There's a Right Way to Use a Swiffer and Here it Is

Remember when we used to spend endless hours cleaning our homes with a dustpan and brush? Thankfully, those days are gone, and it’s all thanks to a little thing called the Swiffer Sweeper. This multi-functional cleaning device is perfect for picking up dust, dirt, hair, and dander, not to mention making light work of cleaning sticky floors and grubby shelves. But how exactly do you use one? Is there a right way? A wrong way? And just how far will its magical cleaning abilities take you? Find out as we explore everything there is to know about how to use a Swiffer.

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How to Use a Swiffer

As Hunker notes, using a Swiffer consists of a two-stage process. First of all, there’s the dry cloth element, which is designed to pick up pet dander, dirt, and hair from the floor. The second stage utilizes the wet cloth, which is intended for cleaning dirt and grime from surfaces. You can use either cloth in either order, but for the best results, it’s best to use the dry cloth followed by the wet cloth. Fortunately, the Swiffer is simple enough to master. Here’s how to do it.

Prepare – Remove the dry cloth from the package and unfold it. Position the Swiffer head in the center of the cloth, then fold the front of the cloth backward, tucking it into the cleaning head as you do. Do the same with the rear end of the cloth, this time folding it forwards rather than backward.
Sweep – Push the Swiffer back and forth across the floor to remove any dust or dirt. Once you’ve finished, remove the dry cloth from the cleaning head.
Prepare Again – Next, attach the wet cloth to the cleaning head in the same way you attached the dry cloth.
Clean – Use the wet cloth to clean the floor of any remaining dirt and grime. Once you’ve finished, remove the wet cloth and dispose of it.

Swiffer Hacks

Cleaning a dirty floor is by no means the only thing a Swiffer is good for. Make the most of your investment by putting it to work with some of these ingenious hacks.

Remove Mildew– If you live in a dry climate, mildew is unlikely to be a problem. If you don’t, it’s probably one of the banes of your life. But now there’s a simple way to tackle it. Next time you notice the telltale signs of mildew creeping across your bathroom ceiling, leave the ladder where it is and reach for your Swiffer instead. Simply dampen a cloth with a solution of water and bleach before using it to quickly and easily wash that mildew away.
Freshen Your Drawers – Drawers smelling a little musky? Give them a lift by adding a few drops of essential oil to a Swiffer dry cloth. Tuck the cloth into the drawer to keep things smelling sweet for months to come.
Prepare for Painting – Painting over a dusty wall is a no-no. Use a Swiffer to quickly and efficiently clean the surfaces in preparation.
Deal With Bugs – As Taste Of Home points out, Swiffer’s are great for dealing with bugs. Next time you notice a creepy crawly on the wall or ceiling, use your Swiffer’s long handle and flathead to smush the bug without having to get too close.
Clean Window Blinds – Window blinds are notorious for trapping dirt and grime. They’re even more notorious for being hard to clean. Fortunately, there’s now a solution. Wrap each arm of a pair of kitchen tongs with a Swiffer dry cloth before using a rubber band to secure the cloth in place. Open the blinds, then pinch a slat with the tongs. Slide the tongs back and forth to clean both the front and back of the slat. If the slats are especially grubby, use a wet cloth instead.
Clean Your Laptop – Did you know your laptop keyboard is 20,000 dirtier than a toilet seat? Yep, handy though they are, laptops are a magnet for food crumbs, bacteria, and germs. To keep dust and grime at bay, simply lay a dry Swiffer cloth on top of your keyboard before you close down your laptop. You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes.
Dust Nooks and Crannies – The Swiffer cloth is as flexible as a gymnast. Put its dust-busting potential to work by using it to clean all those awkward nooks and crannies that traditional clothes can’t reach. Just wrap a dry cloth around your finger before getting to work.
Spruce Up Your Plants – Secret Mop Tips has some great suggestions on how to make the most of your Swiffer, including using it to spruce up your houseplants. Simply use a dry Swiffer pad to gently wipe down any dusty leaves.
Find Metal Objects – If you’ve ever dropped an earring, you’ll know how difficult it can be to hunt down. To make light work of the job, attach a magnetic sheet to the bottom of your Swiffer. Pass the mop lightly over the floor. When you turn it over, you should find your earring attached.
Dust Away Cobwebs – If you’re only using your Swiffer to keep your floors ship-shape and shiny, you’re missing a trick. A Swiffer will make light work of clearing cobwebs and dust from high corners. Simply attach a dry cloth to the mop and pass it along the ceiling. Any pesky cobwebs will be gone in an instant.
Clean Ceiling Fans – Ceiling fans used to be a nightmare to clean. But not anymore. Tape a double-headed paint roller to the handle of your Swiffer. Wrap each roller in a dry cloth and secure them in place with a rubber band on each end. Slide the ceiling fan blades one at a time through the roller. If the blades are very grubby, repeat the process with wet cloths.
Make Glass Gleam – Forget about using harsh chemicals to make your glass surfaces gleam. Simply wipe them down with a dry Swiffer cloth to remove any last trace of dust.
Dust Your Dryer’s Lint Trap – Cleaning the lint from a dryer isn’t a job most of us look forward to, but it’s vital. If lint gets into the dryer duct, it can easily start a fire. To make light work of the task, use the dry cloth from your Swiffer to dust the hard-to-reach areas around the machine where lint and dust love to hang out.