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Make Reusable Swiffer Covers

16 April 2009 77,559 views 26 Comments Pin It

by heather

In the spirit of spring cleaning, I offer Merwing-Little Dear's super-easy tutorial for making your own Swiffer duster covers! When you're done using them, toss 'em into the laundry! Now you have no excuse for not mopping and dusting! Evil, I know!

You can make them out of fleece blankets from the dollar store, or better yet, microfiber dusting cloths (yes, they sell those at the DS too!). There aren't any instructions for making the Swiffer mop cover, but it looks pretty simple, doesn't it?


Project Estimate:

  • Microfiber towel or fleece blanket, $1

Total cost: $1

26 Comments »

  • songbirdtiff said:

    Excellent. I’ve been washing the covers for my swiffer duster and they are completely worn out (they weren’t actually made to be washed, lol!) I need to make some good sturdy covers.

  • Dawn said:

    This are genius! No more refills for me!

  • Traci said:

    I also use the SHAMWOWS for my swiffer…..I have laminate floors….LOVE IT!!! Also, a ROOMBA does wonders…lol.

  • Dariece said:

    I am confused. Obviously missing something very simple, how do you get the fabric covers off and on the floor swifter thingy? Looks like it’s sewn to fit snuggly, so how do you get if off and on?

  • kelli said:

    I love this idea!!! I have had friends crochet me some dry covers but I think they don’t work so good. I am so raiding my thrift store donation bag for the fleece!
    thanks

  • hippie said:

    lovely but fleece doesn’t absorb much water and tends to breed bacteria and smell even after washing, while it works great for the duster the swiffer should really have a cotton pad.

  • heather (author) said:

    @hippie Oh, thanks for the input! Maybe if you bought a cotton dishtowel and used it to sew the covers? I haven’t tried this yet, but when I do, I’ll experiment with different materials. I wonder if a felted wool sweater would be good?

  • kelli said:

    I didn’t think these were made for wet washing. Fleece is made out of old soda bottles, isn’t it? I’m almost finished with making one for mine, i have a clorox mop but i only use the pre-moistened pads with it for a quick clean up. That thing was too leaky. Plus it’ll be good for getting the cobwebs out of the ceiling corners.

  • Carrie Ellis said:

    Thanks for sharing this, its the easiest, fastest and most practical craft I’ve ever done!

  • Tami (Pixeltrash) said:

    Now… WHY the heck didn’t I think of that??? Great one!!! I”m off to sew some. I even have the fleece!

  • wo said:

    thank you. I can’t wait to try this.

  • Michelle said:

    WOW! This is awesome! I have been looking for a pattern for a Swiffer duster replacement that I can crochet – but this looks ten times easier! Thank you so much for sharing this!

  • Christy said:

    Do you have a pattern for the other swiffer cover?

  • Spark*Amy said:

    You can find a tutorial here, but it’s made to use the velcro on the Swiffer wet mop – http://www.instructables.com/id/Swiffer-Mop-Pad-a-reusable-one!/

    The one above looks like one side is shorter so you could pull on long side and then pull the short side over.

  • Joni said:

    Fleece is not very absorbent. If you can find a shamwow or similar, it would work better.

  • Lisa said:

    Why not make the mop cover from old t-shirts? I would double them and they would be super absorbent and FREE!

  • melissa said:

    this is an awesome idea!! and i think these are just in replace of swiffer dusters / sweepers NOT the moppers!

  • Michele said:

    Another great replacement for the wet swiffer is old cloth diapers. I never used cloth diapers as actual diapers but as spit up cloths/pads. They are absorbent and great for light cleaning.Just another idea for recycling.

  • Emily said:

    I don’t know how to sew to save my life, but I want to make these!

  • brigitte said:

    great idea !! had the same one !! :-D
    but i used mitains ( for cleaning cars ) DS as well
    they are all micro fiber

    why buying and then throw out in the barbage ? to fill the landfill ? to fill some other very deep pockets ?

    have not yet warned out my pads

  • Anne said:

    I’ve seen another tutorial for swiffer duster refills where you use flannel, not fleece. Flannel really grabs the dust better than microfiber, and it’s not supposed to fall apart when you cut it! Haven’t tried this yet but when I do, I’m using flannel!

  • Jan said:

    I use plain square washcloths. They stay put and you can use both sides and then throw in the laundry. Cheap and I have tons of them.

  • Rita said:

    How about putting elastic around and old terry cloth towel?

  • Dollar Store Crafts » Blog Archive » Top 10 Dollar Store Crafts Posts of 2011 said:

    [...] Swiffers are great, but the refills are expensive and not at all eco-friendly.  Making your own reusable swiffer covers is one way to both save money and reduce your environmental impact – everybody wins!  [read the post] [...]

  • Judy said:

    You don’t “have” to sew anything~ I use old wash cloths and poke into the holes provided! EASEY/PEASEY

  • daina said:

    Say, I wonder if you could use cotton diapers for swiffer clothes?They could poke into the little holes to stay on and they are about the right size. they’d be easy to wash and bleach. Thanks for the inspiration, I’m gonna try it!

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