to go. And so easy to toss the cleaning pad in the wash.
Jen
I had the Rubbermaid version. I bought it because it was refillable with your own cleanser. The pump action of the handle broke so quickly. Now I'm using the vileda version. Again, you use your own cleaning solution and a reusable pad. Love it. Also love those hacks for products I already own though! You're a clever girl, Karen!
Kennedy
I find home cleaners now have too many notes and they always seems to have some smell that just hits me wrong ( everything seems to smell like aftershave). Natural cleaners that use essential oils usually smell great but often lack in actual cleaning abilities.
Any suggestions? My favourite cleaner of all time was Mrs Meyers Geranium but it's so difficult to find in Canada now that I just gave up trying to stockpile it.
Great hack Karen!
Heather Tebbutt
Hi Kennedy, Canadian Tire has Mrs Meyers products back again ask the Manager if they can order the Geranium.
Kennedy
Thanks so much for the heads up Heather. I didn't know CT had started to restock the Meyers line!
Susan Whelan
I have allergies to anything artificially scented and have been making my own for years - might even have got the recipe here, can't remember. Use a big empty vinegar container, or something that size, put a bottle of rubbing alcohol, 1/2 cup vinegar, 2 tbsp. dish soap and fill with water. Cleans floors beautifully and you can put some in a spray bottle for general cleaning. And it's freaking cheap!
Grace
I use a steamer. Best purchase I've ever made. Nothing but water needed and my floors are steamed clean and disinfected. I suppose one could add a few drops of essential oil into the water reservoir for some scent, but I don't bother.
nancy
Oooh I want a steamer really bad. Is it Stanley? You have to tell more about yours.
nancy
oh I meant Sargent...
Grace
It's a Smart Living brand. Picked it up at a home show a couple of years ago and it came with a handheld steamer too that does wonders on my gas stove and backsplash.
Nicole
I know that Rubbermaid makes a similar product to the WetJet - has anyone tried it and does it smell as stanky? Is it refillable? And most importantly, does it clean as well as a WetJet?
Carla
I have the rubbermaid one. You use your own solution, works great and has a reuseable washable pad.
shannon
I had the Rubbermaid one as well. It's great, and you can get extra bottles (for additional cleaning solutions, such as hardwood floors) and extra pads. I used this for a few years until I broke it; then I replaced it with a very expensive Norwex mop that I have to say I don't like quite as well (no cleaning solution with Norwex, which is fine some of the time but not all of the time, in my opinion).
Tonia
I have the Rubbermaid one and was going to comment on how it comes with a refillable bottle so you can use your own cleaner and has washable pads. I have never had a wetjet so I can't compare. It cleans well in my opinion. I use Method Almond hardwood floor cleaner. I love the scent. I also use a different Method lemon scented floor cleaner for the laminate floors in the basement. I could just change the bottle and pad, but I bought a second one to keep downstairs instead.
Tina
Everyone raves about the swiffer but I just never feel like my floor is clean. I have multiples of the microfiber string mop heads so I just grab a fresh one, a glue of Mr Clean (I love the smell of that!) and HOT water and in a lick my floor is sparkling! And the mop heads go into a bucket to be laundered.
Oh, to all of you who offered condolences on the passing of my dog, you guys make life worth living. For 2 days I couldn't get out of bed but then I'd get notification of a comment and I could pull through another hour. I really appreciate all of you!
Cathleen clark
Sweet Tina. Glad you are feeling better. Onward and upward!
My floors.....continual battle.
Thanks Karen 😊
Tina
Oh, mine too! I have (now) 2 cats and a dog. I sweep twice a day, vacuum and mop weekly. The problem areas (around the litter box and in the area where feeding dishes are) get mopped daily.
Karen
Makes me proud to have such a community Tina. :) ~ karen!
Tina
You have a great community but that's mostly because we have a great friend in you! Not only do you think of things I'd like to try, you give great advice on our questions. I always look forward to your posts.
Cathleen clark
By the by have been missing Grammy comments. Hope she has just been busy and has not fallen ill. 😙
Karen
Oh! And I wash my floor with the Wetjet once a week or so, but also get on my hands and knees and wash it by hand every couple of months to get it really clean. ~ karen!
Brenda
so lucky you hav a big floor - I have to yoga pose touch my toes - getting harder as I age but my eyesight's going too - so it's working out
Tina
Yeah, my knees don't do that anymore. But I found some cool booties on amazon https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00S7GXULA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
and use them to mop. I just put them on and scoot my feet into the important spots. Then toss them in the wash!
brenda
OMG I think I might need a pair (or two) one set for the kitchen and one set for the bathroom
Tina
They work great! And most colors come as 2 pair so I bought plenty! I keep a bucket in my laundry room and toss used ones in there, along with mop heads. Then about every 10-14 days I'll have enough for a load (along with a dog/cat blanket or two).
connie
That's clever! so annoying when you can't refill them but this is a great solution .And I can't stand the smell of their solution either. What is that smell, if not beer?
Nicole
Essence of yuck? I'm not sure, but I agree with you guys.
Karen
It really does smell like beer doesn't it?!! ~ karen!